The promotion offers 10 free MP3 ringtones and wallpapers and aims to drive demand for the less-than critically acclaimed Motorola ROKR E1.

In addition purchasers of the BRITs ROKR will be able to download 10 free iTunes tracks.

The devices are exclusively available at 340 O2 stores. However although packaging and wallpapers display BRITs branding the actual handset does not feature the logo.

O2 is also running an SMS voting platform for users to vote on five of the awards listed. The shortcodes will be charged at a maximum of 25p plus the standard network rate. This revenue will be distributed by O2 aggregator partner MIG.

O2 customers will also be able to access exclusive BRIT Awards content via O2 Active.

Unlike the original Motorola ROKR E1 music phone the new ROKR E2 dispenses with iTunes as standard. But Motorola said this week that network operators would be able to request the iTunes music player be installed when they take shipment of the device in the next six months.

A Motorola spokesperson said: The question of which particular software application will be provided for music services is the decision of the network operators based on their particular marketing objectives.

The spokesman claimed that Motorola still has a strong relationship with Apple.

We continue to work together on products for consumers who have a passion for iTunes mobile music. The ROKR E2 delivers more songs and greater speed for music enthusiasts. It uses the Linux operating system which delivers tremendous flexibility for operators because it supports a variety of music applications.

The ROKR E2 is compatible with Motorolas new digital music service iRadio which also launched at CES last week. The iRadio subscription service debuts with 435 radio channels.

The ROKR E2 supports MP3 AAC WMA and Real music files and trumps its predecessor for capacity because it includes a SD card slot allowing storage of up to 500 songs. The handset also has faster USB 2.0 connectivity as well as Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera.

At CES Motorola also confirmed partnerships with Google Yahoo and Kodak.

The manufacturer will integrate a Google short-cut on to selected handsets so that users can connect to the leading Internet search engine either via a dedicated soft key or via a screen icon on touch-screen devices. Handsets with the Google icon are expected from Q1.

The Yahoo! tie-up will see Yahoo! applications such as Mail Messenger and Address Book pre-installed on selected affordable Motorola devices from Q1. Again quick links to the applications are expected.

Motorolas 10-year partnership with Kodak covers licensing sourcing software integration and marketing. It also extends to intellectual property and collaboration on future products. Initially both companies will look to get consumers downloading and printing images from Motorola phones using Kodak home printers retail kiosks and EasyShare software.

Also at CES last week Sony Ericsson unveiled the W810i its successor to the W800i. The W810i is quad-band adds support for EDGE and has redesigned music soft keys.

US networking specialist Netgear also previewed the first Skype mobile phone for launch later this year. The phone is pre-loaded with Skype software to use with a WiFi network and allows calls to any other Skype user free of charge.

The companies had a combined annual turnover of around 115 million in 2005. Strax expects sales to increase to around 140 million in 2006.

More… has supply agreements throughout Europe with network operators and retail chains including Vodafone Telefonica and retail chain Phone House.

Strax vice-president of sales and marketing Phil Drake said: As consolidation within the industry takes place over the next few years the acquisition of more… enables us to compete more effectively in the UK and European market with the other industry big players.

According to Drake Strax can now offer OEM and OAP relationships with all the leading manufacturers. The company would continue to seek acquisition and merger opportunities.

The number of texts sent across UK GSM network operators on New Years Day increased by 24 per cent compared with 2005.

The MDA reckons that the total number of text messages sent in 2006 will reach 36.5 billion up 4.5 billion on the estimated total for last year. The MDA forecasts an average of three billion messages will be sent each month with 100 million sent a day in 2006.

MDA chairman Mike Short said: SMS is on every handset now and it penetrates deeper and wider than ever before. It is also more cost-effective than ever. With over 600 million of mobile content carried on SMS last year it is a key enabler of the mobile content industry.

The UKs annual SMS figures have risen by more than 22 per cent each year since 2001 according to the MDA.

Some are even more bullish however. Christina Domecq CEO of voice-to-text service SpinVox said: We are expecting larger numbers than predicted by the MDA.

Domecq believes growth will come in part from voice/data convergence. Users are clearly keen on text so services that allow them to choose whether they take calls or communicate via text have real meaning to users – and ultimately value to operators she said.

ROKs patent application describes the process of placing audio-visual media content on to memory cards and then converting the content into a format that is ready for playback on mobile devices.  

ROK Entertainment chairman and CEO Jonathan Kendrick claimed the patent grant was an important step for ROK and that the market for content-loaded memory cards is increasing rapidly. ROK also has patent applications pending in other countries.

We knew we had invented some very special technology when we completed the development of ROK Player he said.

To be awarded a patent means we can now push ahead with the global roll-out of our content-loaded memory cards.

This took a step forward last week with the launch of ROK USA with an immediate mandate to implement ROK Player and ROK TV across the US.

Solicitor Ravinder Saimbhi told the court that Elizabeth Murphy had not set out to steal the phone but had simply signed for it while visiting her co-defendants home .

Murphy 44 of Endell Street Covent Garden London and Olugbe Akinade 50 of Sutherland Court Marylands Road in Maida Vale west London – both recovering addicts who are unemployed – pleaded guilty to stealing the 150 Nokia handset belonging to Edwin Henry on December 7 last year.

Akinade also admitted failing to attend bail at Marylebone police station on December 14.

The accused were remanded until January 11 for reports on bail with a condition that they attend any appointments as directed by the Westminster Drugs Project.

The new dates are January 19 in Solihull and January 20 in Bristol. Sixty dealers attended events in Birmingham London and Newcastle in December.

Sessions focus on driving B2B connections and increasing revenue by developing strategic partnerships through networking. Dealers are also offered information on products and services that would appeal to new business customers.

Former delegate Direct Telecoms director Jim Rock said: Although our sales team all possess varying levels of experience and industry knowledge they all benefited from different aspects of the day.

The research conducted by International Marketing Partners for technology solutions provider GMI surveyed the responses of over 17500 consumers around the world.

These covered 15 leading consumer electronics brands including Apple Canon Casio Dell Hitachi Hewlett-Packard Microsoft Nokia Panasonic Philips Pioneer Sanyo Sharp Sony and Toshiba. Nokia was the only pure phone brand surveyed in the research.

The results were announced at this years Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas last week.

Called Brandbarometer the research found that consumers across the world judged Nokia to be innovative friendly and engaging. The company also scored highly for being customer-focused and for being most responsive and empathetic.

Sony and Nokia were seen as the two most reliable brands on the list. In contrast Sanyo was perceived as stagnant dull insignificant and weak.

Nokia put the trust the respondents have in the brand down to consistency and managing expectations in the technology.

This result is based on the consistency of how we see the brand said Nokia UK director of communications Mark Squires.

We keep expectations of the brand on a manageable level. For instance we chose to modify our browser slightly over time. That does not always happen. Its a journey all good manufacturers take with their customers.

Tracks are categorised so listeners will get tracks they like based on their previous preferences. They will also get the opportunity to buy and download songs.

The service will be launched in the UK France Germany Italy Portugal and Spain in the coming months. It will be rolled out to 20 more countries over the year.

Vodafone director of consumer platforms Lee Fenton said: This partnership with Sony will drive Vodafones strategy to become a leading global music provider.

Xchange is designed for Elites dealer community to save points over a longer period than is usually allowed by other incentives. Prizes on offer include a Bose Digital home cinema sound entertainment system or a cage dive encounter with a great white shark.

Elite director of sales and marketing Barry Nash said: We are in it for 2006 to lock in and reward for loyalty. Rather than the usual three- or four-month burst we are running the scheme over a longer period because we dont want to disadvantage smaller customers.