InfoWorld Wireless

Workaholics tethered to their smartphones have another reason to switch to Apple: Rumors that Microsoft#39;s Office Suite is coming to the iPhone are inching towards reality, and iPhone apps with document and spreadsheet editing capabilities are also on the way.

Palm is taking what it hopes is the next step in to make its Palm Pre a viable iPhone competitor. On Wednesday, at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco, Palm opened up its Mojo Software Development Kit (SDK) program to a quot;broad group of developers.quot;

Reducing the number of mobile software platforms, but not by too much, is the key to unleashing pent up creativity in the mobile market, executives said on Wednesday.

What was billed as a roundtable discussion for members of the new Symbian Foundation turned into an opportunity for them to lay out the challenges and threats to their fledgling group.

Skype unveiled its iPhone and BlackBerry applications at the CTIA Wireless trade show on Tuesday, taking its VoIP capability into the inner sanctum of mobile operators that still depend on voice minutes for most of their revenue.

A developer is reporting that Google has banned his tethering application from the Android Market, one of the first hints that the store may not be as open as Google has promised.

Motorola has announced its latest offering the Evoke QA4 -- a touch-screen cell phone which represents the company#39;s second attempt at offering an iPhone-like handset.

Skype is set to launch a mobile application for the iPhone on Tuesday, a#160;long-awaited entry#160;to Apple#39;s App Store, and one for BlackBerry devices in May, Skype officials have confirmed.

If Research in Motion opens its BlackBerry App World online store this week as rumored, it will be the second major mobile vendor to emulate the iPhone App Store and won#39;t be the last.

Skype may launch a version of its mobile Voice-over-IP (VoIP) and instant messaging service as early as next week, according to a report from Om Malik of GigaOM. If true, the application could prove popular with cost-conscious iPhone users who#39;d like to save a few bucks by routing calls over ATamp;T#39;s data network. Currently, iPhone users must use third-party services like Fring to access Skype.

Microsoft may charge developers if they submit within a year more than five applications or application updates to the Windows Mobile Marketplace, a move that has some developers concerned that the store won#39;t be able to compete with the iPhone App Store or the Android Market.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=4f475ed0894d4aeb2a1be4866c1184b3p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=4f475ed0894d4aeb2a1be4866c1184b3p=1//a

Accolade Systems sued Micron Technology and its subsidiary Aptina Imaging for infringing on one of its patents, according to documents filed with the courts on Tuesday. While Apple isn#39;t named in the suit, components in the iPhone are part of the lawsuit.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=3179624e61346ff6ab2b9e28a1436020p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=3179624e61346ff6ab2b9e28a1436020p=1//a

Sprint plans to deploy its WiMax services to 10 major U.S. cities in 2009, with at least five additional major markets due to get services in 2010.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=afb57c8f6c7f9c1282f4458ad13c23afp=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=afb57c8f6c7f9c1282f4458ad13c23afp=1//a

Despite the billions of dollars required to roll out a brand-new wireless network, the slowdown in the economy, and the reduced share price, the president of Clearwire, Barry West, is optimistic about the future role of WiMax in business. And he says tech managers should put WiMax planning on their agendas now.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=28b601add4f49b322dba6911e5ca0861p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=28b601add4f49b322dba6911e5ca0861p=1//a

Michael Dell gave the strongest hint to date that his company is developing a mobile Internet device or smartphone at a speech in Tokyo on Tuesday.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=f108b5be3c5665f26fda80601547cff3p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=f108b5be3c5665f26fda80601547cff3p=1//a

VMware is set to release in the beginning of April a technology preview of a new feature that will let vCenter Mobile Access VMware users manage their infrastructure from mobile phones, it said on a company blog on Friday.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=4070517b4df6b94933227dd8aab6e661p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=4070517b4df6b94933227dd8aab6e661p=1//a

LG and Apple are working together to install Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) screens in a new version of the iPhone as well as a forthcoming Apple netbook, says SmartHouse.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=9ec0de21deb17064bf96440dce2978f4p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=9ec0de21deb17064bf96440dce2978f4p=1//a

Of some 100 new features added to Apple#39;s iPhone 3.0 software this week, Jorge Mata, CIO for the Los Angeles Community College District, said that one of those alone -- the ability to tether Windows laptops to the iPhone -- could provide a quick boost his operation.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=3fdf5bc66c4d47162010887ff55c709ap=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=3fdf5bc66c4d47162010887ff55c709ap=1//a

As promised, ATamp;T will begin selling iPhones without requiring a two-year contract, but the devices will be so expensive that few people are likely to want to buy them.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=030ef82d778e2e5cab4d4fbe23dd2525p=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=030ef82d778e2e5cab4d4fbe23dd2525p=1//a

A programmer quot;hacking aroundquot; with the beta release of the just-announced iPhone 3.0 operating system has stumbled upon the feature that lets a notebook connect to the iPhone and share its Internet connection. He just can#39;t remember how.br clear=both style=clear: both;/ br clear=both style=clear: both;/ a href=http://www.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=fcb3aa8a0c40378264b77d741e668cabp=1img alt= style=border: 0; border=0 src=http://www.pheedo.com/img.phdo?s=fcb3aa8a0c40378264b77d741e668cabp=1//a