Two thousand and five was the year of the emerging market. Booming demand in the Southern Hemisphere, in regions such as India and Africa, drove global mobile phone sales 19 percent higher year-over-year. Emerging markets accounted for one half of total worldwide sales in 2005.

These are some of the highest regions of the planet because they sit on top of southern hemisphere terrain, which is higher than corresponding terrain in the north.

Nationally, production is down and demand is up compared to last year. In addition, many regions of the country are having trouble getting sufficient supplies of ethanol, which is used in new formulas for gas. Uncertainty about supply has lifted gasoline to near-record prices on the spot market and that filters down to the neighborhood gas pump.

A more powerful SIM card can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's good for the carriers because it gives them more control, since they control what goes on their SIM. But it also shifts some of the cost from the handset makers to the carriers.

Booming demand in the southern hemisphere, in India and Africa, drove global mobile phone sales.

Criminals are opportunists. If you've got a booming market, they're going to get away with more fraud.