My investment model here generally avoids stocks under $10, but there are exceptions, and RF Micro Devices (RFMD) is one.

RF Micro is a leading manufacturer of high-performance radio frequency solutions, which are primarily used in cell phones. Other uses include: wireless base stations, base stations, LANs, cable TV, modems, and GPS.

Sprint Nextel Corporation (S) has found a winner for almost a year in its Boost Mobile prepaid wireless brand. For Sprint, this has been a savior. The company has been leeching valuable contract wireless customers to the competition and it was hurt badly in 2009 because of this.

At the same time, it has gained more prepaid wireless subscribers than any other carrier, and added large partner Virgin Mobile late last year to solidify its strategy in growing prepaid wireless as a large core of its customer base. It was probably the only thing to do -- both AT&T Inc. (T) and Verizon Wireless were taking its subscribers by the hundreds of thousands throughout 2009, even as Sprint fought back with lower-priced plans and compelling smartphones.

Today's stock market was up more than it was not throughout the trading session, yet the feeling was more of an up-day after better than expected retail data and after more and more data points to a decent jobs figure for Friday's unemployment and non-farms payrolls data. Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,607.69 +34.01 (0.32%)
S&P 500 1,141.65 +4.51 (0.40%)
Nasdaq 2,299.00 -2.09 (-0.09%)

Top Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades

The markets got off to a strong start for 2010. The Institute of Supply Management reported stronger manufacturing gains in December, and that just added gravy on top of what had already been strength from overseas markets. The November construction spending was down 0.6% in November, but there may be more seasonality with that than what was seen before. Major European markets were all up over 1.5% to kick off 2010 while Asian markets were mixed to slightly higher.

Dow 10,583.96 +155.91 (1.50%)
S&P 500 1,132.99 +17.89 (1.60%)
Nasdaq 2,308.42 +39.27 (1.73%)

Top Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades
Top DJIA Stock Picks for 2010

Nokia (NOK - option chain) shares are rising today after the head of the company's mobile division, Rick Simonson, told India's Economic Times, "By 2011, our efforts will start producing results, as we will be at par with Apple (AAPL) and RIM (RIMM) in smartphones." Nokia alsofiled to broaden its patent dispute with Apple over the weekend. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on NOK.

NOK opened this morning at $13.26. So far today the stock has hit a low of $13.20 and a high of $13.45. As of 12:50, NOK is trading at $13.40 up 55 cents(4.3%). The chart for NOK looks neutral and S&P gives NOK a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold ranking.

As I write this, Google Inc. (GOOG) shares are trading at $600.25, up 1.2%. Google stock has been on fire, up 95% year-to-date, and analysts seem to just keep pumping it up.

Just Monday, Jefferies & Co. analyst Youssef Squali upped Google's share price target to $695. His reasoning has mostly to do with Google's search business. He sees rising cost per click due to strong demand in the U.S. and Europe; increases reported by Yahoo! (YHOO) and AOL (AOL) of their revenue per search and CPM that Google would also experience; and expected growth in online ad prices due to e-commerce growth.

Michael Dell of Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) has confirmed the launch of a Dell-branded smartphone sometime in 2010, one has to wonder this: why? Now that Dell has slipped to third place globally in terms of PC shipments, the computer direct selling pioneer now appears to be rather non-innovative, save for the Adamo paper-thin laptop PC that it keeps touting.

It usually isn't the biggest news in the tech realm when someone introduces a new phone, but the situation is a bit different when the phone uses Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) software and is made for smartphones on the AT&T (NYSE: T) network. The phone will be made by Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), features the Google Android system for its technology, and will be launched in the United States early next year, as reported in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required). This is a notable phone, as it is Dell's first foray into the U.S. cell phone arena.

Dell's offering will feature a touch screen rather than a keypad and will feature a camera -- much like Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone. The Dell offering will be similar to another Dell device that it showed in China back in August, but with a few different features. Google figures in, as its Android technology will run programs like a Web browser, music player, and games for the Dell phone. While many are going to focus on why the phone is good for Google, I'd rather focus on why this phone will be a spectacular failure.

Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) is one company whose fundamentals are making one statement, while the stock chart's technical indicators are arguing something entirely different.

A late roll-out of the Palm Pre with new carriers has sparked concerned about disappointing Palm results in the quarters ahead, and particularly during the upcoming holiday season. Moreover, any hint that FY2010 revenue growth that will not exceed a 100% gain will likely send PALM's shares tumbling.

Just before Wednesday's opening bell, tech giant Palm (NASDAQ: PALM) announced that it raised the number of shares it will sell in a new public offering. The company will now offer 20 million shares rather than the previously reported 16 million. The offering will be at $16.25 per share and should lead to $313.1 million in proceeds.

In early trading, PALM was up more than 3% -- pushing the stock through the $16 level. This level had acted as resistance in the past, so this technical advance is important. We could see the $16 level act as support if needed. Further support could come from PALM's 10- and 20-week moving averages, both of which are advancing to catch up to the equity's current position. More support can be found in the form of PALM's 10- and 20-month moving averages.

For Palm (NASDAQ: PALM), the future is really about one product: the Pre smartphone. And based on the latest quarterly report, it looks like things are going fairly well (the device was launched in June).

In fiscal Q1, Palm sustained a net loss of $161.1 million, or $1.17 per share. However, if you exclude certain items, the result was a loss of $13.6 million, or $0.10. This was much better than the Street's consensus of $0.24.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) is developing a pocket-sized electronic device to be used for connecting to the internet. The "gadget" would use Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android software. Reportedly, the device will be slightly larger than Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPod touch, and Dell may start selling the device later this year. That said, the story's source noted that the plan could be delayed or scrapped entirely.

The importance of this potential device should not be lost, as it is one of the first experiments by a major PC maker in the world of mobile internet devices (MID). These devices are seen as bridges over the gap between smartphones and laptops.

This morning, brokerage firm Morgan Stanley issued an upgrade to Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), lifting the tech giant to Overweight and upping its target price to $180 from $105. Morgan Stanley feels that Apple is a clear leader in the world of mobile Internet and that the iPhone will drive the company's earnings growth over the next two years.

The brokerage's analyst noted, "The core of our stock call is that the iPhone's success and higher margins will begin to mute the fundamental margin and growth risks in Apple's core Mac/iPod businesses."

Readers of this space know that the investment bias is toward large-cap companies with demonstrated business models and who have a competitive advantage in established markets, preferably with a favorable, global trend as a support. However, every once in a while, and exception is made, and Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) is one.

In general, analysts see a 20-35% increase in FY 2010 revenue, driven primarily by, of course, RIMM's wildly popular wireless smartphone, the BlackBerry, which supports global mobile voice and e-mail.

In his BullMarket.com advisory, Bill Martin looks to new products from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), such as the next version of the iPhone.

In addition, the advisors looks to the recent stronger-than-expected results announced by Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) and why that may bode well for Apple's own upcoming results.

Martin observes, "RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky said Apple will launch a new version of the iPhone inJune, which the analyst has dubbed the iPhone 3G Pro.

"In a research note, Abramsky said the new version of the popular smartphone will include a number of new features and improvements over the one introduced last summer to popular appeal.