Pearl White faceplate for Nextel i50

Wall Street sells off as consumers snap wallets shut (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stocks fell on Friday after a record drop in retail sales last month heightened fears that American consumers' reluctance to spend will push the economy into an even deeper downturn than currently expected.

AT&T Introduces Touch-Sensitive HTC Fuze Handset (NewsFactor)
NewsFactor - AT&T Wireless Services has fired up a new 3G smartphone from HTC that combines a slide-out QWERTY-style keypad with a 2.8-inch touch-sensitive screen and intuitive one-touch access to selected functions. The HTC Fuze will let users navigate from one place to the next by touching, holding and sliding screen tabs.

Appeal threatens Telenor's Russian stake (AP)
AP - A Siberian appeal court is scheduled Tuesday to consider a ruling that could lead to the temporary seizure of Norwegian Telenor's ownership in Vimpelcom, Russia's second largest mobile phone company.

Vodafone net profit drops 35 percent, plans cost cuts (AFP)

AFP - British mobile phone giant Vodafone posted a 35-percent slump in first-half net profit on Tuesday and booked a hefty loss on the value of its Turkish business.

Thai True Move in deal with Apple to sell 3G iPhone (Reuters)
Reuters - Thailand's third largest mobile phone firm, True Move, a subsidiary of True Corp, said on Thursday it had signed a deal with Apple Inc to sell the 3G iPhone in Thailand.

Microsoft nears search deal with Verizon: report (Reuters)

Reuters - Microsoft Corp is moving closer to an agreement with Verizon Wireless to become the default search provider on the wireless carrier's cell phones, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Japanese mobiles to offer psychotherapy sessions (AFP)

AFP - A Japanese professor on Wednesday launched what he said was the world's first web-based psychotherapy sessions available via mobile phone, as the country grapples with a growing problem of depression.

Vodafone net profit drops 35%, plans cost cuts (AFP)

AFP - British mobile phone company Vodafone said on Tuesday that its net profit had slumped 35 percent in the first half of its financial year as it booked a hefty loss on the value of its Turkish business.

China picks up 3G pace, Mobile completes gear deals (Reuters)
Reuters - China took another step toward its long-cherished goal of operating high-speed telecoms services, with China Mobile (0941.HK) dishing out over $4 billion of deals and smaller rival Unicom (0762.HK) hoping to win a 3G license soon.

Japan's DoCoMo eyes 'Google phone' launch next year (AFP)

AFP - Japan's top carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. aims to launch next year a cellphone developed with Internet search giant Google, an official said Wednesday, a move that could counter Apple's iconic iPhone.

India rejigs spectrum fees for 2G and 3G services (Reuters)
Reuters - Foreign telecoms firms not currently operating in India but looking to enter the world's fastest-growing market as a third-generation (3G) services operator will have to pay more each year for spectrum.

Nokia sees cellphone, gear market falling in 2009 (Reuters)

Reuters - Top handset maker Nokia Oyj said on Friday the world's mobile phone market would fall in the fourth quarter and next year as an economic slowdown crimps consumer demand around the world.