The genre of protest ring tones, a grassroots practice now picking up steam in the United States after emerging in the Philippines a few months ago, has no necessary political allegiances. It has the potential of being an explosively viral phenomenon, a modern-day version of political bumper stickers or T-shirts. Music ring tones are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars a year in sales, and in some cases, they far outsell the music single or CD they’re based on.

NS BASIC Corporation announced that it has been selected by Microsoft for the Gold-Level of the Microsoft WEP (Windows Embedded Partner) Program under the listing of Independent Software Vendors. Being a strategic worldwide program, WEP is focused on providing partnering and co-marketing opportunities to companies delivering products, services or solutions based on Microsoft Windows Embedded platforms. The Gold level of WEP makes it easy for customers of Windows Embedded to identify best-in-class partners for Microsoft embedded platforms.

Creative Algorithms, developer of Trip Boss; in conjunction with PDA247 and Palm Addict, announced a celebration and contest for Trip Boss’ birthday. Trip Boss, the all-in-one travel manager for the Palm OS handheld, is celebrating its first birthday. Join in the celebration of Trip Boss, travel, and all things mobile. The three sites are offering a chance to win a PDA of your choice, with accessories, up to a $575 value. Entries in the form of a travel related PDA article or a new logo design for PDA247 will be accepted for the contest.

As residents and businesses in the hurricane-struck regions of the Gulf coast of the United States rebuild their homes and offices, they should remember that computer hard drives can withstand a lot of physical damage and that their valuable data may not be lost. CBL Data Recovery Technologies, an international provider of computer data recovery services, has found disk drives and tape cartridges that look damaged beyond all hope can often be salvaged and the data recovered. Don’t write off the data yet; there is always the chance it can be recovered. CBL has recovered data from servers flooded with two feet of sewage water as well as drives frozen in ice.

It’s always a happy meal when you can beat another fast-food junkie at video games without paying for the Wi-Fi network you’re playing on. That’s what restaurant giant McDonald’s is betting with a new deal announced Tuesday along with Nintendo and Wayport. Through the agreement, McDonald’s will offer free Wi-Fi access to owners of the Nintendo DS mobile gaming system starting next month, using Wayport’s existing wireless network at some 6,000 of the hamburger chain’s locations.

Segway launched a new program through which it will offer free global positioning systems made by Garmin along with its Human Transporter vehicles. As part of the promotion, labeled by the firms as Find Your Way with Segway, buyers will receive a free Garmin eTrex Legend or eTrex Legend C GPS handheld unit when they buy a new Human Transporter (HT), Cross-Terrain Transporter (XT), or Golf Transporter (GT) through January 2006.

Opera Software has created a new community-centered site that allows users to blog and upload photos directly from their mobile phones. Quietly launched in September to Opera browser users, the My Opera Community site is attracting an average of 1,000 new members per day. In addition to its mobile-powered functions, the site gives members 300MB of space at no charge, to create a Weblog, store photo albums or create private forums.

SanDisk and Matrix Semiconductor announced they have signed a definitive agreement for SanDisk to acquire Matrix. Matrix is a privately held company that has been developing and supplying 3-D integrated circuit, OTP (one-time programmable) technology since its inception in 1998. Matrix 3-D Memory is used for storage applications that do not require multiple rewrites and where low cost is the paramount consideration, such as video games, music, and other content, or for archiving. The Matrix technology can achieve low cost by building multiple layers of memory arrays on a standard silicon substrate so that active circuitry is not confined to the silicon surface but extends vertically as well. Because OTP technology is not rewritable once programmed, it complements rather than directly competes with Flash memory, which is rewritable but more costly.

BoxWave’s ActiveCase enables you to view your calendar and contacts conveniently, reducing the hassle of having to open a case. Its solid construction protects your iPAQ hw6500 series while locking the handheld securely into place. ActiveCase is custom contoured shaped to perfectly fit to the shape of your iPAQ hw6500. Better yet, ActiveCase for your iPAQ hw6500 includes a high quality, simple-to-use, and detachable belt clip and an SD card holder.

Repetitive motion injuries, which have long afflicted desktop and laptop computer users, are invading the mobile handheld world. There’s even an informal name for the malady–BlackBerry Thumb–a catch-all phrase that describes a repetitive stress injury of the thumb as a result of overusing small gadget keypads. Business executives and tech-savvy consumers are increasingly using BlackBerries, Treos, Sidekicks, and other devices with miniature keyboards designed for thumb-tapping to stay connected while on the go. And that has some ergonomic and hand experts worried about injuries from overexertion.