Mark Bridge writes:

It’s time to take sides. Are you with Apple… or are you against them?  Sorry, sitting on the fence is no longer acceptable. Not sure?  Okay, try this one for size. Are you with Google… or are you against them?  Still undecided?

Right – here’s your third choice. Are you with the Rebel Alliance? 

Gartner's latest report into worldwide mobile phone sales says end-users bought 314.7 million devices in the first quarter of 2010, 17% up on the same period in 2009. Smartphone sales rose 48.7% to 54.3 million units.

Hong Kong-based manufacturer G-Five made its debut in the top 10, while an increase in OEM 'white box' manufacturing has seen the 'others' category increase.

This week's podcast is dominated by the results from the Interphone 'brain cancer' mobile phone research, although there's also time for Iain, James and Mark to talk about Google, Bluechipworld, Vodafone MVNOs, giffgaff, 3D mobile video, HTC's legal action and houses without fixed-line phones.

Texas-based DeviceFidelity has created a protective case that adds the capability for NFC payments to the Apple iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G. It's based on DeviceFidelity’s In2Pay microSD card, which slots into the case. This, in turn, fits on the iPhone and can communicate with a payment application. The In2Pay card uses Visa’s contactless payment technology, Visa payWave; trials are scheduled to start during the second quarter of 2010.

Mark Bridge writes:

Welcome to the Carnival of the Mobilists #224. If you’re a regular visitor to The Fonecast and have no idea what the Carnival is, this is a summary of the week’s best blogging about all things mobile. It travels the internet, alighting at a different mobile-related website every week.