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Good news for those of you who love to listen to music on your Nokia mobile: Nokia has now come out and released 3 more Music-phone handsets, all of which first be appearing in Europe. The handsets include the feature rich 5730 XpressMusic, which will be the first Nokia XpressMusic handset to come equip with a full QWERTY keyboard. It expected to retail for just under 300 Euros, and should hit the European market in early fall.

The second of the three phones is the 5330 XpressMusic handset, which offers a creative design and easy access to social networks, in addition to its strong musical elements. It should also be available in early fall, and is expected to retail for just under 200 Euros.

Finally, the third and cheapest of the handsets is the Nokia 5030, which is unique in that it is the first Nokia model to feature an FM radio antenna. It will be available this spring for under fifty Euros.

Microsoft has released important information regarding their new mobile application store, called Windows Marketplace for Mobile. So far, the details provided by Microsoft are very much in line with what competitors Apple and Google are also offering. For example, like said companies, Microsoft with allow app creators to choose their own price point for their apps (or make them free), with those creators taking a seventy percent cut of the proceeds.

Also, developers will be charged a yearly ninety nine dollar fee, which grants them the ability to submit a maximum of five apps during the year. Additional app submissions will run ninety nine dollars each. The fee should help to keep undesirable and low quality apps out of the marketplace.

Microsoft did mention one key difference that they will offer up against Apple. That is, that they are aiming to make their approval process as transparent as possible, and will include clear reasons for those apps that are ultimately rejected. Look for the new store to launch later this year, likely sometime in late fall or early winter.

If you’re a big fan of the hit television reality show “American Idol” (and I know many who are), a new iPhone application has just been released for your enjoyment.

The app is lised in the Apple App store for a meager, $1.99, and allows users to watch exclusive videos of the contestants. It’s supposed to allow fans to get a better idea of who the contestants are as people, with many “confessional” style video segments available. Also, the app will provide easy access to American idol biographies, blogs, and a ranking feature which allows users to easily track votes and eliminations. All in all, it’s a super app for the Idol obsessed, but probably not of interest to non “hard core” fans.

Apple faces a developing risk to its iPhone business, as renegade stores open up on the web to sell unauthorized applications for the phone. The developer responsible for some popular iPhone software is preparing to open a service called Cydia Store that could possibly sell 100s of iPhone applications that aren’t available through Apple’s official store. Users can download a special software that modifies their iPhone prior to running  these programs. Another company planning to launch a store called Rock Your Phone for iPhone users who have not yet altered their devices to make it easier to download and buy unauthorized software. A 3rd company is developing an online store that focuses on selling adult games for the iPhone.

The new stores are targeting the basis for the iPhone’s success: Apple’s App Store. These websites can offer software programs that Apple’s official store will not, since the company tightly controls the kinds of applications it permits. One such free application is known as Cycorder, which turns the iPhone into becoming a camcorder. Another program, costing $29, known as PdaNET lets people use their iPhones as modems to connect to the web.

As the very proud owner of a Blackberry Storm, which I received as a Christmas present this past December, and count among the very best gifts I’ve received, I have to say I’m quite excited that RIM has finally launched an app store of their own.

The Blackberry App Store, now officially called “App World”, is similar to the Apple App Store, however, of course, all the apps are designed for Blackberry products. There are a variety of free apps available to for Blackberry owners to download, however the price point for paid apps starts at 2.99, which is higher than the cheapest Apple apps, and no doubt intended to keep the rif raf out (so don’t go expecting a BlackBerry version of the iFart app).

Also, developers wishing to create apps for RIM’s App World, must pay a two hundred dollar submission fee, which is then refunded should the application in question be rejected. However, do to the fee, it would seem unlikely that many free apps will be created, as creators will want to recoup their costs.

To maintain its impressive popularity, the iPhone has moved beyond being sold in Apple Stores to wireless carrier stores, Best Buy, on the Internet, and now, at the most significant retailer of them all, Walmart. Indeed, a recent announcement that the iPhone will be available on Walmart store shelves, including a much rumoured $99 exclusive version, has signified Apple’s flashy phone is ready to enter the mainstream.

As the world’s largest retailer, Walmart caters to an enormous, price conscious, customer base. Due to the weak economy, selling iPhones at Walmart could be intended to counter potentially weaker sales at the wireless carrier and Best Buy stores. Therefore, it is possible that Walmart loyalists would purchase the phone at the store, rationalizing that if Walmart sells it, the price could not be any lower. On the other hand, some consumers could be turned off by the fact that the iPhone is now sold at Walmart, seeing it as brand dilution of a device that is often perceived as an item of luxury. There is no doubt that Apple is an expert at marketing their products as superior to their competitors. However, even if they lose some consumers due to this move, Apple is ready to significantly compensate by gaining sales from the vast number of Walmart shoppers.

Apple does stand a good chance of gaining considerable traction at Walmart, but not completely to the exclusion of its competitors. Walmart has been offering non-Apple smartphones such as the BlackBerry Curve and the Nokia N95. Besides those, Walmart is selling the Apple iPod family of products, including the iPod Touch, and therefore offering the iPhone as well is a logical extension for the retailer.

Since the news first broke in early December, Walmart began offering the iPhone at a mere $2 discount, with the hope of boosting the holiday sales and beyond. No $99 iPhone was introduced. In retrospect, having the large distribution channels offered by Walmart doesn’t appear to have hurt the brand. All in all, besides being available in more stores, the key for the long-term success of the iPhone is persistent improvements of an already good product and its applications in order to stay competitive and further increase its market share.

In these times of economic woe and uncertainty, most of us are scaling back on our purchases. However, there still must be a least a sliver of people making the big bucks, because if there aren’t, the new 2.5 million dollar iPhone might never see any use!

The what? That’s right, a jeweler named Peter Aloisson has created a jewel encrusted version of the iPhone, that has an estimated sale price of 2.5 million dollars. And we all thought that the original iPhone was expensive enough!

The only difference between the 2.5 million dollar iPhone, called the “Kings Button”, and the ones you’ll find at your local wireless stores is the aesthetics. The Kings Button includes a exterior made out of high quality 18 carat gold, as well as a 6.6 carat diamond home key. Also, as if that wasn’t enough, the casing is detailed with a line of 138 diamonds. Personally, I think 137 diamonds would have sufficed.

So, are any of you going to be lining up to by this ultimate showing of iPhone bling?

Some lucky travellers flying on select Alaska Airlines flights will have a little added convenience in WiFi web capabilities, even while the plane is in motion! Alaska Air is undergoing a sixty day trial where they will provide free WiFi to their west coast customers between the cities of Seattle and San Jose. After which, they will presumably decide whether or not to further implement the service. While pricing is not yet known, I think its safe to assume that there will be an added charge for WiFi using customers if the service is to go widespread on Alaska flights.

Personally, I believe that in flight WiFi (especially on long flights), would surely help to alleviate the boredom of air travel, and I would certainly lean to an airline that provides such. Heck, I might even be willing to pay a premium - especially during lengthy overseas travel.

According to an interview conducted by a Finnish News Channel, with Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Nokia, who is arguably the famous and most prominent cellphone manufacturer world wide, is considering a foray into the laptop market. This is a move that many have rumored would happen for some time now — in fact, suggestions of this occurring can be found from dates as early as late 2008, but never had it been confirmed by a Nokia spokesperson.

It seems that every PC maker wants to get into the cellphone business, so it comes as little surprise to see a big name phone maker aiming to cross business lines as well. Especially as the lines between computers and phones are become closer and closer. In fact, the third largest PC manufacturer, Acer, released its first line of cellphones just last week.

It will be very interesting to see what a Nokia PC would be capable of, and whether they will aim to produce a high end, or mid grade PC models.

A congressman wants to make the clicking sound that is made from cell phone cameras, compulsory, and he’s introduced a bill to make certain every mobile phone camera is audible.Representative Peter King, R-N.Y., put forward the “Camera Phone Predator Alert Act.” The reason is that Congress finds that children and adolescents have been exploited by photographs taken in dressing rooms and public places with the use of a camera phone. King’s brief bill makes no reference to the far more common phenomenon of “upskirt” photos of women wearing skirts.

Numerous states and municipalities have passed laws against taking upskirt pictures, but many of them have been struck down by courts on the reasoning that people shouldn’t expect privacy protections for things they do in public. However, laws regarding pictures taken in changing rooms have been maintained since a right to privacy is expected in such places. It’s not clear how King’s bill would change the legal requirements regarding public privacy, but it’s not the first time legislators have demanded the carry-over of an old mechanical sound onto a new electronic device. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2008, brought forward by Representative Edolphus  Towns, D-N.Y., mandated that electric and hybrid gasoline-electric cars would create an artificial engine noise so that blind and other visually impaired people could hear them. King’s bill has no co-sponsors and little chance of passing. Towns’ bill, which had 80 co-sponsors, got stuck in committee in the previous Congress and would have to be re-introduced in the new session.