Well folks its’ finally happening – Garmin is out with their own phone. Having their software running on the popular smartphone platform — Windows Mobile and BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) — obviously isn’t enough.

The way we see it, the nuviphone is primarily a portable navigation device (PND) with mobile phone functionality built on top of it. We don’t actually have all the information at this stage — like which platform/OS Garmin’s using — but we’re sure we’ll know more about it following the Mobile World Congress where Garmin is exhibiting.

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Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is about to change the “iDEN phone marketplace.” During the Q4 of this year, the American handset maker will reportedly launch the CABO phone – the RAZR2-like handset for the iDEN network. And while we guess most of our readers rely on GSM or CDMA based networks, hard-core iDEN fans will be glad to know that the first decent-looking handset for their network will be available later in the year. That’s at least if CABO ever leaves the design room and we hope it will.

As for the specs, apart from the thin clamshell form factor, the so called “iDEN RAZR2″ will pack Bluetooth support, 3 megapixel camera, external touch controls, and of course the memory expansion slot…

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

 Sunrise has relaunched it’s OTA music download service for mobiles, called musicworld. It’s powered by 24-7 Entertainment, and offes dual-download (PC and Mobile) on over 2 million tracks. Full-track singles are 2.50 CHF, and albums 19 CHF. Additionally there is preview and recommendation functionality to enhance the service further.

This has got to be a good thing – at least to some extent – MNOs and the like are thinking about what to offer, how to differentiate, and how to beat the ‘Elephant in the Room’ – which is currently Apple (NSDQ: AAPL).

[Via: ScreenDigest]

BBC’s Radio One Newsbeat is reporting that the cost of texting from abroad could be set to drop (grrrrrrrreat!). After roaming calls were addressed last year, Ofcom is now demanding that the cost of texting and using the mobile internet is also reduced.

Apparently the average cost of sending a text in the UK is 5.6p, whereas it’s 21p when roaming – nearly 4x the cost, for something which doesn’t cost the mobile companies much more (yes, there’s some transiting and interworking, but what’s a bit of that between friends!!).Likewise data usage is on a similar multiplier (on average) if you are roaming (except with 3 in some of it’s network countries, which are not charging extra).

Personally I’ll be glad to see this come in – I travel a lot, both Pan-European and Globally, and my phone bill always shocks me – especially when I’ve been travelling a lot during a given month! I don’t think anyone generally would refuse a reduction in prices, so you are all going to agree when you leave comments, right?

[Via: Story - BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat]

I was just informed by email that Fring is due to launch a new version of it’s software next Tuesday, 5th February. We’ll tell you more as we learn more – in the meanwhile you can read some of our past coverage of the service here and here.

Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has added some code to it’s “Mobile” search [engine], that allows it to recognise where you are (to some extent) – so you’ll get the right search page, and then relevant results. Oh, and also there is this teeny point about Google being able to deliver the right advertising (targeted is the word in the ‘trade’ ) – hmmm, is any advertising ‘right’?

You can read a full story here:

[Via: Mobileshop.com]

It seems that scientists have found another way to improve power shortage – body heat…

According to researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of California at Berkeley, recent findings point to a way of making silicon into a better thermal conductor for turning even small amounts of heat into electricity, which in turn could be used to recharge your mobile phone or a portable media player.

The secret, they say, lies in nanowires, or microscopic strands of silicon, that could channel heat energy far more efficiently than current designs for thermoconductors.

Ideally, this finding could lead to special clothing and other wearable materials that produce electrical current for batteries in mobile phones, handheld computers, or portable media players. The only problem – well, they seem designed for people living in Alaska, Iceland or Scandinavian countries…

[Via: textually.org]

Don’t know you have heard about MindMeister, but it’s a great web-based mind mapping tool which allows creation of mind maps by multiple users in real time — and which I personally use. And guess what, they’ve decided to get some media attention by adding support for Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s handset.

To be fair, it’s not the complete service you’ll be able to access from your iPhone. Rather the Germany-based company decided to “iPhone-ize” their Geistesblitz Tools, allowing users to quickly submit their ideas (or Geistesblitzes) to a default map in MindMeister. The ideas are inserted in a special branch top left of the root and remain there for you to copy to other maps, or move around within the default map.

Finally in case you’re wondering what the hack “Geistesblitz” means, it’s literally translated as mind flash – a sudden insight or idea, often brilliant and unexpected…

In case you’re owning one of the older Symbian S60 based devices, we sincerely hope you haven’t seen you’re phone bill going through the roof. If that’s the case, you may’ve been affected by Beselo, a malicious Symbian OS worm currently spreading on mobile phone networks worldwide.

The virus is being disseminated as a multimedia file (MMS) with such monikers as Beauty.jpg, Sex.mp3 or Love.rm. When installed on the handsets, the malware gathers all the phone numbers located in the phone’s contact lists and targets them with a viral MMS carrying a SIS-packed version of the worm. In addition to harvesting these numbers, the malware also sends itself to generated numbers. To date the worm only affects older Symbian S60 powered smartphones including such models as the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 6630, 7610, 6680, and N70. However, according to SMobile, with modifications, this current attack could spread to many additional smartphone models.

Naturally, SMobile’s release ends with praise of the company’s Security Shield product which will protect you against all mobile malware. In case you own a Symbian S60 3rd edition based device, you’re safe without it…

Vivendi recently announced that it has scored licenses to release the US TV drama, Prison Break, based mobile game, as well as mobile games based on two blockbuster movies – The Bourne Conspiracy and The Spiderwick Chronicles.

In addition, the game publisher will also launch other games — including Crash Nitro Kart 2 (sequel to Vivendi’s cartoon-like mobile racer with 3D graphics), Wordox: Word Snatcher (Scrabble-like game with roots from the game called Wordox), Pub Darts 180, and Celebrity Hangman…

What about the release date? According to Vivendi, mobile gamers should look for the first titles to start appearing anytime soon, with all of them to be available for the first half of 2008.

[Via: PocketGamer.co.uk]