As part of a proposed class-action settlement Sprint has agreed to provide customers with codes to unlock their mobile phones for use on other compatible networks. Should the settlement be accepted Sprint will begin providing departing customers with unlock codes for Sprint PCS phones.

The lawsuit Zill v. Sprint Spectrum, L.P., is currently pending in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, Case No. RG03114147. It alleges that Sprint is violating CA law by locking its handsets and that the practice violates California's Unfair Competition Law by making it more expensive for customers to switch carriers. T-Mobile and AT&T are also facing similar pending class action suits in California.

Hobbyist Software has released a new version of its unusually single purposed, yet handy utility Show Off. The app will change the default color theme of your Palm OS Treo or Centro smartphone when you activate the silent switch. It gives you an additional glancable indicator of whether you are in silent mode or not, something that is easy to forget about and can often result in missed calls or alarms. The app can also be set to change the LED color if you like as well and adds a vibration indicator to devices such as the 650 & 700p when you flip the silent switch.

Show Off v1.10 for Palm OS is available now for $5.00 USD.

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Mobile Stream's USB Modem software has been updated. The application allows the Treo or Centro to operate as a USB modem for your desktop or laptop computer. The program offers support for Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems. Recent updates include support for the Palm Centro, compatibility with Windows Vista 64-bit and a fix to the built in DUN suppression on the Treo 680 & 755p.

USB Modem v1.59 for Palm OS is available now with a free trial period. It costs $24.95.

Sena Cases has announced its new collection of Palm Centro cases. The new Centro cases are available in two styles LeatherSkin and the MagnetFlipper. Both feature hand-stitched leather and are offered in over 10 colors and leather variations.

Palm's new executive chairman Jon Rubinstein told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview yesterday that it will take 18 months before new products come out utilizing Palm's next generation operating system. These comments would seem to contradict guidance from CEO Ed Colligan given earlier this month where he stated he expected products to be available be the end of next calendar year (2008).

Rubinstein's new remarks would push that back until mid-2009 at the earliest. He is quoted as saying "It's a probably good target," [...] "These things take time."

Palm today announced that its recapitalization plan with the private-equity firm Elevation Partners has closed. Elevation has invested $325 million in Palm, and the company will utilize these proceeds along with existing cash and $400 million of new debt to finance a $9 per share cash distribution. Palm shareholders of record as of Oct. 24, 4 p.m. EDT, should receive the cash distribution within approximately 10 business days.

Google is beginning to turn on IMAP access for users of its web based Gmail email service. IMAP is generally a better option for mobile device users as it allows clients to remain in sync regardless of how or where the email is accessed. Using IMAP you can keep the same information synced across all devices so that whatever you do in one place shows up everywhere else you might access your email.

The service is free to users of Gmail and Google mail. The option can be found on the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab in your Gmail "Settings", Not all accounts have been activated yet, but Google says they are currently working to enable all users as fast as they can. Instructions on configuring you email client can be found here.

Softick has released a new version of their popular Palm OS A2DP solution, Audio Gateway. Audio Gateway remains the only means for Palm OS Bluetooth stereo headphone compatibility. v1.17 includes full support for the Palm Centro, an improved ACRCP profile and minor bug fixes.

Softick Audio Gateway is available for $19.95 and a limited trial version is available for download. The update is free to registered owners of the software. PIC’s review of version 1.12 of the app can be found here.

Rumor: A possible leaked image of what could be the Treo 800w has been posted on the TreoCentral forums. A poster claims to have used the device and that the mockup image comes from an internal Sprint presentation. If the reports are correct, this device would be notable for a series of "firsts: Palm’s first device to ship standard with WM6 and a touchscreen, Palm’s (and possibly the market's) first 320 x 320 Windows Mobile device, and Palm's first EVDO Rev.A device.

While very light on any new details and from a completely unconfirmed source, rumors of the Treo 800w have been circulating for some time now.

BusinessWeek's "Technology & You" section has posted a new editorial entitled "Palm's Fading LifeLine". The editorial, written by Stephen H. Wildstrom, is quite a hard-hitting examination of the recent fumbles of Palm amidst increasingly fierce smartphone competition.

The piece claims that the recently launched Centro smartphone, despite generally positive reviews, is nothing more than a cut-down version of the Treo 755p. Wildstrom makes a particular point to note the size constraints of the Centro's screen, battery, and keyboard. The article ultimately concludes that the recent lackluster efforts of the pioneering PDA company might be too little, too late, especially after being compounded by the resource drain brought about by the now-cancelled Foleo Mobile Companion.