Nokia 6340i Transparent Clear faceplate

EU Investigates Possible Smart Card Chip Cartel (PC World)
PC World - The European Commission is investigating a possible cartel among manufacturers of the smart card chips used in payment cards and mobile phones, it said Wednesday.

BlackBerry 8900 Curve Debuts on T-Mobile: Slimmest Full-QWERTY (PC World)
PC World - The thinnest and smallest full-QWERTY BlackBerry, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 is the latest addition to RIM's popular family of smart phones. Available from T-Mobile, the Curve 8900 has a more powerful processor and the 2.4-inch 65K display has the highest resolution of any full-QWERTY BlackBerry available. Unfortunately, the Curve 8900 has no 3G support.

Local TV Stations Go Mobile In Phones, Cars (PC Magazine)
PC Magazine - Mobile DTV promises free mobile TV for all. Who says you have to miss seeing the game while stuck in traffic? Or SpongeBob?

Ford says at CES to offer Sync platform globally in 2010 (Reuters)

Reuters - Ford Motor Co plans to introduce its Sync platform that connects mobile phones and digital music players using voice commands globally in 2010 starting with Europe, the automaker said on Thursday.

China issues 3G mobile phone licenses (AP)
AP - China assigned third-generation mobile phone licenses Wednesday to three carriers in a long-awaited step that is expected to prompt $41 billion in spending on new equipment.

After Years of Delays, China Finally Issues 3G Licenses (PC World)
PC World - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) finally granted 3G licenses to the country's mobile operators on Wednesday, bringing to a close years of waiting and delay.

Nokia stops making only WiMax device (Reuters)

Reuters - The world's top mobile phone maker Nokia said on Thursday it had ended production of its only mobile device using the U.S.-centered WiMax technology, another blow for the struggling wireless technology.

China shares fall on profit-taking (AP)
AP - Chinese shares declined Wednesday after a short-lived rally on profit-taking in banks and refiners, and telecom shares fell despite the government's release of third-generation mobile phone licenses.

New 3G Palm Pre Enters Smart Phone War (PC World)
PC World - Palm today announced its long-awaited new operating system--called Web OS--as well as the new Palm Pre smart phone to match. The Pre will be available exclusively on the Sprint 3G Network in first half of 2009. The announcement was made at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show.

Billions at stake as China issues 3G licences (AFP)

AFP - China issued long-awaited third-generation mobile phone licences Wednesday, a move that will pour billions of dollars into new networks as consumers buy video- and Internet-enabled handsets.