Of the many potential hang-ups enterprise smartphone users may have over using Apple's uber popular iPhone as a business device, its inability to connect to computers and be used as an external tethered modem—without hacking, or "jailbreaking," the device--is very likely near the top of the list for many. But according to AT&T Mobility Chief Executive Ralph De La Vega, iPhone owners will soon get an official AT&T iPhone tethering solution.

Last week, AT&T announced that its iPhone customers would get free access to all of the company's 17,000 or so Wi-Fi hot spots in establishments including Barnes & Noble, Starbucks and McDonalds. I was also told that BlackBerry Bold 9000 users with unlimited data plans would get the same treatment following the device's launch on November 4. After a few hiccups, the free iPhone Wi-Fi seems to be up and running, but I'm still unable to connect to the Wi-Fi network at my local Barnes & Noble using the Bold. And frankly, that sucks.

After countless delays and even more hype, Research In Motion's (RIM) high-end BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone will soon hit the United States. Depending on where you look, interested parties can expect to pay as little as $299 on contract and as much as $799 without one. That's quite the pricing disparity with many a price point in between...

Yesterday, AT&T iPhone owners received a text message from the wireless carrier notifying them that they now have free access to any of AT&T's 17,000 Wi-Fi hot spots across the United States in establishments like Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, McDonalds and more. This is the third time AT&T has said as much in the past year, but according to the company, the news is legitimate this time around.

Well, well, well, it looks as though RIM is making another move to level the playing field between it and Apple in the consumer space, by offering an on-device application distribution hub not unlike Apple's iTunes App Store. It's about time: RIM's current method for distributing applications to its users is non-existent. Literally.

Well, well, well, it looks as though Apple has finally decided to form an iPhone 3G distribution partnership with the world's largest consumer electronics retailer, Best Buy.

Apple's next generation iPhone 3G smartphone is set to hit retail store shelves this Friday, but many questions about the much anticipated device are still unanswered, at least from a business standpoint. For instance: How will organizations and businesses activate the iPhone 3G, and will a trip to an Apple or AT&T store be required?