As noted back in January, MagicJack was gearing up to offer a new femtocell product that will allow users to make cheap calls using a GSM-based mobile phone. There’s still very limited technical details about the product, outside of the fact it detects a compatible phone within eight feet of the USB femtocell device, and allows users to make VoIP calls with it.

Back in January MagicJack said the device was supposed to go on sale right around now (present time) for somewhere between $20-$40.

More recently the company started telling blogs that the product is still expected to come out this year but with a new wrinkle: the company’s partnering with an as-yet-unnamed mobile carrier. Except given the technology is GSM based, here in the States obviously the company would have to partner either with AT&T or T-Mobile.

But according to a new article by Peter Svensson of the AP, the project is now “on hold” as finding that partner has apparently proven difficult:

Borislow said plans for the device are now on hold. The device had to use low signal power levels to get around legal restrictions on the use of licensed spectrum, but that also shortened the range and reduced sound quality. He’s now looking for a carrier partner that would allow him to turn the power up.

In other words, neither AT&T or T-Mobile were interested in promoting a technology that could cannibalize their own business models. Of course MagicJack creator Dan Borislow has something else cooked up: he’s launching a software version of MagicJack this week called MagicTalk that offers free calls to landlines or cellphones in the U.S. or Canada.

Link to the original article…

I’ve not been a Windows Mobile user since the Windows Mobile 2003 series days. With the announcements ranging from last year that (then named) Windows Mobile 7 will not be shown until 2010 when it was still 2009 to the recent announcement that Adobe will not have the Adobe Flash 10.1 Player ready for the initial release of Windows Phone Series 7, Microsoft pretty much did something that shocked quite a few folks.

They released a look into their upcoming OS that simplifies the look and feel of the UI to a point where it is now finger friendly, has multi-touch and seems to have taken the Zune HD UI and taken it up to a new level. That and the fact that Mobile IE is going to be new – please add full CSS2/CSS3 support – and it’s looking like Microsoft has a potential winner on their hands. Makes me glad they delayed last year’s announcement.

Do want.

The Windows Phone 7 Series introduction site (see below) does require Silverlight.

[ Links: Windows Phone 7 Series Intro ]

Did you preorder one? If not, don’t feel too bad because the slightly delayed Nokia N900 is now shipping to Europe, Middle East, Russia and North America. Preorders are definitely going to be filled first, but shortly thereafter it’ll be easily enough to pick one up.

Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in a speech the company started deliveries of the phone on Tuesday.

The N900 model is Nokia’s first phone running the Linux Maemo operating system, which analysts see as a key for Nokia to regain ground in the coming years.

In the US, T-Mobile will be the carrier of choice initially. Let’s hope later announcements include expanded frequencies that will allow 3G support on AT&T or other US carriers.

[ Nokia N900 ] [ Related: N-Series Maemoproject.com Viral Ads ]