Mark Bridge writes:

RIM and Sony Ericsson each reveal a new product within 24 hours. One has a 7-inch screen and a big announcement at the company's developer conference. The other, with a 1.3-inch micro-display, has a lower-key launch. Yet it's the similarities that have attracted my attention.

Google moves even further into the telecoms space, O2 introduces 'eco ratings' and some of technology's biggest names go shopping. All this - plus the possibility of mobile phones made from nut shells - is discussed by Iain, James and Mark.

Mark Bridge writes:

Welcome to TheFonecast.com for this week’s Carnival of the Mobilists, an itinerant online publication that contains the best mobile-focussed writing from the previous seven days.

The summer holidays may have reduced the quantity of online commentary for Carnival #234… but the quality remains unaffected.

This week we discuss the UK government's forthcoming mobile spectrum auction, BlackBerry problems in the Gulf states, universal mobile chargers, the new Amazon Kindle ebook reader and the 'religion' of Apple. There's also an interview with Milly Allen, who's planning to broadcast her London talent shows via mobile phone.

Mark Bridge writes:

Mention 'anonymity' to anyone these days and it's pretty likely they'll start talking about Facebook. Maybe Google Street View, maybe RF chips in passports... but probably Facebook.

This 'over sharing' of personal information is a far cry from the situation a few years ago. Once, no-one on the internet really admitted who they were. That New Yorker cartoon - "Nobody knows you're a dog" - wasn't far off the truth. You couldn't tell a dungeonmaster from a librarian when they were online.