Mobile

For some reason, Luke Wilson is taking AT&T's side in the 3G coverage wars, appearing in a new ad that retaliates against Verizon Wireless' stinging assault.

Firing back at Verizon, AT&T has released a new ad that talks about the wonders of the iPhone--and then promotes two Samsung handsets. How misleading is that?

Reading some of the Web's headlines today, you'd be hard-pressed not to think the so-called Google Phone is as good as on store shelves. Fresh from the tech page of Google News:

Google today announced version 2.0 of Google Earth for the iPhone and iPod touch, just over a year after releasing the first edition of the application, a piece of software which quickly turned into the second most popular download in Apple's App Store. But the past year has also been a stormy one for both Google and Apple, as their respective wireless partners, Verizon Wireless and AT&T, start to duke things out in court.

I debated whether the headline for this story should be about the fact that Apple has now approved Bobble-Rep, an app that the company had previously rejected. The other option was to make the headline "Macworld contributor Lex Friedman can predict the future."

Beyond suing archrival Verizon Wireless in federal court, AT&T has now added more fuel to its fight to defend its nationwide wireless network against a negative ad blitz by sending out a letter to customers to "set the record straight."

Free Wi-Fi while you're waiting for your flight? Sounds like a great way to save money, and kudos to Google for offering it at many U.S. airports during the holidays. Unfortunately, Google's generosity may also lure identity thieves and nefarious hackers to the nation's terminals to prey on clueless travelers.

Google's gift of free holiday Internet access at 47 U.S. airports only points out how backward those airports are. Don't they understand Internet access in public places is supposed to be free?

A mischievous iPhone worm that targets Australian jailbroken phones is changing the phone's wallpaper to an image of Rick Astley.

Has Google found the final piece of its voice-calling puzzle? Rumors have it that the acquisition-happy search giant has acquired Gizmo5, a Skype-like VoIP startup. TechCrunch is reporting that Google has plunked down $30 million in cash for Gizmo5, which offers a software app that lets you make free phone calls to other Gizmo users, as well as inexpensive calls to landlines and cell phones. It supports SMS and instant messaging, too.