Looks like modu are in for some congratulations: their dinky eponymous cellphone, designed to be slipped into a variety of multi-function "jackets" or slotted into "modu mates", specially designed electronics that have slots for the the handset to be fitted into, has been granted the title of World's Lightest Cellphone [pdf link] by the Guinness World Records judges.  Weighing in at a ... continued »

After Buzz Broadband CEO Garth Freeman trash-talked WiMAX at a recent industry conference, former hardware partner Airspan - who Freeman claims had a "quick and negative reaction" when he criticised indoor reception last year - have spoken out in defence of the wireless technology and their part in what the Buzz CEO called "a disaster".  In a statement by Airspan's Chief Marketing Officer, Declan Byrne, ... continued »

Flying in the face of the current trend for making cellphones more and more complex, NTT DoCoMo are apparently planning to remove high-end functionality from its handset OS that will free manufacturers to develop simpler designs more suited to international sales.  The functionality, which is believed to include i-mode, internet connection services and the FeliCa mobile payment system, has traditionally ... continued »

The 700MHz auction may be over (and the carriers looking anxiously in their wallets to see how they're going to pay for their new spectrum) but unsold Block D is still causing controversy.  The FCC has been asked to investigate accusations that an adviser from The Public Safety Spectrum Trust Corporation, who manage the public service aspect of Block D, ... continued »

Falling sales?  Pah, not a chance says Samsung: the manufacturer has set healthy sales targets of 200 million sales in 2008, a 25-percent increase on 2007, and is planning a new plant in Vietnam [subscription req] which will eventually pump out half of that figure.  Costing $670m, the new plant will be built in Bac Ninh Province and Samsung hope ... continued »

With all the ongoing talk about network collaboration between Sprint and Clearwire, you could be excused for assuming that WiMAX is an Undeniably Good Thing; hell, Motorola and their partners in Thailand called the recent trials there "outstanding".  So it comes as something as a surprise to hear that the previously rapturous Garth Freeman, CEO of Australia's WiMAX-based Buzz Broadband, ... continued »

Although cellphones being allowed on planes seems a good idea in principle, in actuality I suspect it will just make you feel like not only are you sharing a sardine tin with a load of strangers, but any of their friends and family they wish to call, too.  However you can't stand in the way of progress, and Emirates has ... continued »

After Sony Ericsson confessed yesterday that demand for its wares has been "slowing" this quarter, and that investors should expect reduced profits as a result, Nokia has stepped up to the mic to claim that growth in the European cellphone market fell to 3-percent during 2007, a distinct turnaround from the 16-percent growth in 2006.  In fact, handset sales have ... continued »

It's not just the carriers beginning to hurt; Sony Ericsson are reporting that demand for its cellphones is slowing, with Q1 2008 predictions of 22 million handsets shipping and pre-tax net income of €150-200m ($236-315m).  That's significantly lower than analyst expectations: Nomura's Richard Windsor cut his full year estimate on units for the company from 120 million to 102.8 million.  ... continued »

When your company is in trouble and you're looking to cut overheads, how sensible is it to can half your design team?  That's the question undoubtedly being asked in Birmingham, UK, after the news that Motorola is looking to make half of the 121 staff there redundant in three months time.  All employees at the design facility were told on ... continued »