Several security experts think that because of the increasing number of smartphone users as well as the comparative
ease of spreading viruses across these platforms, that smartphone security will be tested this year.
Attacks on smartphones haven’t reached the critical mass needed but it will happen sooner rather than
later,” antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky, tells Red
Herring.
"Mobile phone attacks scale very well for fraud," Internet Security Systems chief technology officer
Chris Rouland also tells the publication.
"Phone viruses are propagating quickly and they have only been gated by the fact that there are not enough
smartphone users today," he told the magazine.
Rouland added that because phone carriers would likely have to bear the $100-per-incident cost of cleaning infected
handhelds, only a few hundred infected phones are enough to cause a problem.
Yet network security executive Simon Klalaf disagrees. The Vernier Networks CEO tells Red Herring that the
financial incentives that spur malware writers to develop viruses are not there for smartphones.
“Putting a worm on laptops where the objective is to steal financial or personal data is a bigger problem for
everyone,” he tells Red Herring.
Keith didn't design these themes, but he is making them available for free. These theme screens aren't downloadable
individually, but they can be downloaded as a grouped Zip
file.
BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion and 3.4 million subscriber mobilkom Austria today launched the BlackBerry
8700v in that nation.
The 8700v joins the BlackBerry 7100v and BlackBerry 7290 in the lineup of Austria's largest mobile carrier.
"Austrian customers can purchase the new BlackBerry 8700v and benefit from mobilkom austria's fast network to
experience the full capabilities of this new device," Dr. Hannes Ametsreiter, CMO, mobilkom austria said in a
prepared statement. "The BlackBerry 8700v is a great addition to our portfolio of BlackBerry devices for
both business and individual customers who need to access information while on the go."
Boris Boege of Skylab Mobile Systems writes to tell me that their
GPS mapping tool "Spot for Blackberry" now supports all Bluetooth enabled Blackberry devices in combination
with a Bluetooth GPS receiver.
Former versions were only compatible with BlackBerry 7520 and BlackBerry 7100i. Both of those
models have an integrated GPS receiver.
Now, Spot for BlackBerry has been rev'd to support the BlackBerry 7100 Series, the BlackBerry 8700 Series as well
as the BlackBerry 7250 and BlackBerry 7290.
"Spot for Blackberry" costs $49. A time limited demo version is available free for download.
If you have a BlackBerry 7100, and want to create your own ringtones, you may wish to consider downloading and
installing Millennium Studios' BlackBerry 7100 Series Ringtone Builder
Package.
The Package includes:
A digital video with ringtone creation instructions:
A link to software that helps you convert sound files from the .wav or ,mp3 format to the BlackBerry
format;
5 MB of hosting space on the Millennium Studio's ringtones web server, with uploading privileges for six
months;
10 free ringtones, pre-configured for your BlackBerry and available on Millennium Studios' web server for you
to download and install on your BlackBerry if you wish.
Total cost is $24.95, but Club Handango Members pay just $22.46.
Click the Read link below this post and you'll ring up Handango.com's BlackBerry 7100 Series Ringtone Builder
Package page.
With MiniRingtone for BlackBerry, you can create your personalized ringones from your (legally, of course) downloaded music files on your PC or from CD tracks.
You choose your favorite .mp3, .wav and.aiff audio, import it into the MiniRingtone utility on your PC, edit your selection and then synch up your BlackBerry to your PC to import your new ringtone.
MiniRingtone for BlackBerry works on all 7xxx series BlackBerrys. The utilty costs $24.75, but Club Handango Members pay $22.28.
Click the Read link below this post and your browser will take you to the MiniRingtone for BlackBerry page on Handango.com.
Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor ASA, has announced today it has agreed to buy Vodafone
Group Plc's Swedish business for 1.04 billion euros ($1.2 billion). Vodafone
Sweden is the country's third-largest mobile-phone company.
Both companies say the acquisition of Vodafone Sweden will enhance Telenor's position in Sweden, while increasing Telenor's Scandinavian mobile customer base by 37 per cent,
totalling 5.6 million subscribers.
The purchase from Vodafone doesn't mean that Vodafone is leaving Sweden. Telenor and Vodafone say they have agreed the terms of a Partner Network Agreement in Sweden, allowing
Telenor, Vodafone Sweden and Vodafone customers to "benefit from Vodafone's
global brand, products and services in Sweden."
Vodafone Sweden's lineup of the BlackBerry 7100v, BlackBerry 7290 and BlackBerry 7730 should not be affected by the transaction, which is expected to close early next year.
Phillippines wireless services provider Smart Communications, Inc. is introducing BlackBERRy Connect push email for new and existing users of the Nokia 9500 Communicator, Nokia 9300 smartphone and Sony Ericsson P910i in that nation.
These BlackBerry Connect-enabled products join Smart's existing portfolio of Blackberry 7100g, 7290 and 6720 devices.
Vodafone Sweden business customers that use the Nokia 9500 Communicator, Nokia 9300 smartphone or Sony Ericsson P910i can now also use BlackBerry Connect to manage their e-mail while on the go.
The 'BlackBerry from Vodafone' portfolio for the Swedish market also currently includes the BlackBerry 7230, BlackBerry 7100v and BlackBerry 7730
"Many Swedish companies have requested BlackBerry services on mobile phones from Nokia and Sony Ericsson; therefore we are delighted to present this piece of news," said Klas Wallstrom, Head of Business Segment, Vodafone Sweden This means that even more Swedes will discover the advantages of BlackBerry and see for themselves how wireless e-mail simplifies worklife and makes it more efficient,"
Maybe your BlackBerry 7100 has no distinctive ring tone. If so, I'd bet that many times, you have reached for it in a crowd of users whose handsets also lack distinctive ring tones.
A minor embarrassment, but one that would be avoidable if you downloaded at least one of two new BlackBerry-compatible Polyphonic Ringtones sets from Studio Cuts.
Both of these sets are compatible with BlackBerry 7xxx series models, and cost $5.99 ($5.39 for Club Handango members).
Click the Read link below this post, and you'll land on the Studio Cuts Vol 1 Polyphonic Ring Tones page on Handango.com
In a typical app, you'd scan bar code labels into the Cordless Hand Scanner. The device's SocketScan keyboard emulation software would then direct your scanned data into your BlackBerry.
Available October 17 from the Socket website as well as varous Socket distribution channels, the Socket Cordless Hand Scanner CHS 7P will be priced at $728 list.
P&TLuxembourg, operator of LUXGSM, and BlackBerry-maker Research IN Motion announced plans this morning to introduce the BlackBerry 7100v and BlackBerry 7290 to the carrier's business customers.
No specific availability date or pricing information has been announced yet.
The main telecommunications and postal services provider in the compact, European nation of 450,000 people, P&TLuxembourg has more than 40,000 cellular services subscribers.
Vodafone is introducing two BlackBerry models to its enterprise customers in Greece.
Initial models to be offered include the BlackBerry 7290 and BlackBerry 7100v.
As part of this rollout, Vodafone Greece will offer the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution with BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
“We are seeing a growing demand for wireless connectivity from mobile professionals in Greece,” Haris Broumidis, Business Commercial Director, Vodafone Greece said in a statement. "BlackBerry has redefined the market for wireless push email technology offering a new and reliable communication solution. We are excited about the productivity benefits it will bring our customers, enabling them to remain connected to communications and information while on the go.”
South African cellular provider Vodacom has announced the BlackBerry Connect for the Motorola MPx220 and the Sony Ericsson P910i, as well as BlackBerry Built-In for the Siemens SK65, for the first time in South Africa.
A unit of Vodafone, Vodacom has been carrying the BlackBerry 7100v and BlackBerry 7290 since Feburary of this year.
Users Group Member Barry Polner- a frequent and highly credible poster, has just pasted in this note from T-Mobile, which sells the BlackBerry 7100t and the BlackBerry 7290: "On October 2, 2005, T-Mobile will upgrade the BlackBerry Internet E-mail service (formerly called BlackBerry Web Client) with a number of improvements," the note reads. "You don't have to do anything to keep getting your e-mail on your BlackBerry(r) handheld, and if you get corporate e-mail using BlackBerry Enterprise Server(tm), your e-mail service will not be affected.
"The upgrade eliminates the need for the BlackBerry Internet Service(tm) Web site," the note points out. "All e-mail functions can be performed from the handheld, or the source e-mail account. As a result, on October 1, the BlackBerry Internet E-mail service Web site will be shut down. Account settings will be managed directly from the handheld, and through My T-Mobile.
"IMPORTANT: If you have e-mails or contacts stored on the BlackBerry Internet Service Web site that you want to save, " the note warns, "you will need to forward them to another e-mail address before October 1. Access the Web site from your computer at www.t-mobile.com/bis.
Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor ASA, has announced today it has agreed to buy Vodafone
Group Plc's Swedish business for 1.04 billion euros ($1.2 billion). 
Maybe your BlackBerry 7100 has no distinctive ring tone. If so, I'd bet that many times, you have reached for it in a crowd of users whose handsets also lack distinctive ring tones. 
Just got back from a courtesy call over to the 
