New SIMs Are the Size of a Pinhead

While you know SIMs as the tiny cards that slide in your phones/mobile devices, T-Mobile has announced an even smaller SIM the size of a pinhead. More »

SIM- and Hardware-Unlocked G1 Available to Developers (or You) for $400

The Android Dev Phone 1, a totally unlocked G1, is available to "developers" for only $399 after paying a small setup fee. Just register as a developer over at the Android Market and the phone is yours. More »

Sagem Orga Crams AGPS System Aboard SIM Card For Non-GPS Phones

Sagem Orga, in partnership with BlueSky is targeting the array of cellphones (and presumably mobile-internet enabled PCs and such) that currently don't have GPS with this new invention: a SIM card with AGPS aboard. Clever stuff indeed, packing all the chips for a "highly accurate GPS receiver", wiring and antenna into a thumbnail-sized space. We've got to wonder how good its satellite fixes will be with such a small device though, and since it looks like every gadget that comes out has GPS aboard nowadays, adding GPS to a device via its SIM card might just be a temporary stopgap option. But it'll undeniably have lots of applications when it hits the market. [BGR]

His and Her Watch Phones Good for Dick Tracy Fantasy Role Play

Sadly, watch phones still aren't cool, but Dick Tracy called the weekend news desk and approved the heck out of these his and her models from Chinavision. Sporting dual SIM cards, these black and pink pieces of geek arm candy do video and music, take pictures, and feature a touchscreen (complete with mini stylus). They just don't do cool. Unless, of course, you happen to look great in yellow and have penchant for battling wildly exaggerated baddies whose names reflect their physical appearances. Bluetooth headset included for about $148 (discount for buying in pairs—how cute). More »

Gemalto Converges Two Things You Shouldn't: Adds DVD Track to SIM Card

Now the credit-card sized plastic thing that cellphone SIM units are shipped in can carry the cellphone's associated data files, thanks to Gemalto's DVD-SIM "Smart Video Card." In the name of convergence (and possibly environmental friendliness) the company is making the cards for the Italian operator Wind, where the DVD segment has drivers for PCs to allow wireless internet access. The data segment will fit up to 50MB, and it's clearly better than having a blank bit of plastic (which you normally bin anyway) and an additional CD. But I can see two problems: snapping off the SIM portion of the device is bound to leave you with little plasticky bits that unbalance the DVD part when you put it in a drive, and it's only going to work on tray-loading drives. Convergence gone mad. [Intomobile]

iPhone 2.0.2 Kills 3G Calling For Some Users

We're not having any problems, but Ars has found many people complaining about the iPhone 2.0.2 update killing their ability to actually make calls over 3G. Among the people who suffer from no-calling-itis is one guy who took his phone to AT&T and had them swap out the SIM, which somehow fixed the problem. If you're getting "call failed" on 3G, try switching back to 2G in Settings -> General -> Network and making the call again. [Ars Technica]

iPhone 3G Hardware Unlock Uses Your Existing SIM Card...Kinda

Yeah, USB Fever just started taking pre-orders for this super thin iPhone hardware unlock tool that attaches to your SIM card, but be forewarned — it requires that you cut the corner off your SIM in order to work. And if something goes wrong, I doubt it's covered by any warranty. If you're up for the challenge, it will supposedly start shipping on August 20 for $35. [USB Fever via iPhone Atlas via IntoMobile]

USBFever Reinvents iPhone 3G SIM-Eject Tool, Sells it for $3

When Apple reinvented the paperclip for the famous SIM-eject tool, it was at least a free gizmo, included in the package. USBFever clearly thought there was a gap in this market though, and have reinvented the reinvention. The new SIM-eject tool has a rubber-bung top that allows it to be stored in your iPhone 3G's headphone socket ready to be whipped out at a moment's notice when you need to change the SIM card. Probably only for really frequent SIM-swappers who don't use headphones, though, since it will cost you $3. [USBFever]

AT&T's SIM-Only Option Loosens the Shackles

AT&T has begun to offer a new SIM-only service via their online store. For $25$5 ($10, minus a $5 online discount), new customers are able purchase a SIM card on the AT&T network, without receiving a new handset. It appears you are then free to use the SIM card with unlocked handsets and AT&T locked cellphones. Unfortunately, the two year contract still stands, with the exception of the pre-paid options. UPDATE: Two year contract does not stand and there is no early termination fee. AT&T has told us the price is $25 or less, according to promotions. And this has been around for years, so this is not news. More »

MAXRoam SIM Card, International Calls Made Local

When traveling between various countries, especially in Europe, it's easy for calls to become expensive and to rip through prepaid SIM cards like no tomorrow. MAXRoam is a new international pay as you go SIM card that seems like it could be an excellent way for travelers to save a few dollars on calls—up to 80% according to press release math. Storing up to 50 different numbers per card, users can call up to 40 countries with a "local number." These local calls, in turn, save you money. Yeah, sounds almost too simple, doesn't it? And there are some other neat bonuses, too. More »

TechFaith Launches "World's First WCDMA/GSM Dual Mode Phone"

China's TechFaith Wireless Communication Company has developed what they are calling the "World's first WCDMA/GSM dual mode phone." The "Twins" phone, as it has been dubbed, allows users the option of loading one WCDMA card and one GSM or loading dual GSM SIM cards. That means it would no longer be necessary to switch out SIM cards or carry around two phones for calls on both business and personal lines. More »

Blue Sky Crams GPS Receiver on to its Future SIM Cards

GPS receivers may have gotten smaller over the past few years, but Blue Sky Positioning takes top prize for being the first to integrate one on to a SIM card. What's so cool about that? Well, this means that in the future pretty much every GSM phone will come with built-in GPS, a nice feature to have on your mobile, especially since Qualcomm has been integrating GPS into their CDMA chipsets for quite some time. – Louis Ramirez More »

A Man Buys a Phone With a Magic SIM Inside, Part 2

Last week, an unnamed man bought a Sony Ericsson Smartphone from an importer. He found a working SIM inside. What he didn't know was that the SIM had unlimited free calling, it was a press SIM editors get to test phones with. Then he flipped it to his name. And got nailed with $8000 in phone charges. That's how I got wrapped up in this. The SIM was mine. More »

A Man Buys a Phone with a Magic SIM inside...

About a year ago, I had borrowed a phone to test, a Sony Ericsson M600, and slipped in an old press SIM I had lying around inside. These SIMs that come with press review phones, often have the benefit of being billed to the carrier, not the journalist, so they're useful for testing. Time passes, months actually, and I return the phone to the importer who lent it to me, forgetting all about my little friend, the SIM card, which I left inside. More »

K-Touch Security Phone Lets You Brick it When Stolen

The K-Touch Tianyu B832 is light on features in the traditional sense, but has one ability that's important when you truly need it. The phone lets you program five numbers into the notification list, so that when it detects that the SIM has been swapped out, it'll send text messages to those five numbers. More »

Cellphone Doublefists Two SIM Cards

This Chinese GSM slider phone has slots for two SIMs. That makes sense if you're holding separate numbers for work and play. Or if you're a double agent. Or if you're schizo. It's only nice in theory. The phone is otherwise unremarkable. –Brian Lam More »

How To Unlock a T-Mobile MDA/Cingular 8125

If you've got an T-Mobile MDA or a Cingular 8125 and are planning to switch from one GSM provider to the other, here's a guide to unlocking your phone so you don't have to buy a new one. More »

USB SIM and Multi-Format Card Reader

Not only can this transfer all your pictures off your digital camera onto your computer, you can use it to read your SIM card and back up your phone contacts as well. The card reader also comes with a free copy SIM Editor 3.0, software that lets you manage your contacts on your PC. More »

3 Mobile Glues in SIM Cards

In an effort to thwart mobile phone resellers, 3G Mobile out of the UK has decided to glue the SIM cards into their pre-paid phones. They are simply using epoxy to glue the SIM cards in. Could this be the stupidest idea ever? Quite possibly. More »