Moto's Android Phones Hitting T-Mobile, Verizon

Looks like Motorola's super fun Android handset will be coming to T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless later this year, according to the folks over at The Wall Street Journal. It will be interesting to see how well these handsets are received, as Motorola has a lot riding on them.Motorola's really hurting right now. Or, more accurately, their handset division is dragging down the company. The common refrain is that the company has not been able to come out with another handset that has captured the public's interest like the Razr did oh so many years ago.

They brought in Sanjay Jha to head its mobile division and spur a turnaround. So far, we've yet to see him make a significant impact on the company, besides his compensation package, of course. These things take time though, and he has publicly stated the company will be slimming down the number of operating systems to three: a Linux-based one for entry-level phones, Android for mid-tier devices, and Windows Mobile for high-end smartphones.

This is what the first Motorola device, which is being code-named "Morrison," will reportedly look like:

This is obviously an unconfirmed, blurry-cam shot, but this doesn't look like a super exciting device. Maybe it's the color scheme, but nothing makes me want to get this phone. Still, pictures - especially unclear ones - can be deceiving, and Motorola does know how to make a solid phone. Their problem has always been software, and Android is steadily becoming a rock-solid platform full of innovative apps.

Verizon getting in on the Android fun is a bit curious because the carrier isn't officially part of the Open Handset Alliance, but isn't too surprising considering the company's CEO said Android would be coming soon. Verizon has a lot of talks and initiatives about being an open network, and I wonder how much tinkering they'll do with the Linux-based mobile operating system before it hits the shelves.