German Internet service provider 1&1 has launched a new flat rate tariff for mobile phone calls within Germany and mobile Internet access via smartphone as well as two new flat rate tariffs for surfing the web via Notebook or netbook.

Apps expand the range of functions of smartphones: They run on the Internet or on the phone and deliver news, weather or status updates of social networking contacts, offer direct access to web pages and online services, open documents and email attachments or help in another way. Such applications can be downloaded from web portals to the mobile for free or at cost. The most well-known app store is the App Store service for the iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPad which is part of the Apple iTunes Store. Here users can find applications developed with the iPhone Software Developer Kit (SDK). But there are several other app stores by different operators around. The problem with all these different download and mobile device platforms is: They are not fully compatible. In fact, most systems are rather walled gardens with apps especially developed for their mobile systems and with specific download platforms pegged to.

While movie fans have traveled to Berlin this week, the mobile industry met in Barcelona. At the Mobile World Congress 2010 show manufacturers, providers and network suppliers presented latest devices and upcoming trends. Some of it – like eye-controlled earphones by Japanese operator NTT Docomo – seems weird, other things like higher data transmission rates over 4G networks or efforts to introduce standards to the world of smartphone apps sound rather promising. And, of course, handset manufacturers showed lots of new devices with new features. Here is a short wrap up of the most interesting phones and platforms of the show.

With the smartphone LG BL40 newchocolate it is all coming down to design: Because of the slim form factor and the black double clear-coat finish the LG BL40 newchocolate is a real looker. For a good reason: The LG BL40 stems from the first cell phone of the Black Label series, LG KG800, which was very popular at its time. The handset’s dimensions of 51 x 10.9 x 128 millimeters are as unusual as the 21:9-format touchscreen with a 4.0-inch diagonal and a resolution of 345 x 800 pixels. The oblongness of the phone also brings the older Communicator handsets of Nokia to mind.

It is not easy to find the dual SIM phone LG KS660 at German stores because it has been introduced to the Asian and Eastern European markets. However, some German shops have imported the LG KS660 and sell it for prices beginning at EUR 270.00 without contract. Like other dual SIM phones it offers the possibility to have two SIM cards ready ar the same time in one device. In addition, it sports a touchscreen with widgets, a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and video capture, a music player and an FM radio. Having tested the mobile phone for the past three weeks I have come to the conclusion that the despite all the additional features you should take the LG KS660 for what it is: a mobile phone for two cellular accounts.