A picture of what is rumored to be a user-designed Nokia QWERTY keyboard slider concept phone has recently been spotted around the web. The concept phone, which carries the Nokia badge with model name N99, is supposed to possess a 9-way joystick button, 16 GB flash internal memory with support for up to 4GB mini SD via expansion slot, 16:9 3.2″ wide screen, GPS capability, MP3, DivX XVID MPEG AVI video file format support, WLAN, WIFI, 8MP camera, 3CCD 720 pixel wide 30 fps video capture. With all those features, you’re pretty much guaranteed that this concept phone is going to stay a concept for a little while longer… or will it? Who knows?
[ Cellphone (unofficial) Concept: Nokia N99 Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]

The Nokia E61i, an updated version of the older E61, was recently approved by the FCC. This QWERTY smartphone will be quad-band GSM/EDGE compliant, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Whether it will support UMTS 2100 is unknown as no mention was made in any FCC documents. The E61i will possess a 4 way directional pad instead of a joystick, and rearranged shortcut buttons. It will also have a digital camera, but details on the camera’s capabilities are, at this point, unknown. Expect the official announcement soon.
[ Cellphone Rumor Update: FCC Approves Nokia E61i Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]

The PRADA phone, AKA the LG KE850 has officially been released. Equipped with a touchscreen display, it seems that the KE850 has beaten Apple’s iPhone to the punch. The Prada phone possesses a 3 inch 240 x 400 pixel touchscreen display, a 2 megapixel camera with Schneider-Kreuznach lens and flash, music player with MP3, ACC, ACC+, WMA, RA file format support, Video player with MPEG4, H.263, H.264 support, a microSD expansion slot, and document viewer. The phone is GSM/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz) network compliant, has Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0 connectivity. The KE850 will be available by the end of February in the UK, France, Germany and Italy. In Asia, specifically in Taiwan, HK and Singapore, it will be out by March. The Korean version is expected to be available in 2Q of the year. It will retail for about €600.
[ The Prada Phone officially unveiled Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]

Originally slated to launch in Europe, it would seem that die-hard Ferrari fans in the US will have their chance to get their hands on this special edition phone after all. Thanks to some promotional material exposed via Howards Forums, it is now believed that the MOTORAZRmaxx will be coming to the continental US via Verizon Wireless. The US version will come with EVDO, as well as V Cast video and music support. It is unknown whether it will be V Cast TV capable. Price and availability still unknown. Stay tuned for updates.
[ Motorola MOTORAZR Maxx to launch in US Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]

Japan. Toshiba and Oakley have come together to develop a powerful combination phone and bluetooth sunglasses set, available from Softbank. The handset, a Toshiba 911T, is a multi-media slider phone that runs on Softbank’s 3.6Mbps HSDPA network. Features include One-Seg digital TV service, Bluetooth A2DP, 3.2 meapixel CMOS camera (with anti-shake and auto-focus), a 3-inch W-VGA 480×480 pixel screen, 1GB of internal memory and a microSD expansion slot with support for up to 2GB of external memory. It also comes with MS office document reader, full HTML browser and FeLiCa electronic money chip. Oakley’s contribution to the package is a pair of Oakley stereo Bluetooth headphone sunglasses. The package will be available for sale in March in Japan, and will come in white, red, bronze and black. No price has been announced, but considering that you’ll be getting a pair of Oakley sunglasses, expect it spend quite a pretty penny.
[ Cellphone and Accessory: Toshiba 911T with Oakley Bluetooth Shades Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]

Rogers Wireless customers are no doubt jumping for joy at this bit of information, as the Canadian service provider has just confirmed that they will be the only carrier of the iPhone in the country. Whether or not they will be offering the free service that ATT/Cingular will be offering is still up in the air, but stay tuned for updates. Next to Cingular, Rogers Wireless is just the second exclusive carrier of the iPhone. Whether the company’s investment in being the “exclusive provider” for the new handset will pay off and attract new subscribers, only time will tell. Regardless, the company’s current set of customers will have something more to brag about.
[ Rogers Wireless First to get iPhone in Canada Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]

A study done by a phone retailer, Dial-a-Phone, reveals that your average mobile phone contains more bacteria than even a toilet seat! By collecting swabs from everyday items, the study found that if you don’t clean and disinfect your mobile phone and keyboard on a regular basis, bacteria could proliferate, potentially making it a health risk. Research reveals that skin bacteria, staphylococcus aureus being one of them, was found on mobile phones, keyboards, toilet seats and door handles. Swabs from shoes had soil and airborne bacteria. “Mobile phones, like many everyday objects such a telephones and computer keyboards, harbor bacteria,” says Joanne Verran, Professor of Microbiology at Manchester Metropolitan University. “However, being ‘mobile’, they are stored in bags or pockets, are handled frequently, and held close to the face. In other words, they come into contact with more parts of our body and a wider range of bacteria than toilet seats!” Apparenty phones contained the most skin bacteria compared to any other object possibly because this type of bacteria flourishes in high temperatures, and our phones are usually kept warm and cozy when they are in our bags or pockets. These bacteria are toxic to humans and will potentially cause infections if they are able to enter the body.
[ Cellphone Health: The Average Phone is a Bacteria colony Via Sonicdigitals Blogs ]