Palm has released the Treo 650 updater 1.04 for Verizon wireless customers. The update includes optimized nvfs memory handling and an improved user interface for multiple call scenarios.

A spokesperson for Sprint Nextel has confirmed that the company plans to offer BlackBerry Connect software on Palm OS devices next year.

EA Sports has released Madden NFL 06 for Palm OS devices. The new version has been updated for the 2005-06 NFL season and also includes improved graphics and high resolution support.

Reuters is reporting that US antitrust authorities have approved ACCESS's plans to acquire PalmSource for $324 million in cash.

Altec Lansing has unveiled the market’s first mobile speaker system for Palm devices with the inMotion iMT1, a small audio dock that turns MP3 music files stored on Palm devices into a roomful of sound for headphone-free listening. The system -- which is compatible with the Palm LifeDrive mobile manager, Palm Tungsten T5 and Tungsten E2 handhelds, and Palm Treo 650 smartphone also charges the device, doubles as a desktop speakerphone for the Treo 650 smartphone.

SplashData has announced that version 2.0 its award winning SplashBlog photoblogging solution is now available for Palm OS devices. The company has also announced that it will enable anybody to start and maintain a photoblog of up to 100 images at no cost.

Palm and Microsoft today announced a strategic alliance to accelerate the smartphone market segment with a new device for mobile professionals and businesses. Palm has licensed the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system for an expanded line of Treo smartphones, the first of which will be available on Verizon Wireless' national wireless broadband network. The news was revealed in a press conference today.

Ed Colligan, Palm, president and chief executive officer; Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman and chief software architect; and Denny Strigl, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless, are holding a press conference on Monday in San Francisco.

PalmInfocenter has learned that the final names for the upcoming fall Palm releases will be the Palm TX and Palm Z22. Palm is apparently dropping the sub-brands to highlight the strong Palm brand. Also new pictures of the devices have been posted.

Palm today reported revenue of $342.2 million in its first quarter of fiscal year 2006, ended Sept. 2, up 25 percent from the year-ago period and marking the ninth-consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth.

Engadget is the first to get their hands on a Palm Treo 700w, the long rumored Windows Mobile powered Treo. It's official name is the Treo 700w, which could possible indicate that a 700p that runs a version of the Palm OS could also be in the works.