T-Mobile has launched a new USB modem for its Web n Walk service. It gives unlimited internet access to laptop users. />The Web n Walk USB modem uses T-Mobiles HSDPA technology and offers mobile broadband speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. The device is available for free on selected 18 and />24-month contracts and />costs £29.99 on a 12-month />contract. />It is also the first modem from T-Mobile to support Apple Macs as well as Microsoft Windows.

Orange distributor Mainline said last week it had received 50 new dealer account applications in the past month. It put the rush of business down to its new website and dealer disillusionment its rivals. />It has run its latest dealer recruitment campaign on its revamped website which went live at the end of March. It said 400 dealers had registered on the site already and 50 had applied to connect through Mainline as a result of its website and supporting email campaign. />Head of marketing Gail Hollinshead added: Due to the overwhelming response we are actually holding back on releasing future dealer recruitment campaigns to allow us to get through the mass of leads we have already generated; so we expect this level to continue when we commence our next recruitment campaign. />The quality of the leads has been the biggest plus. We have targeted quality dealers and they have responded. The applications are from established dealers that have become disillusioned with the service levels some currently receive from other distributors. />The new site includes specific dealer pages. The Dealer Insight section contains updates about training and marketing campaigns. It also incorporates a phone specification tool called i-guide to help dealers compare handsets. />Hollinshead said: Were still investing in the website. We are looking at initiatives that add value so look out for an online tool to help dealers work out their commissions simply and effectively for example. Plus we think mobile internet has a key role to play in the future of marketing communications and so we expect further developments around WAP applications. />

The Daily Mirror made the allegations in an article in its Penman and Summerlad Investigate column on January 25.

The national tabloid said: It was never our intention to suggest that Microline was swindling its customers. We accept that this allegation is untrue and are happy to set the record straight.

Microline owners Jaspal and Inderjit Dhother settled out of court last week. Dhother said: We are very glad to resolve this matter amicably.

What was important to us was the protection of our good name.

Microline came eighth in The Sunday Times 2006 Fast Track awards.

Phones 4U marketing director Jim Slater said: We set out to communicate the confusion felt by consumers when they are thinking about a new phone and the fact we go further than anyone else to understand a customers needs before offering the right deal.

Phones 4U has dropped certain secondary characters but Scary Mary remains.

ETs parent company Emblaze Group reduced its stake in the company from 51 per cent to just 10 per cent.

At the same time Emblaze said around £8 million in withheld VAT claims by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had driven the trading and distribution business of its subsidiary Emblaze Mobile into cash burn and growing losses. It said Emblaze Mobile will be scaled down.

Its chief executive Laurence Alexander handed in his resignation last week. Emblaze CEO Guy Bernstein said: We are not happy about the HMRC issues. The fact we are scaling down the business is not a reflection on Laurence or his team.

ET also advised Virgin Mobile to find a new handset and fulfilment partner for its Lobster ODM device last week. At the same time ET Business Solutions director Frank Masson quit.

Masson said: Emblazes decision to reduce its stake in ET has put enormous restraint on the business. Im a business developer not a business manager. My position was no longer tenable.

An administrator is expected to be appointed next week to manage the business and to sell off its component parts. Its business sales arm ET Business Solutions is considered its one going concern.

The Carphone Warehouse Data Select and Unique Distribution have all been approached about acquiring ETs distribution business. All have declined.

AxCom has projected revenues of £250 million this year. It is the leading distributor in Sweden and takes a 32 per cent share of the Nordic market.

The acquisition expected to close next month is 20:20s first under new owners Doughty Hanson. 20:20 now has operations in nine different markets.

20:20 CEO Mark Ryan said: It is an important step in our growth strategy and expands our international footprint into a key territory and an opportunity.

Expansys managing director Roger Butterworth says the clips will do a better job of showcasing products than store staff in high street retailers.

Butterworth said: The aim is for every device available for sale to have an accompanying video. We will soon be able to give a much better quality presentation than in a store where the quality of sales people varies every customer coming to our site will get the same video and the same key points highlighted.

He added: We already have online forums where people chat about the devices. Out of our 1.8 million historic customers about 300000 users have registered to use our online services.

The new tool enables customers to view devices from different angles and presentations talk them through different device features.

Butterworth also said last week Expansys will open a new sales office in Germany. It already has sales offices in Sweden Italy and Spain and a warehouse in France.

Following its debut on Londons AIM stock exchange it is also considering businesses for acquisition.

The Curve was available in the UK dealer channel on May 3. RIM product manager Karen Rudnitski said: The Curve is a smartphone with no compromises.

Weve built a camera application into the BlackBerry experience so you can easily upload images to the web. Weve made the media player behave like you would expect a portable music player to behave with features like shuffle and sorting by album genre or song. The media player is more graphic-based more intuitive and simpler to use.

Rudnitski added the integrated desktop multimedia suite would allow for easier download search and organisation of music and movie files.

She said: We recognised downloading multimedia files from your PC was a bit of a chore so we have made that process simpler.

The Curve includes a faster internet browser enhanced email increased security features and a two-megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom. The new 3.5mm headphone jack fits most headphones and BlackBerry has also made spell check available in text and email for the first time.

The Curve features RIMs trackball navigation system first seen on the Pearl.

Last quarter one million subscribers worldwide signed up to BlackBerry.

A new directory service has been launched to boost the presence of independents online giving them a higher position on search engines than their own stand-alone websites.

indie-guides.co.uk works via a virtual network; every dealer that joins helps to lever the indie-guides directory at the top of the online search listings giving independents more coverage when someone is searching for a mobile retailer in a particular area.

Members are given 200 words to write an editorial up to two images contact details plus the opportunity to add keywords to use the indie-guides search to its full capacity.

Indie-guides managing director Steve Wickens said: Indie-guides is a simple concept designed to be an inexpensive yet effective way of helping independent businesses prosper against the tide of corporate competition. Indie-guides is dedicated to boosting business for independent retailers. It will increase traffic to your website and generate email and telephone enquiries from genuinely interested prospects.

At present indie-guides is offering a launch promotion of a free 90-day trial with membership costing £10 per month per outlet/location thereafter.

To unlock a handset on SE Tool log files need to be purchased online at £2 per file.

Previously each handset required 25-30 log files but now some phones can be unlocked using just a few files making the cost more achievable for dealers.

One dealer said: SE handsets were unlockable but the price simply wasnt feasible. At this price dealers will be snapping it up.

Previously SE handsets of higher specification than the W810i were practically unlockable.