17 percent sales on Video game

Video game industry sales tumbled nearly 17 percent year over year, a downward trend for a market segment that had previously seemed resistant to the economic pressures of the recession.

In April, according to industry analyst NPD Group, the industry posted revenue of $1.03 billion, down 16.9 percent from the $1.24 billion it recorded in April 2008. Sales for the month were also down 30 percent from $1.43 billion in March.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier cautioned in a report that it's hard to reach the conclusion that the industry has begun to soften, noting that "it's important to remember that April (2009) is being compared against a month--April 2008--that realized nearly 50 percent growth over April 2007."

Samsung Smooth for Verizon Wireless

Samsung has recently started selling its new Smooth clamshell, available from Verizon Wireless. The Samsung Smooth may be smooth, but it's definitely a low-end phone, with only a VGA camera offering, GPS, Bluetooth, speakerphone, voice command, and not much else. Still, the $29.99 price is hard to beat, and will be just fine for folks who mostly want a phone for making calls.

BlackBerry Curve 8900 headed to AT&T

On Monday, AT&T finally confirmed the upcoming availability of the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 for early summer.

AT&T's version is largely similar to the T-Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8900, which has been available since January 2009, sharing the same sleek design and features like integrated GPS, Wi-Fi, and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

RIM CEO: BlackBerry Storm 2

Research In Motion confirmed on Monday what many have speculated to be in the works: a BlackBerry Storm 2. While it may not ultimately be called the Storm 2, RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie confirmed the news to Reuters, saying that sales of the BlackBerry Storm remain strong and that it's working on next-generation devices in the hopes of continuing to tap into the consumer market.

Balsillie did not provide any specifics about the device, other than to say that the Storm has been a success "in terms of sales and adoption" and that sales remain strong, which contributed to its decision to develop the line. The BlackBerry Storm was RIM's first touch-screen device and was quickly pegged as the company's (and Verizon Wireless') answer to the Apple iPhone.