"BlackBerry Killer" Coming Soon To A Store Near You.

Verizon will be the first to premier the "BlackBerry Killer" Motorola's "Moto Q" smartphone. The new Q is aimed at current BlackBerry users and is nearly 40% slimmer. Motorola also expects many other mobile users to pick this phone up other than the business world, with their video and music capabilities they're trying to grab the young crowd also. RIM is planning on releasing a BlackBerry with video and music applications by the end of the year, but this may be to late and allow the Moto Q to steal several BlackBerry users. It's great to see someone giving BlackBerry a run for their money.

Here is the release from Motorola today. Motorola and Verizon Wireless Announce the Highly Anticipated MOTO Q™

Sprint To Be First With New Palm 700p

May 17, 2006 by Scott Sowle

Sprint announced that it wil be the first to step up and carry the newly unveiled Palm. The new smartphone will run over Sprint's EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized) broadband network, it will also be able to work with slower speeds when faster service isn't available.

The new Palm will support the on-demand news services along with Sirius Radio channels and the other streaming video and audio channels that Sprint provides.

Yes this smartphone is full of features but they don't come cheap. The price of the phone will be about 650 smackers and of course there will be discounts for a 1 year and 2 year service plans. The 2 year plan will most likely give rebates of $200-$250 cutting the price down to only $400.

With many of the MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), or on demand video and audio services, such as ESPN and Amp'd Mobile offering phones for several bucks less, this is the first business cell phone that will be able to offer premier entertainment applications. I'm sure this will not make many IT departments happy, but many of the high end consumers will have a lot to talk about.

Apple and Softbank Working on iPhone

May 16, 2006 by Scott Sowle
Softbank, who recently acquired the Japanese division of the Vodafone Group, and Apple are planning to work together on new phones which will incorporate Apple's famous iPod music system. Many of us have been expecting this and the rumors have continued to roll. The expected launch of the new mobile phones with iPod will be sometime early next year. They are also working on a handset that can download iTunes.

Ready To Get Amp'd?

Alta Broadband announced today that they will offer Amp'd Mobile to their clients. This recent addition is a new and exciting multi-media cell phone provider for those who want great music and TV programs including live programing on their mobile phones. Amp'd Mobile offers a great plan and try to beat this for a limited time get Unlimited Anytime Minutes for $99/month with an Amp'd Overload subscription. You will also find theAmp'd Mobile Jet & Angel phones now only $49! This company can only get better.

Sprint Focusing On Alltel Next?

By Scott Sowle

This week Sprint and Alltel announced a 10 year roaming deal. The new deal will become effective in July and will include mobile service and Internet service. This will benifit Sprint in the wireless broadband race with Verizon. Many had thought that Verizon would be the most likely to acquire Alltel but with this new agreement Sprint may have the upper hand. Sprint is still finishing up their recent purchase of Nextel so I don't look for a bidding war to start until 2007.

Motorola's Moto Q Launch Setback

By Scott Sowle
Motorola's yet to be seen MOTO Q has been delayed for launch several times and now they don't expect releasing it until June or July. (Is that 2006 or 2007 Motorola?) The MOTO Q is thinner than any other smartphone on the market and is to be packed full of features and applications compatibilities.

Motorola had plan on delivery for their new smartphone last December, but delayed it until April 2006 (shucks guess they missed that date). The new MOTO Q with Windows Mobile 5.0 and BlueTooth technology will definitely be a plus for the mobile office, but by the time they release it you can expect to see the new Window Mobile Treo in hands of mobile users.

Cingular to Offer McAfee VirusScan Mobile

We have yet to hear about virus attacks on mobile phone users, but Cingular is stepping up and offering their business customers a mobile sercurity solution with McAfee VirusScan Mobile.

The 1 year subscription will cost $29.99 per year and has automatic, over-the-air virus protection updates. The McAfee software is available on several cell phones, including the Symbian Series 60, Microsoft Windows Pocket PC or smartphone.

This addition of McAfee is intended to protect users from e-mail induced virus, Internet download virus and from WiFi induced viruses.

We all know that this is a great step for mobile carriers to offer for businesses because the virus idiots are not far form attacking the mobile community.

Video Capable Handsets Used Mostly As Phones

By Scott Sowle
According to The NPD Group, a leading consumer and retail information company, watching video on a cell phone has not become a practice for a majority of consumers. With more than 25% of cell phones able to support mobile video services like sports, news and weather clips, only 1% of wireless subscribers are actually taking advantage of it.

MVNO's services are currently averaging $10.70 per month for service and most consumers are only willing to pay between $6.50 and $8.50 for monthly service. Most of the mobile consumers who now use video are watching live TV on their video cell phone.