Yahoo! and Nokia have announced a 'worldwide strategic alliance' after five years of working together. The companies say they will use each others' strengths in email, instant messaging, maps and navigation services to provide consumers with 'world-class experiences' on PCs and mobile devices.

• Yahoo!'s maps will now be branded as "powered by Ovi", with Nokia becoming the exclusive provider of Yahoo!'s maps and navigation services.
• Ovi's chat and email services will now be provided by Yahoo! and branded as "Ovi Mail / Ovi Chat powered by Yahoo!"
• Both companies aim to eventually let consumers use a single Ovi/Yahoo! username across their services.

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.

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.