HP promises more TouchPads
HP will make more TouchPads available after announcing recently that it plans to discontinue manufacturing for mobile devices in the fourth quarter.

In a post on a company blog, HP said it decided to produce one last run because sales were so brisk once the price was dropped significantly in the wake of the announcement that they would be discontinued.

HP said it does not know when the tablets will be available or how many units will be delivered and that it will be at least a few weeks before consumers can purchase them. HP?s Small and Medium Business team has sold out of TouchPads will not be getting more inventory.

The company said it still expects to wind down device operations during its fiscal fourth quarter.

Nokia to boost ecosystem with app development funds
In an effort to broaden application and games development for the Nokia ecosystem, the company is collaborating with investment fund Vision+.

Vision+ matches application development projects with customers. Product developers will be able to create and preserve their own intellectual property and Vision+ will share product revenues.

As a result, Vision+ funded applications and games development projects for Nokia supported platforms, especially for Windows Phone, will be able to receive marketing and other commercial support from Nokia.

Kodak reports strong interest in patents
Interest in Eastman Kodak Co.?s patents is high, with potential buyers likely to include mobile companies interested in improving cameras on smarthphones, according to published reports.

Kodak started shopping around its patents around recently in an attempt to generate cash. The company says it has already signed non-disclosure agreements with a number of companies.

Firms that could be interested in the patents include Microsoft, Apple, Google and Samsung.

100,000 utility customers opt in to receive Irene-related SMS messages
Nearly 100,000 customers of Northeast utility National Grid opted in to receive SMS updates about Hurricane Irene during a four day period.

National Grid worked with cloud-based platform Signal to promote its new SMS program through Facebook, Twitter as well as email.

The messages let customers know that they could opt in to receive updates via mobile about power outages, service restoration and safety tips in relation to Hurricane Irene.

Telefonica Germany offering carrier billing via PaymentOne
Telefonica Germany has entered into a direct carrier billing relationship with PaymentOne Corp.

As a result, PaymentOne?s merchant customers will now be able to offer Telefonica Germany subscribers the option to charge services up to 30 Euros directly to their mobile phone carrier bill. Customers will be able to make one-time transactions, sign up for recurring subscriptions as well as do in-app billing and Web billing.

Telefonica Germany is part of Telefonica SA, the second largest carrier group in the world.

PaymentOne connects over 3 billion customers with merchants in over 70 countries.

Number of connected cars to grow 650 percent: IMS
The world market for connected cars will exceed 40.5 million unit sales in 2017, according to new research from IMS Research.

The company predicts unit growth of 650 percent for connected cars from 5.4 million units in 2010 to 40.5 million units in 2017.

Connected cars are any light vehicle that features a two-way data connection either through a cell phone or embedded modem. Services typically include automatic emergency calling, live traffic and weather updates, Internet and social media.

In a survey of consumers conducted by IMS in the United States and Western Europe, 60 percent of respondents said they want a connected system in their next car and almost half would be willing to pay for a connected system in their next car.