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AT&T Will Test In-Home Cell Phone Boosters

According to AP report, AT&T is testing a technology that can improve the signal available to cell phones in subscribers' homes, and plans to make it available in a trial market next year. The company said said they are ttesting so-called "femtocells" in employees' homes, and is looking at a broader, city-sized test with customers in the second quarter. Read more
(December 9, 2008)

Cell Phones More Distracting Than Passengers

According to Reuters report, new research suggests that mobile phones, even when used hands-free, are more distracting to drivers than passengers or being drunk. The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology (PDF), concludes that driving while talking on the phone is significantly worse than chatting to a passenger, but if you're going to talk on the phone then having a co-pilot helps. Read more
(December 2, 2008)

IPhone Ousells RAZR To Become Top Cell Phone In U.S.

Apple's iPhone 3G became the top-selling mobile handset for U.S. adults in the third quarter, ending the Motorola Razr's long reign and signaling a shift in consumer tastes toward more feature-laden phones, according to new data from market research firm NPD Group. Read more
(November 11, 2008)

Google Phone Goes on Sale

Google is jumping into the mobile phone business with its new G1 phone. The G1 is available starting today for $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile. The G1, which has iPhone-like features - such as a touch-sensitive screen, Internet access and a music player - runs on Google's new operating system, Android. Read more
(October 22, 2008)

First Google's Android Phone Unveiled

Google and telecom carrier T-Mobile unveiled Tuesday the first mobile device powered by the Internet search giant's software, a smartphone seen as a potential rival to Apple's popular iPhone.

The T-Mobile G1, informally known as the "Google phone," will cost 179 dollars and will be available in stores in the United States from October 22. The first device to run the search giant's operating system will feature a touch screen as well as a Qwerty keyboard. Read more
(September 22, 2008)

Asian Market Pushing Cell Phones

According to analysis by Frost & Sullivan, approximately 573 million cell phone users are expected to join the mobile market emerging in Asia by the last quarter of 2012. Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam are expected to produce more cell phone subscribes, which will bring the market into big billion dollar territory. To be exact, Asia will close out 2012 with about 1.06 billion cell phone users. Read more
(September 3, 2008)

Try a Headset that Talks Back

Almost everyone with a cell phone also uses a wireless Bluetooth headset – and almost every user has been confused by them. As the Associated Press points out, given the fact that the buttons lack markers and there is only one indicator light, it is hard to tell what they do – and how to get them to do what they are intended to do. Read more
(August 29, 2008)

Verizon Announced LG Voyager in Titanium

Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. – better known as simply LG Mobile Phones – are launching a new mobile device, the LG Voyager in Titanium. It features a dual screen and the same features as its predecessor. Like the name implies, the cell phone also features a sleek titanium exterior. In addition, it supports V CAST Music with Rhapsody and Visual Voice Mail. These are two of the most popular services offered by Verizon Wireless. Read more
(August 27, 2008)

Mobile Devices Charged by Motion

M2E Power, Inc., a company specializing in renewable energy and designs, intends to push ahead with their newest design. Namely, they intend to move ahead with their development of a charger for wireless and mobile devices. The catch? The charger will use electromagnetic fields and the motion they produce. The electromagnetic motion will be converted into a clean energy that will then be stored in the charger to power up mobile devices. Read more
(August 26, 2008)

Verizon and Google Closer to Striking a Deal

It seems like Verizon Communications Inc. and Google Inc. have been trying to reach a deal for decades. According to the Wall Street Journal, they are finally getting closer to that point. They are at long last getting close to reaching an agreement to form a far reaching partnership. Read more
(August 25, 2008)

New Smart Phone Launched by Palm

Palm is rolling out the new Treo Pro smart phone on Wednesday, says the Mercury News. Although they recognize that no one is likely to wait on line for hours just to get first crack at this new phone, Palm has high hopes that the phone will be able to carve its own special niche in the mobile phone industry. Read more
(August 22, 2008)

Purchase of Cell Phones Decreasing in U.S.

The Associated Press reveals that consumers in the United States are buying less cell phones – yet they are paying more for the phones when they do buy them. Reporting on an NPD Group report published on Tuesday, the Associated Press goes on to say that only twenty eight million phones were sold during the second quarter of this year. This is 13 percent less than how many were sold in the second quarter of 2007. Read more
(August 20, 2008)

Survey Split Over Allowing Cell-Phone Use On Flights

According to an article published by the Associated Press, nearly half of U.S. residents have stated that they would oppose the use of cell phones on flights – even if there wasn’t an issue of the cell phone use interfering with onboard communication systems. Approximately four tenths of those surveyed in the Department of Transportation survey have said that cell phone use should either definitely or probably be allowed on flights. Read more
(August 7, 2008)

Ikea to Offer Pay as You Go Phones

Ikea will offer pay-as-you-go phones. But only to customers in Britain, says Business Week, who announced the Sweden based company’s decision on Monday, August 4. The wildly popular retailer of home furniture and furnishings is throwing their own contender into the huge cell phone market. They intend to try their hand at being a wireless provider by offering Pay as You Go SIM phones at a substantially lower price than their competitors in the United Kingdom. Read more
(August 5, 2008)

Congress Takes a Stand against Cell Phones on Planes

A report by the Associated Press reveals that members of Congress are grumbling about the danger and annoyance of cell phone usage on airplanes. In fact, they think cell phones should be banned on airplanes permanently. Read more
(August 1, 2008)

Sprint Offers Better Cell Phone Signals

Sprint is offering a new type of hardware which will boost cellular phone signals within your home or office. The new femtocell hardware is called the Airwave. Samsung makes them and, basically, they are like a small, localized cell phone tower. In addition to promoting greater cell phone coverage, it gives consumers another of many incentives to quit using their land lines altogether. It works quite simply, connecting to the Sprint network through your broadband network, at which point it makes a phone network on a small scale. Read more
(August 1, 2008)

Cell Phone Companies Continue Getting Penalized for Early Termination Fees

Cell phone customers are continuing their battles against individual cell phone providers who charge exorbitant amounts for early termination fees, according to the Mercury News. There are numerous lawsuits currently going on and being filed all around the United States. In this latest lawsuit, Californians in the Bay Area won a suit filed against the Sprint Nextel company. Read more
(July 23, 2008)

Slydial’s Effect on Dating and Business

The Associated Press reports that there is now a new phone service, available for cell phone or land line users, that may make it easier to break up with someone, give bad news, or avoid getting pulled into a long winded conversation when you are in a hurry. Read more
(July 22, 2008)

LG Phone Sales on the Rise

LG Electronics reported that sales of their mobile phones increased during the second quarter of this year, up 84 percent from the same period during 2007. The company said that during that time frame, they earned a total of $694.4 million, which is a new credit for the wireless manufacturer. All told, they sold 22.5 percent more phones, making for a whopping $7.1 billion increase from a year prior. Read more
(July 21, 2008)

Cell Phone Providers Lowering Termination Fees

According to Newsday, that long awaited day has finally arrived – many of the big name wireless providers are finally cutting the exorbitant fees usually charged for early terminations and cancellations.

This has been in the works for quite time, as cell phone users get increasingly tired of having to pay fees as high as $200 for canceling their contracts early. Just recently, former users have been getting so fed up with these fees that they have taken the issue to courts. Even those cell phone users who have not filed suit are given to complaints and cries for a little relief. In 2006 and 2007 alone, Newsday reports that the Federal Communications Commission heard over 3,700 complaints from disgruntled consumers. Read more
(July 18, 2008)

Choosing the Right Cell Phone

Given the sheer number of different cell phones and mobile devices on the market today, choosing the right one can be difficult for consumers. WMUR 9, out of New Hampshire, offers several different tips to help you choose the right device for you, so that you can make sure you get maximum efficiency at an affordable price. Read more
(July 16, 2008)

Can Your Smart Phone Save You Money?

It can if you live in San Francisco, according to the New York Times. In one of the most ambitious steps towards reducing the parking problem, San Francisco intends to test six thousand metered parking spaces that will, through a wireless sensor, be able to tell drivers which parking spots are available at any given moment. This ambitious undertaking will begin in the fall and is related to the death by stabbing of a nineteen year old named Boris Albinder two years ago; the youth was stabbed over a parking space. Read more
(July 15, 2008)

Do You Need to Keep Your Child Away from Cell Phones?

UPI reveals that people living in Canada are receiving warnings from the Toronto Public Health department to limit the amount of time their children spend on the cell phones, due to increasing health concerns. Read more
(July 14, 2008)

Settlement Reached in Verizon Suit

It seems like the class action suit involving cell phone users unhappy with Verizon Wireless’s astoundingly high early termination fees has been going on forever, but an Associated Press report reveals that there is finally an end in sight. The lawsuit, which was filed jointly by a number of customers in California, reached a turning point when Verizon Wireless recently agreed to pay a settlement of $21 million. Read more
(July 12, 2008)

iPhone Is Going Global

According to Mercury News, it is officially official and breathtakingly imminent: Apple may well be attempting to take over the world via the new iPhone 3G, which will go global on Friday, in twenty two countries. Read more
(July 11, 2008)

Saving Yourself from Cell Phone Scammers

According to the August 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, there are three ways for consumers to save themselves from the threat of cell phone scams, which seem to get more and more common as mobile phones themselves become more popular. It is no longer enough that we have email inboxes filled with spam; nowadays, we have to worry about what is going to show up on our cell phones as well. This is a particularly unsavory thought because, unlike with email, most of us have to pay for unwanted text messages and voicemail messages. Read more
(July 10, 2008)

Cell Phone Unlocking May be Getting Simpler

Business Week revealed today that between a brand new service being offered by MetroPCS and new regulations which the FCC is considering, it may soon be much easier to unlock your cell phone – so that it actually works. Because, as Business Week further points out, while it is currently possible to unlock a device to try and make it work for a different network, sometimes the complicated steps it takes to get to that point end up making the cell phone quit working altogether. Read more
(July 9, 2008)

5 Choices Comparable to the New iPhone

The U.S. News and World Report lists five different touch screen cell phones, comparable to the Apple’s new iPhone and perfect for consumers who either cannot afford such pricey smart phone technology or who simply do not need something quite so advanced. Read more
(July 8, 2008)

Washington Sees Limited Ban on Cell Phone Use While Driving

In Washington state, holding a cell phone while driving may garner a $124 ticket starting July 1. With Tuesday’s cell phone restrictions – limiting motorists to hands-free devices – Washington and California have joined three other states (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) with similar bans. Read more
(July 3, 2008)

Google’s Android Is On Schedule

Bloomberg reveals that Google Inc., which owns the most popular and widely used search engine in the world, will be launching their line of mobile phones, the first to run on the company’s operating System, Android, right in schedule. They are due to be available by the latter half of 2008. Given the enthusiasm of carriers, makers of handsets, developers, and consumers, the project is rapidly gaining momentum. Read more
(June 23, 2008)

Tips to Keep Tabs on Your Teen’s Texting

These days, it pays for parents to monitor theirr children’s Internet usage, as well as the people they hang out with and the movies and television shows they watch. Monitoring your child’s cell phone is becoming equally important, according to the Daniel Island News. Read more
(June 20, 2008)

Verizon Offering Discounts to Customers without Land Lines

The Associated Press reports that Verizon Communications Inc. is preparing to offer discounts to their wireless customers who subscribe to Verizon’s Internet or television services but who do not have a land line phone. Read more
(June 19, 2008)

Sprint or AT&T: Who Has the Better iPhone?

Sprint’s new Samsung Instinct, the most feasible competition for the iPhone, is not only being launched first but will also be less expensive, so a writer for the Washington Post is launching a comparison. Read more
(June 18, 2008)

Spammers Targeting Cell Phones – How to Stop Them

Although it is by no means as widespread as email spam, text message spam on phones is becoming increasingly common – and annoying. According to the Seattle P-I, however, there are several things cell phone users can do to block unwanted texts – 1.5 billion of which are expected to strike people this year. Read more
(June 17, 2008)

New Smart Phones for New Customers

PC Magazine reports that Verizon Wireless recently released a new smart phone, called the Palm Centro, which is already seeing quite a bit of success. It is not a phone targeted towards people who like or already have smart phones, PC Magazine goes on to say, but rather it is being marketed towards people who have never really thought about using a smart phone before. Read more
(June 13, 2008)

Government More Important than Consumers?

According to the Associated Press, recently Nextel decided that it would not charge the government the costly fees -- often called exorbitant, and by government officials at that ? that it charges its customers for early contract termination. The Associated Press quoted this carrier as saying of the government that they "will never, never accept such penalty amounts," which is really quite interesting. Read more
(June 12, 2008)

Verizon Wireless to Buy Alltel

If regulators agree that there are no monopoly violations, Verizon Wireless (joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. and British Vodafone Group PLC) will have bought Alltel Corp. by the end of the year in a $28.1 billion deal. This deal covers a payment of $5.9 billion as well as Verizon assuming a $22.2 billion Alltel debt. Approval is likely, though Verizon will probably need to sell its asset where there is an overlap of coverage with Alltel. Read more
(June 9, 2008)

Wisconsin Residents Can Add Cellular Numbers to Do-Not-Call Lists

The widely utilized and extremely popular Wisconsin based Do Not Call list is expanding to include cell mobile phone numbers, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle added the inclusion of cell phone numbers into the budget repair bill. As of June 5, mobile users have until the end of August to put all cell numbers onto the Do Not Call list, which will be sent to telemarketers in October. Read more
(June 6, 2008)

AT&T Settles Over Disputed Third Party Fees

According to an AP report, AT&T cell-phone customers may be eligible for refunds who have ringtone and some other third party content charges on their phone bills. This is part of a settlement in a group of class-action lawsuits and the customers can claim refunds for some charges that appeared on a maximum of 3 monthly bills between January 1, 2004 and May 30, 2008. Read more
(June 4, 2008)

Free Television On Cell Phones

TV might be the next big (and free) trend with cell phones, according to The Street. The Korean based LG company certainly has its heart set on the new trend. The Street reports that, as per Reuters, LG as just announced and introduced a handset which will let users watch televison via over the air digital broadcasts of channels on their phone – and they will not be required to pay their wireless companies a monthly fee to enjoy it, either. Read more
(May 30, 2008)

Google Shows Off Android Phone

The Associated Press reports that Google revealed its new “Android,” an open-source platform created for smartphones and Internet-capable mobile devices which they initially announced seven months ago. Among other things, the Android will be able to unlock cell phones by drawing a shape on the screen rather than submitting a password; add favorite places to the phone’s browser; help users navigate. Read more
(May 29, 2008)

Unlocking the iPhone Imminent?

Cell phone companies such as T-Mobile and AT&T suffered a blow on Tuesday, when the Supreme Court rejected their bid to dismiss a class-action lawsuit regarding unlocking cell phones, filed against them by agreed customers. Read more
(May 29, 2008)

Supreme Court Rejects T-Mobile’s Appeal

AP has reported in a dispatch dated May 28 from Washington that Supreme Court has rejected T-Mobile’s appeal in T-Mobile v. Laster case. T-Mobile appealed against Californian High Court’s order in respect of ignoring the arbitration clause laid down in contracts executed by T-Mobile with its consumers . Read more
(May 29, 2008)

Wanna Cut Off Your Landline? Think Twice….

According to a WINK News story on May 26, more and more households in the US are doing away with landlines and opting for cell phones as their only means of connectivity. Those in favor of depending on cell phones only argue, and quite convincingly so, that if you have a cell phone you are constantly connected with the callers able to reach you wherever you are. If you add to it the convenience of carrying a cell phone – it can be in your pocket, purse or in your car without being obtrusive or bothersome in any way, it is surely a winner all the way. Read more
(May 28, 2008)

Hop1800 - The $10 Utility Cell Phone

Hop-On Inc. has come up with a super cheap cell phone which can easily be used as a standby by all those who sport those cutting-edge hi tech mobile phones. It is priced at a rock bottom level, well, frankly speaking, even lower than that as it were at $10 apiece and would be available at all retail and convenience stores. Hop1800, as this phone is called, can very well qualify as a disposable phone especially if we consider its dirt cheap price, but the company offers a $5 rebate on all returns just to highlight its concern for environment and desire to ‘go green’. Read more
(May 27, 2008)

Verizon Attempts To Reduce Termination Fees

Verizon Wireless is trying to seal a deal with consumer groups and Federal Communications Commission to put at rest once and for all the vexed issue of termination fees charged to customers if they scrapped their contracts prior to normal expiry. Read more
(May 27, 2008)

Wireless Sales on the Decline

Sales are dropping as the wireless market reaches its maturation – approximately 84% of Americans have some type of wireless device – and the United States economy slows. CNET News revealed that this was the first time since 2005 the NPD Group, a market researching firm, saw such a decrease in sales. Read more
(May 22, 2008)

Wireless Carriers to Strike Deal with Government on Termination Fees

It is possible that cell phone users may no longer face expensive charges when they terminate their service with carrier companies, says the AP. Verizon Wireless, in conjunction with several other major cell phone companies, actually initiated the proposal, drafted to the Federal Communications Commission. Read more
(May 22, 2008)

Possible Link Found Between Cell Phones and Children

The results of a test conducted by universities in Los Angeles and Denmark, set to be published in the July issue of Epidemiology, indicate a link between pregnant women who use mobile phones and possible behavioral problems in their offspring.  Read more
(May 21, 2008)

Unlocking Cell Phones Can Equal Better Rates

News 3 reports some interesting news for mobile phone users, via the Saving You Money Team.  Cell phone contracts force consumers into a commitment they may not appreciate.  A lot of cell phone companies usually “lock” the cell phones they offer, meaning that those cell phones will only work with that company’s carrier.  That forces people to give up their cell phones if they decide to switch to a different company – usually. Read more
(May 21, 2008)

Internet Influencing Cell Phone Purchases

A new study conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project shows that information and shops on the Internet are helping a lot of Americans to compare prices, research products, and ultimately make a purchase. However the study also found that few of those purchases are rarely made through an online store. Most people who are on the Internet use it only to research certain products, not to buy them. Read more
(May 20, 2008)

Landlines Losing Popularity

Landlines are on their way to becoming as obsolete as the 8-track due to the fact that a growing number of people either do not pay attention to their land line or do not have one. According to an AP report regarding the results of a federal study published on May 14, almost three out of every ten households reported that they used cell phones in lieu of landlines, whether they had a land line or not. Read more
(May 16, 2008)

Cell Phone Spam Text Messages Are Rising

Americans are expected to receive an estimated 1.5 billion unsolicited text messages on their cell phones in 2008, according to San Francisco's Ferris Research, which tracks mobile messaging trends. That's nearly double the amount received in 2006. Read more
(May 12, 2008)

Court Upholds School Cellphone Ban in New York City

According to a New York Times report, the battle over cell phones in schools ended with the state's appeals court voting to uphold a ban on cell phones in public schools in New York city. The Department of Education passed the ban in 2005, saying that phones are disruptive, and that students could use them to cheat on exams. Read more
(April 23, 2008)

Cell Phone Ban Lifted in Cuba

According to AP, cell phone service has now become available to all Cuban citizens for the first time ever. In response, citizens of the island nation are flocking to phone stores everywhere. Cuban government has eased restrictions on buying cellular phones for the first time and also allowed registering those they had held illegally. Read more
(April 15, 2008)

Emergency Alerts May Come To Your Cell Phone

The FCC has approved a new nationwide alert system that will send text messages to cell phones to alert Americans when an emergency, disaster or attack occurs. The plan itself will deliver three different types of charge-free text alerts to mobile phone users. Read more
(April 10, 2008)

EU Approves In-Flight Cell Phone Use

The European Union has approved in-flight cell phone use for all of its 27 member nations. Under the new rules, phones usage will fall under the same rules as regular electronics meaning passengers canЎЇt yak on their phones during takeoff and landings. In addition, the flight crew can disable phone usage at any time. Read more
(April 8, 2008)

AT&T CEO: 3G iPhone Due ‘In Months’

According to a Reuters report, AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega said that AT&T was expecting a 3G iPhone within the next few months., when asked about plans to sell a third-generation (3G) iPhone. Read more
(April 2, 2008)

Verizon Wireless Files Lawsuit to Stop Telemarketers

Verizon Wireless filed a lawsuit to stop unknown telemarketers from calling its customers and employees with an offer of an extended car warranty.

The Basking Ridge, N.J., wireless voice and data network operator said the lawsuit alleges telemarketers illegally used an autodialer to reach its customers, a violation of the Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and also used "spoofing" techniques to mask the origin of the calls. Read more
(March 27, 2008)

Study: Hands-Free Cell Phones Phones Still Distract Drivers

According a USA Today report, a study by a Pittsburgh scientist on the effects of driving while answering questions found that simply hearing a cellular phone call may distract drivers.

The study, conducted by Marcel Just, director of the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University, monitored the brain activities of 29 people who drove a simulated vehicle while choosing whether auditory statements were false or true, USA Today reported. Read more
(March 11, 2008)

Study: Cell Phone Now Most Valuable Communication Device

For the first time, Americans reported their love for their mobile phones trumped both their feelings for television and landline phones, according to a survey released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Read more
(March 4, 2008)

Nokia Reveals Flexible Cell Phone

Nokia and the University of Cambridge jointly revealed a new stretchable and flexible mobile device of the future called Morph. This is a new concept of the cell phone of the future basically, as the phone has the ability to flex, bend, and stretch. Read more
(February 26, 2008)

T-Mobile Offers Home Phone Service

T-Mobile will test an Internet calling plan designed to replace consumers' home wireline-based phone service. The provider begins offering a $10 per month Internet-based phone service in Dallas and Seattle as an add-on to its mobile service. Read more
(February 21, 2008)

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile Offer Unlimited Cell Phone Plan

AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA on Tuesday announced flat rate plans for unlimited calls in the United States. Verizon Wireless said early on Tuesday it had started offering unlimited calls for $99.99 a month. AT&T followed with a similar plan, while T-Mobile USA went a step further by including unlimited texts as well as calls for the same price. Read more
(February 19, 2008)

Study: Heavy Cell Phone Use Link To Cancer

A recent study of nearly 500 Israelis has shown that frequent cell phone use is linked to a 50% increased risk of developing cancer. A new study has shown that Tumors of the parotid (salivary) glands are significantly more common in people who use cellular phones over a relatively long period. Read more
(February 18, 2008)

Startup Modu Launches Modular Cell Phone

Israeli startup Modu is looking to revolutionize the mobile industry with a new modular phone. This phone allows you to dress it in various “jackets” or enclosures. This hallows customers of the cell phone to have a very intimate experience with the phone as they can customize it to their liking. Read more
(February 8, 2008)

Nokia Smartphone Can Read Documents for Blind

According to AP, the world's first smartphone that translates photographs of written text into audio and then "speaks" the words aloud to users is expected to become available in early 2008. The device is the product of a joint venture between the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and world-renowned inventor Ray Kurzweil. Read more
(January 28, 2008)

Study: Cell Phones Might Interfere With Sleep

According to a report by UPI, a study in Sweden and the United States finds that using a cell phone just before bedtime interferes with sleep patterns. "The study strongly suggests that mobile phone use is associated with specific changes in the areas of the brain responsible for activating and coordinating the stress system," one researcher said. Read more
(January 21, 2008)

EPA Launches Cell Phone Recycling Campaign

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has teamed up with cell phone makers, service providers, and retailers to promote cell phone recycling.

The EPA and its "Plug-In to eCycling" partners said they would be involved in a year-long campaign to increase capacity and outreach about existing recycling programs; educate the community about the benefits of cell phone recycling, including how and where the phones can be recycled; and work with communities to hold special cell phone collection drives and events. Read more
(January 10, 2008)

Cell Phones Are a Drag on the Commute

Drivers talking on cellphones are probably making your commute longer, a new study concludes. According to research from the University of Utah, cell-phone users drive more slowly than their non-cell using counterparts.

Driving while chatting on the phone isn't just dangerous - it's also a drag on traffic, University of Utah researchers contend. Read more
(January 3, 2008)

Boston Underground Railway Gets Cell Phone Coverage

Accoding to a report by the Boston Globe, passengers on Boston's public transport train service can now use their mobile phone in selected areas of the underground network. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas announced that wireless services are available, for the first time ever, in the train tunnels connecting the four downtown Boston stations that comprise the core of the nation's first subway. Read more
(December 28, 2007)

Japan's Mobile Carrier DoCoMo To Offer Google Services

Japan's largest mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. will tie up with U.S. Internet search engine Google Inc. to promote its Internet service for mobile phone users, Kyodo News said. Through the tie-up with the World's No. 1 search engine, NTT DoCoMo will apply Google's search and e-mail functions to its proprietary i-mode Internet service for handset customers, Kyodo News citing a report said, citing unnamed company sources. Read more
(December 26, 2007)

Air France Introduces Cell Phone Services

Air France has kicked off its very first in-flight mobile phone service trial onboard a single Airbus A318, which operates on European routes. Air France has joined hands with OnAir for the same. With this service, at first passengers will be able to send and receive text and picture messages along with emails through phones with internet access. Read more
(December 24, 2007)

Analog Cell Phone Network To Shut Down In 2008

In 2008 wireless carriers will begin shutting down the analog cell phone network. Starting February 19, 2008, cell phone carriers, including AT&T, Alltel and Verizon Wireless, will be turning off their analog networks. Other mobile carriers including Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile do not have analog networks and their customers will not be affected. Read more
(December 21, 2007)

iPhone Outsold Windows Mobile in Q3

According to research firm NPD, US handset sales in Q3 had their largest increase and best quarter since the firm started keeping track in 2005. According to Bloomberg "U.S. customers shelled out 40 percent more for handsets last quarter than a year earlier, just as Apple Inc. put its Web-browsing iPhone on sale and Research In Motion Ltd. brought out BlackBerry e-mail phones with video features. Spending rose to a record and jumped the most since at least 2005." Read more
(December 20, 2007)

US Spending On Cell Phone Service Surpasses Land Lines

Accoring to an AP report, U.S. households are starting to spend more on cell phone services in 2007 as more Americans cutting the cord to their land lines, industry and government officials say.

The most recent government data show that households spent $524, on average, on cell phone bills in 2006, compared with $542 for residential and pay-phone services. By now, though, consumers almost certainly spend more on their cell phone bills, several telecom industry analysts and officials said. Read more
(December 18, 2007)

Consumer Reports: More Than Half Of Cell Phone Users Dissatisfied

According to the latest survey by Consumer Reports, the cell phone industry is making slow progress addressing a number of issues including call quality, poor coverage, unsatisfactory customer service and contracts. The cellular industry notched a satisfaction score of 67 out of 100, up a point from last year and up two points from 2002, when Consumer Reports began surveying its subscribers. Read more
(December 17, 2007)

Canadian Cell Phone User Rings Up $85,000 Bill

According to a Reuters report, Canadian oil-field worker, Piotr Staniaszek, stunned to get a C$85,000 ($83,700) cell phone bill. The trouble stems from the new phone he received when he renewed his mobile phone contract. In return, he received a new cell phone. The new model allows him to connect with his computer and download data. Read more
(December 13, 2007)

Nokia Unveils Eco Phone Concept

Nokia has revealed a concept eco-mobile. The manufacture would make use of environmentally friendly materials such as plant-based plastics and recycled steel. Additionally, there would be no traditional battery charing required. As might be predicted, the Eco Sensor Project would make use of a solar panel, although it would be attached to a bracelet rather than to the phone itself. Read more
(December 12, 2007)

Study: More Than One In Eight Houselholds Have Only Cell Phones

A new federal study by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NHIS) indicates that more than one out of every eight American homes (13.6%) had only wireless telephones during the first half of 2007. Read more
(December 10, 2007)

FCC To Unlock Cell Phone User Access

According to a report by the Mercuy News, the Federal Communications Commission will begin auctioning off a coveted swath of airwaves ideal for offering new high-speed Internet services next month. Companies including Google, Verizon Wireless, AT&T and some promising start-ups have signaled or confirmed they will bid for chunks of the 700 megahertz spectrum that's expected to fetch at least $15 billion for the U.S. government. Read more
(December 10, 2007)

Nokia Introduces Feature Rich, Yet Classically Designed Nokia 6263

Designed for customers who want to have the latest features, but also appreciate a classic design, Nokia today announced the new Nokia 6263 phone, now available nationwide from T-Mobile USA, Inc. Read more
(December 7, 2007)

Sonim Tech Introduces the “Indestructible” Mobile Phone

Sonim Technologies has today launched its Sonim XP1 in Europe. Having been available in the US for a few months already, the "indestructible" IP-54 certified, mil-spec approved, bluetooth and Push-To-Talk enabled GSM phone finally makes its way to Europeans. Read more
(December 6, 2007)

Mobile Phones to Replace Paper Boarding Passes

According to a USA Today report, Continental Airlines says it will begin allowing customers to substitute paper boarding passes with a cell phone-based boarding pass system. For the next three months Continental will test the system out of the Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. It won't be the first, according the news report. Since September Air Canada has been using the system and allowing user to board aircrafts with their cell phone or PDA - sans a paper pass. Read more
(December 5, 2007)

AT&T to Quit Pay Phone Business

With an enormous percentage o the American public using mobile phones, AT&T Inc. announced today plans to exit the shrinking pay phone business by the end of 2008. To providers, pay phones are a pain to operate and maintain, subject to the elements, vandalism, and needing regular service and collection by way of a real life human being. Read more
(December 3, 2007)

NEC Develops Cell Phone That Translates Japanese On The Fly

Japanese electronics giant NEC has created a world-first real-time translator on a mobile phone, which can instantly turn Japanese travellers' words into English. When a traveler speaks Japanese into the cellphone, it displays the recognized words and then attempt to translate it into English, which is then displayed on the screen. Read more
(December 3, 2007)

Google Rolls Out Cell Phone Locator

Google on Wednesday released upgraded mapping software that figures out the general vicinity a mobile telephone is in based on which transmission tower it is using. Unlike the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) technology Google uses the exchange of signals between the phone and nearby mobile phone towers to estimate the phone's location. Read more
(November 29, 2007)

Verizon Wireless Plans to Open Its Cell Phone Network

Verizon Wireless subscribers will be able to use handsets and mobile applications from other companies by the end of next year, the #2 U.S. cell phone carriers announced on Tuesday in a major reversal of business strategy. For years in the U.S., consumers have been locked to networks, saddled with expensive two-year contracts, and restricted from doing things they would like to do with the products they buy. Read more
(November 28, 2007)

AT&T Launches LG Shine Multimedia Phone

AT&T and LG Electronics have released a new mobile phone in time for the holiday shopping season, the companies said Monday. The Shine by LG is a sliding form-factor device, offered exclusively through AT&T. Made and set in a full metal body and a sliding design the LG Shine can really catch your eyes. And aside from its great façade, this LG phone also comes filled with great capabilities. Read more
(November 27, 2007)

Campaign Against Cell Phone Addiction In Korea

Accoding to a report by the Korea Times, a civic group called School Beautiful Movement has launched a campaign to teach the youth proper cell phone use in South Korea.

South Korea has one of the world's most advanced cell phone systems and services. However, the wide use of the handsets has resulted in addiction, especially among teenagers, with cell phones dominating their daily lives. Read more
(November 26, 2007)

Verizon Wireless Unveils LG's Touch-Screen Cell Phone Models

According to a TMCNet report, Verizon Wireless' iPhone look-alikes, Voyager and Venus by LG Electronics, are debuting in stores this week in time for Thanksgiving, like the carrier had promised. Competition in the touch-screen cell phone market is bound to heat up in the U.S. with the introduction of the two new LG models with advanced features at a competitive price. Read more
(November 20, 2007)

AT&T, Samsung Launch Napster Phone

AT&T unveiled the SLM by Samsung, a lightweight clamshell cell phone that's designed for music and multimedia. The phone is AT&T's first to include Napster Mobile, a new service that allows subscribers to search a catalog of five million songs, preview snippets of songs, and download them wirelessly. Read more
(November 19, 2007)

Google Plans to Bid 4.6 Billion For US Spectrum Auction

Google is reportedly going ahead with plans to buy up the 700MHz spectrum at a Federal Communications Commission auction next year, according to a published report on Friday.

The Wall Street Journal said the company, which announced its Android mobile device software in late October, is planning to use some combination of its own cash and borrowings to fund the bid.
(November 16, 2007)

Disney Plans to Launch Mobile Phone Service in Japan

According to a Reuters report, Walt Disney Co. will begin mobile- phone services in Japan in spring next year using Softbank Corp.'s network, relying on the popularity of characters such as Mickey Mouse to win customers in the $81 billion market. Read more
(November 14, 2007)

Google Releases Android along with $10 Million Developer Contest

Last week the firm unveiled Android, the programming platform it hopes will soon find a home on a phone near you. According to an AP report, Google Inc. is offering $10 million in prizes for people who build the best software to enhance the company's upcoming cell phone operating system. Read more
(November 12, 2007)

Google Confirms Its Cell-Phone Plans

Confirming its long-rumored foray into the mobile market, Google said Monday it is developing a free cell phone software package so the Internet search leader can more easily peddle ads and services to people who aren't in front of a PC, reports the Associated Press.

Google won't be making the phones, nor does it plan to stamp its prized brand on the devices. Instead, it will work with four cell phone manufacturers who have agreed to use Google's programs in their handsets. Consumers will have to buy a new phone to get the Google software because the bundle wasn't made for existing handsets. Read more
(November 5, 2007)

WSJ: Google to Announce Cell Phone Within Weeks

The Wall Street Journal reported that Google plans a series of announcements over the next two weeks about Google mobile-phone software, which would bundle together most Google applications --search, maps, YouTube, instant-messaging--on a mobile platform.

The Google phone, sometimes called the gPhone in semi-mocking reference to the Apple iPhone, would not be an actual cell phone. Instead, it would be an operating system, possibly free, that would run on several different models of cell phone.
(October 31, 2007)

Nokia Widens Lead While Motorola Sales Plunge

According to market researcher iSuppli, Nokia is still outselling its competitors in the mobile-phone handset market by more than two to one, and the company's market share increased from the second quarter.

The analyst firm said that Samsung remains Nokia's closest competitor. Nokia, however, controls 39.5 percent share of the market, while Samsung shipped only 15.1 percent of those phones sold during the third quarter. Read more
(October 25, 2007)

AT&T To Offer Napster Music Downloads

AT&T Inc. is making Napster Inc.'s entire music catalog of more than 5 million songs available for wireless download starting early next month.

According to AP report, the service will expand the company's over-the-air download offerings beyond the independent music it offered through eMusic.com and allow it to compete with offerings from rivals Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. Read more
(Ocotber 22, 2007)

Western Union To Transfer Money Over Cell Pone

According to AP report, the Western Union is teaming up with cell phone service providers to develop a system that would allow consumers to transfer money from country to country via their mobile phones.

Western Union has successfully tested cell phone money-transfer services in a number of U.S. cities. It will work with the GSM Association, an international trade group of cell phone service providers, on commercial and technical issues to enable services to be offered internationally. Read more
(October 19, 2007)

Broadcom Introduces 3G Phone Chip

Communications chip maker Broadcom Corp. said it has developed a single-chip processor for 3G phones ahead of its rivals. Broadcom said the multifunction HSPA, or high-speed packet access, chip will allow mobile phone manufacturers to build sleek 3G phones with a long battery life at a fraction of the cost of the technologies they currently use. Read more
(October 15, 2008)

Speculation on Google's Gphone Continues.

The speculation on on Google Gphone continues. Lehman Brothers reported that we could see a Gphone by February 2008. However, Google has refused to confirm any plans for the GPhone

One speculation is that Google won't be making a physical mobile phone, but instead creating a Linux-based operating system and software which could theoretically work on a large number of mobile phones. Read more
(October 11, 2007)

AT&T Releases Windows Mobile-Based Tilt Smartphone

AT&T Wireless launched its first Windows Mobile 6.0-equipped smartphone, the AT&T Tilt, combining the features of a cellular phone, handheld computer, GPS navigator, and 3-megapixel digital camera into a single $299 device.

The smartphone has a slide-out Qwerty keypad and a 2.8-inch color screen that tilts up, making it more convenient to write e-mail, browse the Web, and play videos. Read more
(October 8, 2007)

Verizon Links Landline and Verizon Wireless Services

Facing competition from cellphone providers, cable companies, and online companies that now offer dial tones, Verizon Communications Inc. introduced a voice package that integrates cellphone and landline service.

Beginning October 1, customers within Verizon's landline service area can bundle home and wireless calling at prices starting at $59.99 a month. Read more
(October 2, 2007)

Nokia To Buy Navigation-Software Group Navteq

According to an AP report, Nokia Corp. announced Monday that it would buy U.S. navigation-software maker Navteq Corp. for around US$8.1 billion as part of its push to expand the range of services and content it offers.

Chicago-based Navteq is one of the world's leaders in electronic mapping, which enables in-vehicle navigation devices and a new generation of mobile-phone applications used for shopping, emergency services and advertising. Read more
(October 1, 2007)

Disney to End Cell Phone Service

The Walt Disney Company said it would stop operating its United States-based mobile phone service at the end of the year to reassess how it competes in a tough market for high-end cellphone services.

The service had been tailored to the communications needs of families and children, offering features designed to enable parents to stay in touch with their children and help youths learn to use cellphones responsibly. Read more
(September 28, 2007)

Palm Introduces the Centro

Palm announced the Centro, its first non-Treo PDA/cell phone hybrid based on the Palm OS.
The Centro phone will cost $99.99 and initially be available exclusively from Sprint Nextel starting in mid-October.

The smallest Palm smartphone yet, the Centro is a little black or red lozenge of 4.3 by 2.1 by 0.75 inches and 4.2 ounces, with a bright yet small 2.2-inch, 320-by-320 color screen, and a full keyboard of small, raised, close-together keys.
(September 27, 2007)

T-Mobile Introduces New Sidekicks

T-Mobile USA is updating its Sidekick cell phones, adding a high-end model Sidekick LX and the first Motorola-built Sidekick Slide with a screen that swivels to reveal a keyboard.

The LX, the new flagship Sidekick, is just about the same size as the existing Sidekick 3, at 5.1 by 2.36 by 0.86 inches, but it's considerably lighter at 5.7 ounces. It packs a WQVGA widescreen that T-Mobile says uses Sharp's Aquos hi-definition LCD technology. Readmore
(September 26, 2007)

Giorgio Armani and Samsung To Release Mobile Phones

Italian designer Giorgio Armani and South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. said they have sealed a long-term strategic partnership to develop a line of high-end electronic goods.

Unveiling the new luxury mobile phone manufactured by Samsung and designed by Armani, the two partners said the cellphone - which will retail at EUR650 starting November in major European countries - is just the first product under the new strategic alliance. Read more
(September 25, 2007)

Apple iPhone Sales Top a Million

Apple Inc. sold its millionth iPhone less than three months after the device's debut, allaying investor concerns that demand had slowed.

The benchmark sale occurred on Sunday, just 74 days after the device went on sale. Apple had said that it expected to hit the million-sold mark by the end of September. It took almost two years for Apple to sell a million iPods, the chief executive, Steven P. Jobs, said in a statement.
(September 11, 2007)

Apple Cuts iPhone Price

Apple slashed the price of its iPhone by a third yesterday as it unveiled several new iPod music players, hoping to boost sales for the holidays.

Apple cut the price of its iPhones by $200 after only two months, selling its more expensive and popular version for $399; a second model with less storage will be priced at $299 until supplies run out. The phone requires a two-year commitment with AT&T Wireless.
(September 6, 2007)

4 Billion Cell Phone Subscribers Worldwide

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) claims there were nearly four billion phone subscribers worldwide by the end of 2006. Largely because of the mobile phone boom in developing countries, telephone service has quadrupled in the past decade according to a report Tuesday from the UN telecommunications agency.

The increase has been especially strong in developing countries that have been able to provide cellular phone service to tens of millions of people much more cheaply than having to wire up homes and offices for fixed-line telephones.
(September 5, 2007)

iPhone is July's Biggest-Selling Smartphone

Apple’s new iPhone outsold all other smartphones on the U.S. market for the month of July, according to a new study published by market research firm iSuppli. Sales of the iPhone accounted for 1.8 percent of all cellphone sales for July, according to the report.

iSuppli claims that 52 percent of those purchasing the iPhone in July were male, 62 percent held college degrees and 57 percent were 35 years old or older. One quarter of those new iPhone buyer switched to AT&T Wireless from another cell phone carrier, according to the report.
(September 4, 2007)

AT&T Introduces Mobile Parental Controls

AT&T Inc. launched an online service that enables parents to manage their children's use of wireless devices by limiting their talk time, messages and credit for downloads, such as ringtones and games.

With AT&T Smart Limits for Wireless, parents can go onto the Internet at any time to also filter access to inappropriate mobile Web sites, set the time of day the device is used and designate numbers that can be called or received, spokeswoman Dawn Benton said. One of its features lets parents allocate minutes among users of shared wireless plans. Read more
(September 4, 2007)

AT&T Laywers Start To Act on iPhone Unlocking Software

Several groups have now said that they have software ready that robustly unlocks the Apple iPhone and enables users to use the iPhone on other carriers. One of these groups has apparently got a call from AT&T lawyers reports Engadget. AT&T is going after the mercenary group trying to profit from the iPhone unlocking.
(August 28, 2007)

Nokia, Samsung Gain Cell Phone Market Share

Nokia and Samsung Electronics increased their share of the mobile phone market in the second quarter, putting a squeeze on Motorola as market researcher Gartner reported an overall increase of cell phone deliveries. Read more
(August 24, 2007)

Apple Reportedly Signs iPhone Deals for Europe

According to a Financial Times report, Apple Inc. has signed its first deals with mobile phone operators to offer its iPhone in three of Europe's largest markets. Germany's T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH, France's Orange SA and Britain's O2 (UK) Ltd. are reported to have signed exclusive deals to sell the iPhone in their respective markets.The operators have agreed to give Apple 10 percent of the revenue they generate from the sale of voice and data services for the device, according to the report, which cited unnamed sources.
(August 22, 2007)

Websites Let You Swap Your Cell Phone Contract

According to a Baltimore Sun report, online companies have since launched to match buyers and sellers of cell phone contracts. Celltradeusa.com and Cellswapper.com are the two major players in this fledgling industry. Both charge about $20 to the consumer unloading a contract once one or more prospects are found. Read more
(August 20, 2007)

AT&T Unveils Trax Phone by LG

AT&T has launched the new LG trax music phone, offering a thin clamshell design with high-speed HSDPA data access the companies hope will make tapping into mobile content and data service offerings all that more tempting—and practical.

"The trax by LG is more than a music phone," said Carlton Hill, AT&T wireless unit's product management VP, in a statement. "With top-notch video and data capabilities, in addition to a sleek design, this device will hit the right note with many of our customers." Read more
(August 13, 2007)

Cell Phone Import Ban Against Qualcomm Upheld

According to Union Tribune report, Bush administration will not overturn a ban on the import of new cell phone models that contain Qualcomm chips found to infringe upon a patent from rival Broadcom. In allowing the ban to stand, U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab said Monday afternoon that the effects on companies, innovation and public safety were not compelling enough for her to veto the ban.

In June, the U.S. International Trade Commission banned the importation of all new phone models that use Qualcomm chips as punishment for the company's infringing on a patent held by rival Broadcom that helps conserve battery power.
(August, 7, 2007)

Nokia, Microsoft Team on DRM

Nokia has licensed MicrosoftЎЇs PlayReady digital rights management (DRM) technology for use in its S60 and Series 40 mobile device platforms in a bid to expand the use of wireless content worldwide. Microsoft's technology lets users of Nokia cell phones share protected pieces of content?like music, games or videos?between phones, PCs, and other devices.

PlayReady is a new content access technology from Microsoft that makes it easier for content owners and service providers to deliver virtually any type of digital content. The system enables more flexible business models for rights owners, and allows consumers to share their content between wireless devices and PCs. For example, a consumer could purchase content directly from their Nokia device and then transfer it for viewing on a PC or on another mobile device.
(August 6, 2007)

Google Bets On Mobile Market

According to The Wall Street Journal , Google Inc. has approached wireless phone operators and handset makers as it looks for a piece of the market for advertisements on cell phones.

The company, which has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its cell phone project, has approached several wireless operators in the U.S. and Europe in recent months, the Journal reported.

Google has also developed prototype handsets and talked over technical specifications with manufacturers. LG Electronics is one of the manufacturers to have held talks with Google, the paper said.
(August 1, 2007)

Google Wins Partial Victory In FCC Ruling

The Federal Communications Commission moved cautiously Tuesday toward the creation of a new open national wireless broadband network, handing a partial victory to Google, which was pushing for more competition in cellphone services. Read more
(July 31, 2007)

Japan's KDDI to Offer Google-Based PC, Phone E-Mail

According to IDG News Service, Japan's number two cell phone carrier KDDI will launch an e-mail service based on Google's Gmail in September. A sample version of the interface shown Monday revealed that the new service will look almost identical to Gmail but with the carrier's logo at the top.

The new service will launch just over a year after Google and KDDI began working together.
(July 30, 2007)

Study Calls Cell Phone Towers Safe

A British study has cast doubt on whether cell phone towers can make people sick. The study has revealed that the theory that exposure to signals from mobile phone towers cause people to fall ill may be unfounded, for there is no evidence to prove the same. Read more
(JUly 27, 2007)

Motorola To Develop Mobile Phone With Display Projector

Motorola has signed an agreement that could lead to a device that can be built into a phone that projects a larger virtual screen than can fit in a pocket-size unit. It will be working with Microvision on this company's ultra-miniature laser-based display engine, called PicoP.

The two hope to eventually give users the ability to project content from a mobile device onto a wall, object, or even a curved surface. This will allow people to more easily share presentations, web sites, images, or videos with friends or business colleagues.
(July 26, 2007)

FCC Skeptical Over Google's Spectrum Bid

U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin has expressed doubts over Google's plan to bid on wireless spectrum at an upcoming auction, according to a Bloomberg report.

Last week, Google sent an open letter to the FCC pledging to spend a minimum of $4.6 billion at the auction, if the agency agreed to require the winning bidder to operate the spectrum on a wholesale basis.
(JUly 25, 2007)

AT&T Video Share Expands Nationwide

AT&T launched its new Video Share product in 160 markets on Monday. The new service allows cellphone users to share live one-way video and two-way audio with each other. Both participants in the conversation must have the service.

AT&T Video Share enables one-way live streaming-video feeds that can be seen by both parties while they are participating in a two-way voice conversation. Once the parties have initiated a Video Share call, either one can be the one generating the video stream for the other to see. Read more
(July 24, 2007)

Cell Phone Providers Profiting From Old Tax

According to AP report, a decade-old telephone tax intended to help bring affordable service to rural areas has instead turned into a bottomless and politically protected well of cash for cell phone companies that do big business in rural America.

The Universal Service Fund has collected $44 billion over its 10-year lifetime from a surcharge on the phone bills of nearly every American. Payments have gone from $131 million in 2003 to an expected $1.1 billion this year, an Associated Press analysis shows.

The report says regulators and lawmakers long have viewed the fund as flawed. But efforts to change it have been derailed repeatedly by companies that benefit from the largesse and by supporters in Congress.
(July 23, 2007)

Verizon, Broadcom Make Licensing Pact

Stepping out of a raging dispute between two Southern California chip makers, Verizon Wireless said Thursday it would pay licensing fees to Broadcom Corp. to avoid a ban on importing new mobile phones.

Broadcom will receive $6 per handset ? up to $200 million over the life of the agreement, the companies said. The agreement will give Verizon Wireless the right to use a patent found to have been infringed by Qualcomm.
(July 20, 2007)

RIM Launches Dual-Mode Cellular, Wi-Fi BlackBerry

Research In Motion announced a new BlackBerry model Tuesday that will provide wireless voice and data access over both cellular and Wi-Fi networks. The BlackBerry 8820 is the first dual-mode BlackBerry handset, combining EDGE/GPRS/GSM cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity for data access and voice support through UMA (unlicensed mobile access) for fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) service offerings from various wireless carriers around the world. Read more
(July 19, 2007)

EU Backs Nokia's DVB-H As Mobile TV Standard

The European Commission endorsed Nokia's standard for TV broadcasts to cell phones, saying Europe needed one common standard for mobile TV and it would look at ways to mandate its use. Read more
(July 18, 2007)

AT&T Unity Plan Allows More Free Minutes

AT&T Inc. announced that the AT&T Unity(SM) Plan -- the premier wireless-wireline converged calling plan -- is going to the next level. Now with the addition of wireless Rollover(TM) Minutes and fewer requirements, the plan allows more consumers and small businesses to join free calling community. Read more
(July 16, 2007)

Samsung Introduces SGH-L760 Mobile Video Blogging Phone

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has introduced SGH-L760, a new 3G mobile phone which allows users to maintain their blogs without accessing a PC, wherein they can update content and photos to their blogs anywhere in a simplified manner by uploading contents as in the form of title, description and tag. This would help users keep their blogs up-to-date, especially while traveling. Read more
(July 12, 2007)

Skype Available on Nokia N800 Internet Tablet

Nokia announced that it would add eBay Inc.'s Skype Internet telephony service to a new smart phone. The N800 tablet handset will allow owners to make calls using Skype whenever connected to the Internet via a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Along with Skype, the new phone uses the open-source Linux operating system instead of Windows Mobile and supports up to 8 Gigabytes of storage.
(July 11, 2007)

Nano-based iPhone May Be In Works

According to Reuters report, JP Morgan analyst Kevin Chang issued a report saying Apple will convert the iPod Nano into a mobile phone, likely in the fourth quarter of this year. Chang, who quotes unnamed supply chain sources, as well as a patent Apple recently filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, believes "iPod Nano will be converted into a phone because it's probably the only way for Apple to launch a lower end phone without severely cannibalizing iPod Nano." Chang suspects the phone will go for a maximum of $300 and will have "rather limited functionality" compared to the more expensive iPhone. The phone would also be likely to be available globally much more quickly than the iPhone, according to Chang.
(July 10, 2007)

Motorola and Nokia Says Faulty Phone Batteries Are Fakes

Mobile phone batteries that exploded in flames during tests by officials in southern China were counterfeit, spokeswomen for Nokia and Motorola said Saturday.

According to an Associated Press report, Motorola spokeswoman Mary Lamb said that Motorola immediately sent a team to Guangdong province and found that the tests were legitimate, but that the three batteries labeled Motorola were counterfeit. Read more
(June 9, 2007)

Verizon, Dooney & Bourke unveil mobile wristlet case

Verizon Wireless and international fashion brand, Dooney & Bourke introduced a new mobile phone carrying case. Both fashionable and functional, the Dooney & Bourke Limited Edition Mobile Phone Wristlet fits most of today's slim, compact mobile phones like the Chocolate by LG.

Cut from Dooney & Bourke's multi-colored signature white "It" fabric, this elegantly designed case offers stylish service and protection for your cell phone. Beginning July 9, the Dooney & Bourke Limited Edition Mobile Phone Wristlet will be available for $49.99.
(July 6, 2007)

Chinese Killed in Cell Phone Battery Blast

A China man was killed when a mobile phone battery exploded in his chest pocket, Chinese media said Wednesday. The official Xinhua News Agency said that welder, Xiao Jinpeng, died on June 19 while working at the Yingpan Iron Ore Dressing Plant in Gansu's Jinta county. Read more
(July 5, 2007)

LG Takes YouTube To Cell Phones

South Korea's LG Electronics said it has signed an agrement with YouTube, the world's biggest video-sharing website, to develop a mobile phone which can operate the service.

The service will allow users to shoot video on their handsets and send it directly to the popular online video site, LG said in a statement. The first phones with the ability to do this will be available worldwide "at the end of the year."
(July 3, 2007)

Verizon Wireless Launches Mobile E-Mail On Get It Now

Verizon Wireless customers can now get their e-mail on-the-go and stay connected to family and friends with the company's new Mobile E-mail application on select Get It Now(R)-enabled phones. Mobile E-mail provides Verizon Wireless customers with access to the popular e-mail services, including Yahoo!(R) Mail, AOL(R) Mail, AIM(R) Mail, Windows Live Hotmail, Verizon.net accounts and more on their mobile phones. Read more
(July 2, 2007)

Motorola MOTO Z8 Media Phone Launched In Europe

Motorola launched MOTO Z8 kick-slider handset in Spain, with other parts of Europe and Asia to follow. The Z8, offering mobile TV1, video and music from one unique device, is available through Telefonica via Movistar. Read more
(June 30, 2007)

HIgh Anticipation for iPhones

Apple Inc.'s much-hyped new iPhone hits store shelves 6 pm today in a consumer spectacle that has whipped gadget fans into a frenzy over a device that challenges business as usual in the mobile phone industry.

According to AP, by early evening Thursday, short lines of eager customers were camped out at Apple and AT&T stores across the nation. At Apple's flagship store in New York City, the trickle of customers that began queuing up since Monday grew to about 50 people late Thursday, ready to brave yet another rainy night on the pavement of Fifth Avenue, outside the only 24-hour Apple store.
(June 29, 2007)

Samsung SGH-t409 Provides Support to T-Mobile Hotspot @Home

Samsung today announced the availability of SGH-T409, one of the first mobile phones to support T-Mobile HotSpot @Home.

Exclusive to T-Mobile, the T409 is a flip phone with a host of features, including Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth wireless technology, a built-in 1.3-megapixel camera with digital zoom and picture and ringer caller ID. Available in a sky blue color, the t409 seamlessly makes and receives calls over a home Wi-Fi network with T-Mobile HotSpot @Home. Read more
(June 28, 2007)

Visa, Wells Fargo to Test Mobile Payment

Mobile payments and banking are now moving into the United States through some big names, but the speedy checkout system is slow to put in place. As part of a pilot program, up to 50 Wells Fargo employees soon will begin paying for some products and services with specially equipped phones instead of credit and debit cards. Read more
(June 28, 2007)

T-Mobile USA Launches Wi-Fi Calling Service

T-Mobile USA launched a new service that enables customers to make phone calls on their cell phone over home wireless networks and Wi-Fi hotspots, using the Internet to make those calls much more cheaply.

The service would improve indoor coverage by automatically swapping calls from the cellular network to run over Wi-Fi, a radio technology found in most laptop computers and an increasing number of cell phones. Read more
(June 27, 2007)

Survey: One-Third of Mobile Phone Owners Wouldn't Give Up Their Phones for $2 Million

According to a recent Mobile Life survey of 24 British cell phone users, one-third of respondents would rather give up alcohol, chocolate, sex, tea or coffee than live without their mobile phone for a m