BlackBerry

Apple is adamant about not supporting Adobe's Flash framework on the iPhone, but that's not stopping them from making it the develop once-publish anywhere framework for mobile app development. They announced today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that they plan to bring Adobe AIR to Android OS and Blackberry devices. Their goal is to make it possible for developers to write their app using AIR and then publish that app for each of the popular mobile devices.

Virgin Mobile's Canadian division will soon carry the iPhone, according to an announcement delivered today. The company has currently revealed few details, except that it will sell both the 3G and 3GS models and that a launch should happen sometime "in the coming months." The device will also be the carrier's first HSPA-based phone, possible through an upgraded Bell cellular network.

The iPhone's market share is growing, though it still has a bit to go to catch up with the BlackBerry. Per ChangeWave's most recent consumer survey, the iPhone continues to gain market share in the smart phone category, bringing Apple within striking distance of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion for the first time.

CNET is reporting that, according to research published by NPD Group, RIM's BlackBerry Curve outsold the iPhone 3G in the first quarter of 2009. And while most of you will likely sigh a great sigh of "who cares," we think it's interesting to see the leaders and just how close the smartphone race is.

What's really interesting here is to examine what pushed RIM over the top. According to NPD, it was a "buy one get one free" deal from Verizon.