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• 21 Sep 07 - China's cellphone users exceeds 600 million
• 20 Sep 07 - Court rejects US chip ban
• 19 Sep 07 - Phone screensaver leads to pot bust
• 18 Sep 07 - Nokia Revamps Mobile Map Service
• 17 Sep 07 - Apple flogs one millionth iPhone
• 14 Sep 07 - LG Debuts Prada Phone
• 13 Sep 07 - Mobile touches a milestone
• 12 Sep 07 - Laws Target Teen Drivers' Cell Phone Use
• 11 Sep 07 - 4 billion phone lines
• 10 Sep 07 - Playstation phone to launch in February
• 06 Sep 07 - Optus eyes off Unwired as engin strikes
• 06 Sep 07 - Apple slashes prices
• 05 Sep 07 - John Travolta's mobile annoys movie goers
• 05 Sep 07 - Aussie's sidestep Apple to get local iPhones now
• 04 Sep 07 - Seven launches into broadband

The number included 80 million personal handy phone (PHS) users, said Xie Feibo, vice director of the Radio Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) at a forum on Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises held in Guangzhou of south China's Guangdong province.

Official figures showed that the nation's cell phone users increased by 40.56 million from the end of last year, 6.76 million a month on average.

Meanwhile, fixed-phone users had only grown by 4.86 million to 372 million.

In 1987, when China introduced its first mobile telecommunications equipment, there were little more than 700 users. In 2001, its cell phone users passed the 100-million mark, the largest in the world, and the figure turned to 300 million in May 2004, 400 million in January 2006.

The trend shows no sign of stopping as China still has a vast rural market to tap and city dwellers' appetite for more vogue, media-rich and web-accessible handsets continues to boom.

A federal appeals court on Wednesday issued a stay, pending an appeal, on a ban by the International Trade Commission on smartphones containing Qualcomm chips. The ITC had judged the chips infringed a patent of rival chip maker Broadcom.

Qualcomm shares rose 3.3 per cent to $US39.12 ($46.57) on the news in midday trading on Thursday. Broadcom rose 2 per cent to $US36.09.

The court did not stay a ban on Qualcomm importing its chips, but did find in favour of third-parties -- the handset makers Kyocera, LG, Motorola, Samsung and Sanyo, and wireless operators AT&T and T-Mobile.

The judge in Washington said they could sell their handset in the US as they had demonstrated "a substantial case on the merits and the harm factors weigh in their favour".

Analysts at Lehman Brothers said the decision was positive for Qualcomm as its customers' imports could now "continue unhindered through the upcoming critical holiday season".

Broadcom said the ITC order, barring Qualcomm from bringing its chips into the US, would still affect Qualcomm's ability to provide support to its customers for essential services such as designing next-generation handsets.

South Korean handset makers also welcomed the appeals court ruling. Samsung and LG are customers.

The International Trade Commission announced the ban in June.

The two sides have been unable to reach agreement on compensation.

Nokia Corp has added new features to its mobile mapping application, with a revamped user interface and a status indicator to alert users when they're connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite.

The new version of Nokia Maps is free and became available for download on Tuesday. Other improvements include a more refined "nearby" search feature, which scouts out preprogrammed points of interest on the maps based on where the user is located.

Basic route planning is free, although users may incur data transfer fees from their carriers. Other navigation upgrades are available for a fee. Nokia charges for a voice-guided navigation feature as well as other city and travel guides. Guides contain information on local cafes, music and clothing stores, museums and Wi-Fi hotspots, Nokia said. Nokia is offering a three-day trial for some of the advanced navigation features.

Nokia said map data will be available for 150 countries by the end of 2007, with 50 of those able to use the application's navigation feature. Nokia has published a list of countries for which a navigation license is sold. Also improved is the PC Map Loader application, which lets users load maps onto their devices from their home computers before needing a map on the road. That function is now 10 times faster. PC Map Loader is also a free download.

The mapping application, launched in February, is compatible with devices running on Symbian Series 60 second and third edition operating systems.

LG Electronics and Prada has unveiled the Prada Phone (KE850) - a touch screen mobile phone that the company touts to be unique, sophisticated and elegant.

The two companies have worked closely together on every aspect of the product - from handset development, attention to detail, to design and technological innovation." President and CEO of LG Electronics, Dr. Scott Ahn said, "We at LG are exceptionally proud of the Prada Phone by LG. The two companies have worked together seamlessly towards a truly shared vision, to develop one of the most beautifully stylish handsets the market has ever seen."

President and CEO of Prada, Mr. Patrizio Bertelli said, "As we do with ready-to-wear and accessories, we were looking at a break-through. Consistent with our approach, we are not branding an existing product; rather, Miuccia and I have been working with LG to give this new phone a very strong character and unique style, both in its contents and in its design. We, just like our partners at LG, are known for the attention to detail and uncompromising quality of our products. And we find these characteristics in the new mobile phone."

California and at least 11 other states are considering bills banning teens from using electronic equipment while driving, according to the American Automobile Association.

At least 15 states and the District of Columbia have passed bans. Supporters say teen-specific regulations _ which generally amend existing laws that apply to everyone, or add provisions to graduated licensing laws for young motorists _ reduce driver distraction and save lives. Opponents say they're another example of government meddling into citizens' private behaviour and teaching students proper driving skills is a parent's duty, not the state's.

California's bill could land on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk this week. Schwarzenegger, whose daughter turned 16 and began driving last year, hasn't indicated whether he'd sign it.

The legislation, introduced by California Sen. Joe Simitian, would take effect next July. It would ban 16- and 17-year-olds from using any electronic device while driving _ mobile phones, text messaging devices, laptop computers, pagers, walkie-talkies and handheld computers, even those with "hands-free" features. (Last year, Schwarzenegger signed a bill that prohibits all drivers from holding a mobile phone while driving. The measure, which takes effect in July 2008, allows hands-free devices.)

Though the site states that they understand that the, “forthcoming device will not be PSP branded,” we’re fairly sure that it’s going to carry at least some semblance of the widely recognised Playstation branding. Why on earth wouldn’t they when it’s such a huge name?

What is extra exciting is that hint that the gaming phone will, “comprise technical innovations such as motion-sensitivity,” which certainly sounds like an intriguing prospect. And certainly one that could work considering the obvious mobility of the modern mobile phone.

OPTUS could emerge as a counter-bidder for a share of wireless broadband company Unwired, which confirmed that 10.38 per cent of its shares had been snapped up by interests associated with Kerry Stokes' Seven Network.

Seven investment Engin, which provides voice and broadband services, confirmed it was the buyer of a 10.38 per cent shareholding in the Sydney-based internet service provider. "It's a strategic stake and there is no other agenda. We see a strong rationale for Engin and Unwired working co-operatively," engin Chairman Neil Gamble said.

It would provide a combination of Unwired's wireless access services with Engin's broadband telephony and (digital video recorder) TiVo offering would deliver a compelling consumer proposition.

"We see broadband access as an enabler of consumer services such as voice and TiVo. As we develop new capabilities in voice technology, we see our services operating on multiple devices, across multiple access technologies." said Gamble.

Seven holds 35 per cent of Engin and is financing its investment in Unwired, an arrangement that could lead to Seven increasing its stake in Engin or moving to a direct stake in Unwired. "We always welcome sophisticated investors taking a stake in the company, especially an investor like Seven understanding what Wi-MAX is about," Unwired CEO David Spence said. "Around the world the big media companies are getting interested in Wi-MAX as a delivery platform."

Wi-MAX enabled companies such as Optus to have independence from Telstra's network. Optus has long been interested in Wi-MAX technology and has kept a close eye on Unwired since its formation, according to people familiar with the company. Together with Elders, the telco recently committed to the widespread deployment of Wi-MAX in regional Australia after it won a $958 million handout from the federal Government under the Broadband Connect project.

San Francisco: Apple has slashed the price of its iPhone and updated its iPod line media player line.

The 8-gigabyte iPhone will be $US399 - $US200 cheaper than the same model when it went on sale in June. The 4GB iPhone, which sold for $US399, will be phased out. By comparison, the new touch-screen iPods will start at $US299.

Apple chief Steve Jobs unveiled updated iPods, including a version with a touch-sensitive screen, wireless internet access and a web browser. Unlike an iPhone, it can't make or receive phone calls. The iPod Touch allows users to download songs wirelessly, and, eventually, will let people sample and buy digital tunes from any Starbucks in the United States that offers Wi-Fi internet access.

The iPod Touch is less than a third of an inch thick and can be used for storing photos, music, videos and other digital data. It features the same 3.5-inch, touch-screen display as the iPhone, on which light finger touches allow the user to scroll through menus, and two fingers are used to resize pictures.

The iPod Touch also has built-in wireless internet access and the Safari web browser. The iPhone, which runs on AT&T Inc.'s cellular network, also supports Wi-Fi. An 8-gigabyte iPod Touch will cost $US299. A 16-gigabyte version will cost $US399. It will be shipped worldwide starting later this month.

New York: John Travolta, the star of hits like "Pulp Fiction" and "Face-Off", disturbed audiences by not turning off his mobile phone at a premiere. Travolta was with his wife Kelly Preston at the New York premiere of her new movie "Death Sentence". The movie also stars Kevin Bacon. Travolta didn't turn off his mobile phone, reports pagesix.com

An audience member said: "Travolta's mobile phone rang right as the film started. Twice. It was really loud, and a few people were harshly hushing."

Australians are thumbing their noses at Apple's 2008 launch date for the iPhone, importing the device from the US and hacking it to work on local networks.

The hacks, unveiled just over a month ago and extensively documented online, break the locks that were intended to restrict iPhone use to the AT&T network in the United States.

According to one member of a group of Australians who have been collaborating on a hack, there are at least 30 or 40 people in Australia who are running the Apple phones using local SIM cards issued by carriers such as Telstra and Optus.

Alex Voevodin, general manager of Votech, the exclusive Australian reseller of TurboSIM, a $149 tool that is essential in conducting one of the iPhone unlocking methods, said he had to shut down his online store late last month after being inundated with orders. He said over 1500 orders were received in four days, many of which remained unfulfilled as Voevodin waited on a new TurboSIM shipment from the manufacturer, Bladox, which is expected to arrive early next week.

And not all of the iPhone hackers are motivated by the desire to be among the first in Australia to own the device. Australian eBay users began listing unlocked iPhones on eBay last week, one of which sold yesterday for $1700. In the US, the iPhone comes in two models which retail for $US499 and $US599.

KERRY STOKES' Seven Network is moving into Australia's booming $1.5 billion broadband market using wireless technology. By taking a stake of at least 10 per cent in listed wireless internet player Unwired through Seven's telco investment vehicle Engin, the cashed-up media group, flush from the sale of 50 per cent of its television and magazine assets to private equity group KKR last year, is also in talks with Austar about purchasing its licensed wireless spectrum or creating a joint venture with the regional pay-TV outfit.

Austar and Unwired own spectrum in the 2.3Ghz and 3.5Ghz bands that is being developed for Wi-MAX wireless broadband. Seven began buying shares in Unwired last week through a Sydney stockbroker and the company paid 40c per share, a 23 per cent premium to Monday's 32c opening price.

The moves are the lates by Seven in a decade-long bid to move into the telecommunications sector. It once had a small stake in the failed Optus Vision pay-TV company, and also controlled mobile phone reseller B Digital for several years until it was eventually sold. But the emergence of broadband means the long-awaited convergence between communications and media is becoming a reality.