It's Friday again, and this week was filled with Motorola <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211800105&subSection=Mobility">backing Android</a> while Sprint <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211600886&subSection=Mobility">dissed it</a>. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/blackberry/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211600822">Qik</a> came to the BlackBerry, Verizon

Marin Perez, Contributor

October 31, 2008

3 Min Read

It's been an interesting week in the mobile space, with a new touch-screen phone from Motorola, earning reports from Nokia and Sony Ericsson, as well as developments from the FCC. But there was some more news that you may not have caught.T-Mobile Expands 3G Coverage

With the commercial launch of the Android-powered G1 just a few days away, T-Mobile wants to help more markets get the most out of the new handset. The fourth-largest U.S. wireless carrier flipped the switch on its UMTS/HSDPA data network in Sacramento, Calif., this week, and Memphis, Tenn., and Tampa, Fla., will be live next week.

The company has 3G coverage in 21 markets, which covers 92 cities, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. T-Mobile previously said it will have high-speed mobile data service in 27 markets by the end of the year.

As I mentioned earlier this week, there are a bunch of G1 reviews out, and if you want to pick one up -- or any T-Mobile 3G phone -- feel free to check out the carrier's 3G coverage map.

LG Gets A Cookie

The LG KP500 is billed as an affordable touch-screen phone for the masses, and GSMArena said it will be dubbed the "Cookie." The phone's a "dumbphone," but it has an accelerometer, 3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and other tasty goodness. The touch-screen phone is expected to cost around $228 before subsidies and taxes, which means this could be had for $50 or less, depending on how bad a carrier wants to move units.

Qik'ing It

The video mobile broadcasting app Qik has expanded to a boatload of feature phones. Once the exclusive domain on some S60 and Windows Mobile smartphones, users with J2ME handsets can now join the fun of live video streaming from a phone.

I believe services like Qik or Flixwagon will eventually really show how powerful community journalism can be.

Weird Of The Week

As if there wasn't enough paranoia about cell phones and sperm production, it looks like too much yakking is leading to loads of rashes across the pond.

According to The Register:

The problem is caused by metal cases, which are increasingly popular as fashion becomes more important than function. Rubbing nickel-heavy alloy against sweaty skin for hours is a great way to realize an allergy you never knew you had.

This could easily be solved by using a Bluetooth headset, or, you know, not talking so much. ... That's it for me, I want to say thanks to Alltop's mobile site for helping me track these down.

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