iPhone 3G problems dominate second week while Nokia, Sony Ericsson and co are mostly quiet

We thought that after last week's launch excitement, the tide of iPhone 3G news would subside leaving space for some other telecommunications gadgets, services and happenings to steal a portion of the limelight.

Oh, how wrong we were.

Perhaps Apple would be keen to avoid the sorts stories that are providing the iPhone with mile upon mile of column inches, though. The week began with our sister site Pocket Picks' iPhone stumbling over itself and falling victim to the now infamous silver screen of death (how dramatic), prompting a complete reinstall of the iPhone 2.0 software, a process that takes much longer than you would reasonably expect.

By midweek, the office floor was scattered with hair torn freshly from the root due to the iPhone 3G bricking for the third time in four days. Since then things have been okay, but the amount of time we've spent looking at a reinstall progress bar has certainly left a nasty taste in our mouths.

Other iPhone 3G owners have also been finding things to complain about, with many claiming that the new unit's screen has an unpleasant yellow tint.

From problems present to problems future, there was speculation later in the week about the iPhone's longevity as a closed platform and if it may be in danger of being usurped by the much more open Google Android platform.

But it wasn't all doom and gloom. When our unit was working, we did manage to get some hands-on time with a collection of applications such as Last.fm, BeatMaker, Twittervision and More Cowbell.

Other apps that crossed out path were Truphone and the non-native ringtone application ShinyShiny. Apple's own inbuilt GPS software on the iPhone took a booting for being borked and news of the iPhone 3G being officially unlocked was short lived as it transpired that it does not yet allow you to merrily jump on which ever network you fancy. Rather, it only allows you to use non Apple approved applications.

Phew! After thoroughly mopping our brow we can safely say that all Apple news is now firmly behind us; at least for another seven days, anyway.

In other developments, then, one of the week's biggest early stories was the disrobing of the Blackberry Thunder after some lucky folks managed to get some very up close and personal time with the device.

Another exciting leak followed, this time for the new eight-megapixel Samsung i8510, which has set its sights firmly on going 12 rounds with the Nokia N95.

Less exciting was the announcement of the new Sony Ericsson W302 handset, which is essentially a brightly orange coloured variant of the S302 (though the concept Eiffel Tower phone that followed did go some way towards redeeming the company's otherwise bland week).

Nokia had a strangely quiet seven days, dropping only by briefly to mention that it will be launching affordable touchscreen mobiles before Christmas.

At the complete opposite end of the scale was the Bic Phone, a completely disposable handset from the same people that make Biros and cheap razorblades.

In software news, meanwhile, there was plenty going on. First of all Opera announced the imminent arrival of Opera Mobile 9.5 beta, Zumobi's mobile widget service launched for the Blackberry and ViewRanger, a topographical map application for S60 handsets, launched.

Lastly, this week played host to the biggest collection of odd, quirky and downright weird collections of fringe news we have had in a while.

There was a Bluetooth headset shaped like a gun and one like an umbrella; a man with a phone bill totalling £500,000 and one that won $50,000 just for texting quickly; sheep that text their shepherd with their position; and the revelation that French women like nothing better than using their mobile in the bath. Ooh la la.

And on that bombshell we will leave you for another week. Click 'Track It!' to be sure to catch week's Pocket Picks round-up.