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Rumour has it on the interwebz that Vodafone are creating their very own budget phone for around €150 (approx. £130) and it should be released before the summer in May. The rumour seems to have started from Dutch website Allaboutphones.nl where they say the phone will pack the latest Android OS 2.1 ( can I call it the latest? ), a resistive 2.8″ QVGA screen, a 3.2 mega pixel camera and of course Wi-Fi, bluetooth, 3G, aGPS & an accelerometer as standard. If this is true it seems to follow in the foot steps of T-mobile with their budget phones – the T-mobile Pulse and the Pulse Mini . Being this cheap maybe we’ll see this available on pay-as-you-go?  If correct, it  would also go with Vodafone’s current commitment to stocking the latest Android handsets and publishing apps on the Market to go with their new 360 service which integrates social networking and contacts. In fact, the other week there was an app published by Vodafone which said “this is a test, do not download”…… so what do you? Egging me On? Psshhh – I downloaded it! It seems to have been some sort of Vodafone maps/navigator. Maybe this will come pre-loaded too – who knows? Vodafone is yet to make a solid announcement though it seems to be referred to as the “Vodafone 845″, the name could change around launch though. Looks like we’ll have to wait and see! [Via Allaboutphones.nl ]

Rumour has it on the interwebz that Vodafone are creating their very own budget phone for around €150 (approx. £130) and it should be released before the summer in May. The rumour seems to have started from Dutch website Allaboutphones.nl where they say the phone will pack the latest Android OS 2.1 ( can I call it the latest? ), a resistive 2.8″ QVGA screen, a 3.2 mega pixel camera and of course Wi-Fi, bluetooth, 3G, aGPS & an accelerometer as standard. If this is true it seems to follow in the foot steps of T-mobile with their budget phones – the T-mobile Pulse and the Pulse Mini . Being this cheap maybe we’ll see this available on pay-as-you-go?  If correct, it  would also go with Vodafone’s current commitment to stocking the latest Android handsets and publishing apps on the Market to go with their new 360 service which integrates social networking and contacts. In fact, the other week there was an app published by Vodafone which said “this is a test, do not download”…… so what do you? Egging me On? Psshhh – I downloaded it! It seems to have been some sort of Vodafone maps/navigator. Maybe this will come pre-loaded too – who knows? Vodafone is yet to make a solid announcement though it seems to be referred to as the “Vodafone 845″, the name could change around launch though. Looks like we’ll have to wait and see! [Via Allaboutphones.nl ]

Are you mysophobic? Oh, you don’t know what “mysophobic” is? It’s a fancy way of saying “germaphobe”, which, according to scientists or linguists or some other group of academics, isn’t actually a word. Go figure. Now, I ask again: Are you mysophobic? No? Well, you might be after reading this. Because it’s naaasty . CareerBuilders did a survey of 5,200 mobile workers (that is, people who primarily work on the road), and found that their cell phone habits are generally dangerous, a bit rude, and pretty friggin’ gross. Some of the more notable stats revealed: 62% check their phones while eating – Eh, whatever. I get bored while I’m eating, too. 60% check while on vacation – Again, whatever. I love sand and sun as much as the next guy, but I need my daily dose of Vitamin SocialNetworking. 50% check in bed – Headaches happen. 57% check in the bathroom – You see, this is just friggin’ gross. Do I do it? Sure! But I don’t like to think that other people do. 50% check while driving – Inexcusable. To those of you thinking you have a special technique that lets you text while driving or that you’re a good enough driver to do this, you’re not. Everyone else thinks they’re wonderful drivers too, until they smash into a pole because they just HAD to forward that MMS of the baby chick riding the cat. You can check out a few more stats over at InformationWeek . In the mean time: What’s the weirdest, nastiest, or most ridiculous place you’ve ever messed with your phone? Let us know in the comments below. We won’t tell anyone.

Are you mysophobic? Oh, you don’t know what “mysophobic” is? It’s a fancy way of saying “germaphobe”, which, according to scientists or linguists or some other group of academics, isn’t actually a word. Go figure. Now, I ask again: Are you mysophobic? No? Well, you might be after reading this. Because it’s naaasty . CareerBuilders did a survey of 5,200 mobile workers (that is, people who primarily work on the road), and found that their cell phone habits are generally dangerous, a bit rude, and pretty friggin’ gross. Some of the more notable stats revealed: 62% check their phones while eating – Eh, whatever. I get bored while I’m eating, too. 60% check while on vacation – Again, whatever. I love sand and sun as much as the next guy, but I need my daily dose of Vitamin SocialNetworking. 50% check in bed – Headaches happen. 57% check in the bathroom – You see, this is just friggin’ gross. Do I do it? Sure! But I don’t like to think that other people do. 50% check while driving – Inexcusable. To those of you thinking you have a special technique that lets you text while driving or that you’re a good enough driver to do this, you’re not. Everyone else thinks they’re wonderful drivers too, until they smash into a pole because they just HAD to forward that MMS of the baby chick riding the cat. You can check out a few more stats over at InformationWeek . In the mean time: What’s the weirdest, nastiest, or most ridiculous place you’ve ever messed with your phone? Let us know in the comments below. We won’t tell anyone.

Are you mysophobic? Oh, you don’t know what “mysophobic” is? It’s a fancy way of saying “germaphobe”, which, according to scientists or linguists or some other group of academics, isn’t actually a word. Go figure. Now, I ask again: Are you mysophobic? No? Well, you might be after reading this. Because it’s naaasty . CareerBuilders did a survey of 5,200 mobile workers (that is, people who primarily work on the road), and found that their cell phone habits are generally dangerous, a bit rude, and pretty friggin’ gross. Some of the more notable stats revealed: 62% check their phones while eating – Eh, whatever. I get bored while I’m eating, too. 60% check while on vacation – Again, whatever. I love sand and sun as much as the next guy, but I need my daily dose of Vitamin SocialNetworking. 50% check in bed – Headaches happen. 57% check in the bathroom – You see, this is just friggin’ gross. Do I do it? Sure! But I don’t like to think that other people do. 50% check while driving – Inexcusable. To those of you thinking you have a special technique that lets you text while driving or that you’re a good enough driver to do this, you’re not. Everyone else thinks they’re wonderful drivers too, until they smash into a pole because they just HAD to forward that MMS of the baby chick riding the cat. You can check out a few more stats over at InformationWeek . In the mean time: What’s the weirdest, nastiest, or most ridiculous place you’ve ever messed with your phone? Let us know in the comments below. We won’t tell anyone.

While a lot of people are pretty pumped about Windows Phone 7 , there are some people who definitely are not : everyone stuck on a now antiquated Windows Mobile 6.5 handset. Microsoft has already confirmed that if your phones running 6.5, it’s not going to be running 7 any time soon. If you can’t join’em, beat’em, right? There’s a new project in the works which aims to breath new life into old Windows Mobile 6.5 phones.. by replacing the whole OS with Android. As you can see in the video above, they’ve already managed to jam the OS onto an HTC TouchPro2. (Fun Fact: I’ve wanted an HTC TouchPro 2 running Android since before the TouchPro 2 officially existed. I’ll be buying one purely for hacking this onto it.) It’s not perfect just yet, but it’s damn near it; data works, SMS works, calling works, and that glorious, glorious hardware keyboard works. They’ve also got it up and running in various forms of functionality on the HTC Diamond2 (AT&T Pure), HD, Diamond, and the original Touch Pro. Ready to get your hack on? Pocketnow has all the download links you need to get started.

We told you a little bit about the LG LU2300 in late February and its eagerness towards augmented reality. What we DIDN’T show you was a picture of the phone which, that same day, popped up at MobileTechWorld . Luckily the guys at IntoMobile are on the ball and dug it up from the “not-too-archived” archives: The phone is set for a domestic Q2 2010 launch which, unfortunately for most of us, means if you can’t read the text to the right of that cute little robot above you’re not likely to have the LU2300 as a purchase option. Shucks.

Alright, lets pat the pockets and run through the mental checklist one last time before security: Passport? Check, front pocket. Headphones? Definitely in your backpack. Boarding pass? Uh oh. Where’d that boarding pass go? Oh, that’s right! It’s on your phone – because you, like a rapidly increasing number of other people, opted to have it sent straight to your handset. Security scans the QR code right off of your handset’s display, and you’re on your way with one less thing to lose. Trinity Mobile, one of the leading companies behind the mobile ticketing push, is today announcing a 1200% year-over-year increase with their mobile boarding pass offerings. In 2008, Trinity Mobile saw 50,000 users opt-in to receive mobile boarding passes rather than the more traditional options. In 2009, this number shot up to 600,000. That’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the number of people flying with ol’ fashion boarding passes each and every day – but considering that that growth is almost entirely driven by users picking the option when its offered to them (without any real marketing push by Trinity or the airlines they’ve partnered with), it’s pretty impressive. Jupiter Research backs up the fact that the trend is skyrocketing; according to their 2010 Mobile Ticketing report, over 2 billion mobile boarding passes will be sent out in 2010, with that number expected to blast up to 15 billion by 2014. Anecdotally, I can honestly say I’ve also noticed a massive uptick in mobile boarding pass usage. As someone who travels somewhat frequently, I’ve seen at least a handful of people going that route on each trip I’ve taken over the past few months – especially on flights in Europe. I’ve yet to be offered a chance to do it myself – but given that I’m the type of person who clutches on to their boarding pass like it’s ice water in Hell, I’d jump on it on a heartbeat. What about you? Have you used a mobile boarding pass yet? What were your experiences? [Image Credit: Paramount Pictures]

So say you’re really into Jersey Shore . And you want to make a phone like the duck phone in the show. And you’re like “Why not make an app that quacks like a duck and makes your phone quack like a duck?” Heck, it’s a free country, as far as you can tell. This is what our grandfathers fought the Battle of the Bulge for, right? Well the cheese-eaters at Apple will say that your dumb quack app “contains minimal user functionality” and, as a result, deny your application to rock out on their App Store.

Filed under: Podcasting , TUAW Business Sunday night means it’s time once again for a TUAW talkcast, in which your favorite TUAW bloggers and readers all get together over on Talkshoe and chat out the biggest Apple happenings of the past week. This week, we’ll be talking about that mystery key on the iPad keyboard and what it might be for, Apple’s “sex apps” issues , tips for switchers (and why they’re so popular), and that file that could very well be the first list of books on the iPad . We’ll also be chatting live with you — you can call up during the show, and while you’re listening on your phone, you can hit *-8 to chat live with us on the air (which is why we call it a “talkcast” rather than a podcast, don’tcha know). So if you find yourself coming down a little hard after the Olympics this evening, jump on in to our chat and we’ll cheer you right back up. To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client , the embedded Facebook app , or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client ; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the “TalkShoe Web” button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (take advantage of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 — during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you’ve got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here . Talk with you then! TUAW TUAW Talkcast live tonight at 10pm Eastern originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read