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Overcoming the pressures of present day lives and in more ways than one covering up for the lack of time people have these days, cell phones and internet have helped American families to remain close to each other, as much as the past generations, says recent survey.

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Facing stiff competition from Apple’s iPhone, Verizon Wireless is fighting back with a vengeance. Verizon has declared that Blackberry Storm, the first-of-its-kind touchscreen smartphone by Research In Motion (RIM) will be available solely to Verizon Wireless customers in the U.S. and to Vodafone customers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

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Up to now, Verizon has been dominating the U.S. wireless industry. But since when Dallas-based AT and T became Apple iPhone’s exclusive carrier in the U.S., Verizon Wireless has been shaken up.

Verizon Wireless is also planning to open an online bazaar. Through this bazaar, the customers will be able to download a host of games, tools and other applications for use on the Storm.

Software developers will also be able to build applications using the toolkit that will be launched by the company on October 9.

Verizon Wireless Chief Marketing Officer Dave Lanman said, “Our goal was to bring one device to the marketplace under the flags of two companies.”

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The launch of new smartphones designed around Google's Android software may not be available until the fourth quarter of this year, as several handset companies and operators are having problems getting Android phones ready for a launch still in 2008.

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Apple is breaking away from its history of exclusive iPhone distribution agreements with operators. The signing of agreements with service providers in Italy, Austria, India and Australia as well in a handful of European countries are ample proof of that.

While it should have come as no surprise to investors, shares of Russian wireless services provider VimpelCom (NYSE: VIP) still jumped 6.6% Friday when the company confirmed it had offered to purchase Golden Telecom (Nasdaq: GLDN) for $105 per share. The tender offer follows months of speculation -- and even a public admission -- that VimpelCom would make a move for the fixed-line broadband services provider.

Google Inc, hopes to re-write the way mobile phone market is used and operated, by announcing yesterday its entrance into the bidding for the 700-megahertz spectrum. This has become available due to broadcasters switching from analog to digital networks. One of the key features is that it has very high penetration rates, including the ability to go through walls -- a key attribute for wireless.