The Mobile Fun Blog

Microsoft will be going all out at Mobile World Congress with the unveiling of the Windows Mobile 7 OS, but they’ve still got a couple aces stuffed up their sleeve for next month – Pink-ish aces, to be exact. The FCC has just unveiled some certification documents that show what is believed to be a diagram of the “Turtle” Project Pink phone and a mention of another phone that could very possibly be the “Pure” Project Pink phone. We don’t know too much at this point, but the gagged docs are slated to reveal more information in March.

Motorola DROID users will soon be able to get their hands on Android 2.1. This, according to Motorola’s Facebook page. Details of the update are still fuzzy at best, but the good ‘ol team over at Engadget have jotted down their thoughts on what may be coming in 2.1 for the DROID:

• The update is based on Android 2.1. Build currently in the works is 2.1 version 1.
• Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Goggles is pre-installed

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

At the end of January, the Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer Task Force launched an inquiry into the Early Termination Fees (ETFs) of the major wireless providers with a special focus on the Google Nexus One handset.

The Nexus One is unlike other smartphones in that it is sold only by Google and available on multiple carriers. As such, if a customer terminated his contract, he faced early termination fees from both Google and his wireless provider.

We’ve been hearing about the next gen Pearl series, aka ‘Pearl2′, aka ‘Striker’, aka ‘Stratus’ for some time now. We’ve seen leaked pics, a video here and here, and now a little more news.

Gameloft is on board to bring its games for Palm (NSDQ: PALM)’s webOS platform. The company has already launched Asphalt 5, Brain Challenge, Oregon Trail and Let’s Golf. And now they’re adding Assassin’s Creed: Altaïr’s Chronicles to the list.

What’s interesting about the .99 game is that it works with the Pre only — Pixi doesn’t have enough horsepower to run the game.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Literally hundreds of different wireless public address systems that utilize the 700 MHz UHF band for microphones, intercoms, and in-ear monitors must now be replaced or reconfigured, and it’s because of the great DTV shift that took place last year.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Mobile telephony used to be about voice communications first and foremost, but not any more.

As we head toward the 4G era, and smartphones take the leading share of mobile phones sold, data plans will ultimately take precedence over voice plans.

Today, Verizon Wireless made this shift a little more evident as it unveiled new pricing for its plans which will launch on January 18. These plans cut the cost of voice by as much as 30%, but tack on an additional data consumption fee for all but the simplest feature phones.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

In July, I wrote an article called “Hybrid satellite cell phones aren’t far off,” in which I talked about Terrestar Networks and SkyTerra Communications, two companies that have reached the point of satellite launch in their hybrid MSS/cellular networks.

It looks like those launches could be even closer to becoming a reality.

By Patrick Roanhouse, Betanews

US Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski was interviewed by CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro at a Super Session panel January 8 at CES 2010. Topics of discussion included Chairman Genachowski’s efforts to modernize the FCC and his vision for the agency in the coming decade.

Genachowski and Shapiro also discussed developments in crafting new pro-competition policy, and the ability to develop incentives to keep mobile and hardwired broadband cheap.

By Scott M. Fulton, III, Betanews

According to multiple eyewitness reports Friday, including from the Associated Press and from participants in the hearings, a three-judge panel of the US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington yesterday, hearing oral arguments in the Comcast v. FCC case challenging possible net neutrality regulation, appeared skeptical of the FCC’s authority to enforce such regulation based on a policy statement, rather than law.