Avi Greengart

In one of the funnier moments of Sunday's Academy Awards, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin thought they spotted Avatar director James Cameron in the audience. The hosts whipped out 3-D glasses to scan the audience for the man whose top-grossing film has fueled more interest in 3-D viewing.

Common Sight

While the gag got some laughs, it may not be unusual for more people to carry around 3-D glasses this year. All the top manufacturers are planning 3-D television models.

Motorola is placing two new bets on the open-source Android operating system with the release of its Backflip and Devour smartphones. The uniquely designed Backflip began selling through AT&T Wireless late last week, and the Detour is now available from Verizon Wireless.

The 3G/Wi-Fi Backflip, at $99 after rebate and with a two-year contract, is gaining a lot of attention for its unique flip-out QWERTY keyboard, which AT&T has described as "an original reverse flip design."

Big Selling Point -- MOTOBLUR

Apple ran its first iPad commercial during the Academy Awards on Sunday night. The 30-second advertisement shows the tablet computer sitting on an unidentified man's lap as he whisks through the features and functions in veteran style.

Makers of some applications that seek out Wi-Fi access are now seeking a new home after Apple purged a select group from its App Store. In a blog post this week, 3Jacks Software said it is the latest developer to get the boot from the increasingly choosy App Store.

Apple's iPad tablet will go on sale a few days later than originally announced -- a fact that is attracting attention. The company announced Friday that the Wi-Fi version will be released for sale on April 3 in the U.S. At the iPad announcement in January, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company said the product would ship in late March.

There have been rumors that the sale date was pushed back to accommodate an unspecified production problem. The 3G version goes on sale in late April, and preordering for either model in the U.S. begins in a week.

Reshaping the Landscape?

As Apple gets ready to ship its Pads with AT&T as the exclusive U.S. 3G carrier, the wireless giant's CEO seems to be downplaying expectations by saying the tablet computer will be "largely a Wi-Fi-driven product."

The basic iPad with Wi-Fi will sell for $499, and consumers who want 3G connections will have to shell out an extra $130 and pay AT&T $30 per month for unlimited data, or $15 a month for a 250MB plan. They'll also have to wait an extra month for 3G-capable tablets.

No Strain on Network

Nokia is making Skype available for the Symbian platform. A joint announcement Wednesday by the world's largest handset maker and the maker of the most popular VoIP calling software means that owners of select Nokia devices will be able to make phone calls over Wi-Fi or a mobile data connection at a fraction of the cost for normal calls.

Nokia launched a new family of devices Tuesday -- the C series. The company said the new series is the "core of the Nokia portfolio" and the devices -- including the first one, the C5 -- will be "optimized for social networking and sharing."

Optimization means the C5 helps the user maintain a continual connection with his or her social circle. This includes direct access to the user's favorite contacts right on the home screen, Facebook status updates visible on the phone, and easy access to social-networking sites.

Four Families of Devices

Nokia launched a new family of devices Tuesday, called the C series. The company said the new series is the "core of the Nokia portfolio" and the devices -- including the first one, the C5 -- will be "optimized for social networking and sharing."

Optimization means the C5 helps the user maintain a continual connection with his or her social circle. This includes direct access to the user's favorite contacts right on the home screen, Facebook status updates visible on the phone, and easy access to social-networking sites.

Four Families of Devices

Nokia launched a new family of devices Tuesday, called the C series. The company said the new series is the "core of the Nokia portfolio" and the devices -- including the first one, the C5 -- will be "optimized for social networking and sharing."

Optimization means the C5 helps the user maintain a continual connection with his or her social circle. This includes direct access to the user's favorite contacts right on the home screen, Facebook status updates visible on the phone, and easy access to social-networking sites.

Four Families of Devices