Mobility and Wireless

The Symbian Foundation expects to begin beta testing of a new version of its mobile phone operating system within the next few weeks. Symbian, the first version of the software since the foundation said it planned to go open source, should be ready for release six months after that, so smartphone buyers may see the first devices using the software in the first half of next year.

Apple is working to fix an iPhone vulnerability that could allow an attacker to remotely install and run unsigned software code with root access to the phone.

Apple Australia has joined its US brethren in selling the iPhone through its online store.

Some Palm Pre owners are complaining about poor hardware quality of the phones, with at least one person saying that he's already had to return four devices.

Apple's iPhone 3G S is the talk of the tech world this week. While some folks were disappointed a cheaper iPhone didn't debut at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, the 16GB iPhone 3G S may actually be a better deal than you'd think: The phone, according to a new analysis, costs nearly US$179 to make. It retails for US$199.

The new iPhone 3GS is a conservative, yet intelligent addition to the iPhone family. Its faster processor and greater operating memory are exactly what the doctor ordered. However, the lack of a keyboard, UMA and better battery features allows the competition an edge with business users.

Users love the iPhone, but IT does not. The biggest complaints: The iPhone can't be managed for security and access policies like a BlackBerry can. Businesses can buy a BlackBerry Enterprise Server or Motorola Good for Enterprise server to manage user profiles over the air, ensuring that users conform to password policies, encryption policies, app-installation restrictions, and so on, as well as have their e-mail, VPN, and other settings preconfigured to reduce hands-on deployment effort.

The iPhone 3G S handset is well appointed, functional, and nicely packaged, but it's not at the high-end of the smartphone hardware scale. The OS and interface -- and the richly stocked App Store -- remain the best reasons to buy an iPhone. Unless you need 16GB or 32GB of storage, a compass, and a faster CPU, the iPhone 3G will suit you as well as the more expensive iPhone 3G S.

With most Americans switching their mobile handsets once every 18 months, the need to find safe ways to dispose of old mobile phones has only grown. ReCellular, a self-described "electronics-sustainability" firm based in the US, has spent the past two decades working with the US-based Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) to become a major recycler and reseller of mobile handsets and accessories. Every day, ReCellular processes thousands of unwanted handsets and either fixes them for resale or sends them off to be melted down and recycled. ReCellular Vice President Mike Newman spoke with Brad Reed about how his company is helping to reduce e-waste, as well as how enterprises can benefit from donating their mobile devices for reuse and recycling.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse shared the company's WiMAX plans last week at CTIA Wireless. The plan to build a fourth-generation wireless network is a risky one, but Hesse explained to Denise Dubie why it's a smart strategy for Sprint.

WeFi is hoping to do for Wi-Fi connectivity what Facebook has done for social networking.

Shortly after the iPhone launched earlier this year, the head of microprocessor maker ARM said the new handset will stimulate growth in the smartphone market because the hype around the product would pique people's interest. Since then, the iPhone, and the smartphone market overall, have taken off.

When Apple introduced its new MacBooks recently, it touted a doubled battery life -- but noted that the laptops' batteries were sealed into the case, not user-swappable as is the norm on laptops.

Having discussed the progress of the iPhone in the enterprise last month, I thought that this month I would take a look at a longtime player, Windows Mobile, and see how it stacks up against the competition these days. And next month, I hope to have some comments on the new Palm Pre and how it fares for business use.

Jamming a mobile phone is illegal in the US. Very illegal. And not just by ordinary citizens. It's illegal for theatre and restaurant owners to jam calls, and even state and local police or prison officials. The US, in fact, has the strictest laws in the world against jamming mobile calls.

Netbook. Subnotebook. Mini-notebook. Mini-laptop. Mini. Why so many names for the same low-powered laptop with 10-inch screen and no optical drive?

Residual effects of the 2008 netbook craze are now popping up, with users complaining of cramped keyboards, missing DVD drives and limited functionality. Those are just some of trade-offs for a laptop that is dirt cheap and small in size. Some small accessories designed with netbooks in mind can ease those discomforts. The devices, which include portable keyboards, external storage devices and DVD drives, are small and draw less power. However, some devices can be pricey, so watch your wallet.

Acer Aspire One 3G

HP EliteBook 6930p

Adobe Flash Lite