Avea and Research In Motion (RIM) have launched the BlackBerry in Turkey. Avea is offering the BlackBerry 7290 Wireless Handheld and the BlackBerry 7100g business phone to both enterprise and individual users. This announcement follows the completion of successful BlackBerry trials with Avea’s major customers during the past several months and expands its data and voice communication services for both current and potential customers. With BlackBerry, Avea’s customers will be able to stay easily connected to people and information while on the go.

The FBI confirmed Tuesday the accuracy of a New York Times report that software on routers were compromised last year by a hacker who claimed that he had infiltrated systems serving U.S. military installations, research laboratories, and NASA. The Times reported, and the FBI confirmed, that the focus of the investigation is a youth in Uppsala, Sweden, who has been charged as a juvenile. The Times also reported that a California researcher got taunting messages from the hacker, who called himself “Stakkato,” claiming to have infiltrated computer systems at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland, the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Officials at some of those facilities confirmed to the Times that their computers had been breached but said the information obtained was insignificant.

PhatWare announced support for Windows Mobile 5.0 software for Pocket PCs and Smartphones. The announcement, made at Microsoft Mobile & Embedded DevCon 2005, assures users of Pocket PCs and Smartphones running Windows Mobile 5.0 they can use PhatWare’s products. PhatPad and PhatNotes Professional Edition are two of PhatWare’s applications that are immediately compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PCs and Smartphones. Other PhatWare Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC and Smartphone products, including CalliGrapher, the handwriting recognition software, will soon support Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0.

BoxWave has released the FlexiSkin, a new soft case that gives you complete usability of your mobile device while keeping it protected, for the T-Mobile BlackBerry 7100t. It’s durable, soft to the touch, and because it can stretch and flex, FlexiSkin helps cushion your Blackberry from bumps and hard knocks.

TealPoint Software announced the release of TealDesktop version 1.01 for Palm OS handhelds. TealDesktop is a themed replacement for the standard system launcher screen. With features to satisfy every power user, TealDesktop supports category tabs, multiple card folders, document launching, drag and drop, tap-and-hold menus, background images, fill patterns, and much more.

Elgato Systems has released EyeConnect, the Macintosh market’s first fully integrated media streaming software based on Universal Plug and Play Audio/Video (UPnP AV). EyeConnect enables digital music, video, or photo content, including EyeTV recordings, iPhotos and iTunes stored on a Macintosh, to be played on a broad variety of UPnP AV certified devices throughout the home. EyeConnect supports all digital media formats and is capable of streaming slideshows, music and even HDTV in full video quality with Dolby Digital sound.

Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. and Research In Motion (RIM) announced plans to offer the BlackBerry wireless communications solution to mobile customers in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. BlackBerry will operate on Orascom’s GSM/GPRS networks and international roaming will be supported in countries where Orascom has GPRS roaming agreements in place.

Google has introduced a new service for Blogger.com that enables users to create new blogs and post images and text via mobile devices. A consumer using Verizon, AT&T, Cingular, Sprint or T-Mobile can send an email or MMS to go@blogger.com, which instantly creates a new Weblog containing the information sent to Blogger. Google will then email the URL and a claim code back to the user, allowing him or her to view and manage the new blog.

Wal-Mart has started quietly testing a university-created robot designed to help visually impaired consumers navigate store aisles and find their desired products. The robot–named RG, for Robotic Guide–is the creation of Vladimir Kulyukin, an assistant professor of computer science at Utah State University and the director of the university’s Computer Science Assistive Technology Laboratory. The initial version of RG–which weighs about 22 pounds and is roughly the height of an upright vacuum cleaner–is limited to three basic functions. It can guide the customer around the store, communicate with the user, and locate products.

Belkin announced new USB and FireWire Hubs that offer additional ports and that are specifically engineered to stack on top of or below the Mac mini-helping to save valuable desktop space. The Hi-Speed USB 2.0 4-Port Hub and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire 6-Port Hub for Mac mini feature front ports that give easy access to USB devices such as thumb drives and the iPod shuffle. Both Hubs will begin shipping in North America on July 15, 2005.