3G networks

Yet another vendor has fallen prey to "premature launch syndrome." Yesterday someone at Palm uploaded a text and visual presentation of the Treo Pro to the Palm Web site, and it didn't escape notice. Even though the presentation was pulled just minutes later, pictures and text were dutifully scooped up by bloggers and passed throughout the Net.

The as-yet-unannounced Treo Pro, formerly known as the Treo 850, sports clean, sculpted lines, a black finish with silver trim, and other features Palm fans have been waiting for.

Verizon Wireless and Alltel are merging in a $28.1 billion deal that analysts said could have a ripple effect through the U.S. wireless industry -- if the integration goes smoothly.

Verizon Wireless' acquisition crowns it king of the carriers in the U.S., dethroning AT&T and possibly signaling an eventual acquisition of Sprint Nextel, analysts said. Verizon will add 13 million clients in 34 states and save about $9 billion from the purchase. Synergies are expected to generate incremental cost savings of $1 billion in the second year after closing.

Apple's 3G iPhone will be available immediately after CEO Steve Jobs announces it at the WorldWide Developers Conference on June 9, a confidential source has told the popular Web site Gizmodo.

"Someone very, very close to the launch" informed the site that availability of the new phone won't be delayed until year's end, as some rumors had speculated. The new phone will be available for purchase worldwide by mid-June, Gizmodo reported.

Consumers wanting a touch-screen, Web-browsing, 3G-capable phone don't have to wait for the rumored 3G iPhone. HTC's new Touch Diamond matches -- some would say "copies" -- the features on Apple's breakthrough device while offering the speedy connections of 3G networks.

Sprint Nextel and Clearwire on Wednesday announced a $14.5 billion initiative to combine their wireless broadband businesses and form a new wireless communications company.

Named Clearwire, the new company will focus on expediting deployment of the first nationwide WiMAX network to provide widespread mobile broadband.