Present focus is winning with Hornets: Chris Paul remembers every detail of the first time he met Michael Jordan, whom he now refers to as his mentor. Could Paul decide to return home next year and make Jordan his boss? Paul won’t rule it out. “It would definitely be something to think about,” the New Orleans guard says, when asked about the potential for him to sign with the Jordan-owned Charlotte Bobcats in 2012. “But right now it’s all about trying to win a championship here with the Hornets.” In a phone interview with The Associated Press to promote the Jordan Brand Classic high school basketball All-Star game on Saturday in Charlotte, Paul alternated praise for Jordan with stressing that his immediate concern is the Hornets’ impending first-round playoff series. “I’m one of those people who tries to stay in the moment,” the four-time All-Star point guard said. But Paul, who has a contract with Jordan’s Nike footwear and apparel division, doesn’t mind reminiscing about meeting Jordan for the first time when the Lewisville, N.C., native played in the Jordan Brand Classic in 2003.
New gadgets: Nokia Corp. today launched its first smartphones to run on the updated Symbian software with new icons, enhancements and a faster browser. Nokia says the two models—the E6 and X7—have longer battery life, better text input and new Ovi Maps applications with improved search and public transport routes. The Nokia E6, with a standard QWERTY keypad and high resolution touch display, is aimed at corporate customers, while the Nokia X7 is an entertainment-focused handset with a four-inch display made for games. The world’s largest cellphone maker did not price the handsets. More than 200 million phones, with 150 million more expected on the market, use Symbian technology, seen by some developers as clumsy and dated. At the end of last year, it was surpassed by Android as the world’s No. 1 smartphone software. Nokia says the new, faster Symbian software, known as Symbian Anna, will be available for previously released top models.
