Palm, Inc. announced the Palm Treo(750 smartphone, previously available in the United States only on AT&T’s 3G network, is now available in an unlocked version via Palm’s retail (http://www.palm.com/retail) and online stores (http://store.palm.com).

The unlocked GSM Treo 750 smartphone comes with the Windows Mobile 6 operating system, allowing an even broader customer base to enjoy the benefits of increased functionality and HSDPA (High-speed Download Packet Access) capability out of the box.

Also available from carriers around the world, the Treo 750 is a five-band world phone. It’s a key asset to worldwide businesses and employees who travel internationally, as well as an effective productivity tool for any user working on the road.

The unlocked GSM handset will cost $549 at Palm’s online and retail stores. The phone includes all these features:

• Threaded chat view for text and MMS messages
• Today Screen enhancements, such as the ability to “dial by name,” search the web directly and perform one-touch dialing with personalized photo speed dials
• Call and voicemail control from the Today Screen with VCR-like icons, such as rewind, delete and fast-forward
• Ability to ignore a call and quickly send a text message such as “In a meeting” or “Can’t talk right now” by selecting the “Ignore with text” option from the incoming-call screen.

AT&T has announced a definitive agreement with Verizon Wireless to conduct a swap of wireless assets.Under the terms of the agreement, AT&T will acquire — upon Verizon’s acquisition of Rural Cellular Corporation — some former Rural Cellular properties, including licenses, network assets and subscribers, in the Burlington, Vt. metropolitan service area and in rural service areas (RSAs) in New York (RSA-2), Vermont (RSA-1, RSA-2B1) and Washington (RSA-2, RSA-3). AT&T will also acquire a cellular license from Verizon in Kentucky RSA-6.

Also under terms of the agreement, Verizon will acquire from AT&T some former Dobson Communications Corporation properties, including licenses, network assets and subscribers, in Kentucky RSA-6 and RSA-8. Verizon will also acquire 10 MHz of PCS spectrum in a number of markets and receive an additional cash consideration from AT&T.

As required, AT&T has also agreed to sell the Cellular One brand to Trilogy Partners. In addition, to fulfill the remaining divestiture requirements, AT&T has entered into a separate agreement with MTPCS, LLC to sell the former Dobson property, including licenses, network assets and subscribers, in Texas RSA-10 and AT&T’s share of the former Dobson partnership holding licenses, network assets and subscribers in portions of Oklahoma RSA-5. Together, these transactions satisfy AT&T’s divestiture requirements related to its recent acquisition of Dobson.

The transaction with Verizon will extend AT&T’s coverage and services in New York, Vermont, the state of Washington and Kentucky. Consumers in those markets will gain access to the nation’s largest digital voice and data network. AT&T’s fully integrated GSM network covers more than 290 million people in 13,000 U.S. cities and towns.

All transactions were signed on December 3, 2007, and are contingent upon regulatory approval and are expected to close by mid-2008.

Alltel Wireless, announced the availability of TimecardGPS, an application that enables users to track an employee’s location, record shift time and capture job or work order information from LBS-enabled wireless phones.

Available for $12.49 per handset per month, the service covers:

• Tracking - Enables supervisors to request field workers’ locations, track movement and set up “smart fences” to determine employee location.
• Team Clock-in and Out - Allows a supervisor to clock-in and clock-out employees as well as capture individual task information on a single wireless device.
• Real-time job tracking - Sends real-time job information from field workers to employers, complete with tasks, subtasks and editable fields.
• Customized reports - Supplies electronic reports with payroll, job costing and productivity information.
• Web log-in - Provides real-time access to field workers’ positions, timesheet and job information via the Internet.

“In today’s fast-paced business environment, there is a need for supervisors to have rapid access to information regarding their field employees and their progress,” said David Maddox, director of advanced data solutions for Alltel Wireless. “The TimecardGPS application provides a supervisor instant information on an employee’s exact location and job completion data.”

Verizon Wireless and LG Electronics  announced today the newest flavor of Chocolate by LG — Blue Ice. The newest addition to the Chocolate line-up, the silky-smooth slim slider design comes coated with a frosty blue finish and includes the must-have multimedia capabilities for the music and entertainment lover on your holiday list.The Chocolate in Blue Ice includes the same features chocoholics have come to love, such as vibration feedback on the touch-sensitive keypad, navigation wheel with classic red trace motion lighting, and a microSD memory card slot that supports up to 4 GB of memory.

Customers who purchase the Chocolate will love the quick and easy access to V CAST Music, the Verizon Wireless service that offers more than 2.4 million songs for download over-the-air, and V CAST Video, which offers news, sports and entertainment video clips, 3D games and more. VZ NavigatorSM, a popular tool available on the Chocolate, includes mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and access to information on more than 14 million points of interest. A 1.3 megapixel camera, speakerphone and Bluetooth headset capabilities round out the features wrapped in frosty blue.

Chocolate by LG in Blue Ice is available today for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and new two-year customer agreement at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores within Circuit City. It will be available at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on Friday, Dec. 7.