Yar, that was fast. Less than a day after Microsoft updated its Windows Marketplace for Mobile with new advanced anti-piracy measure, some apt xda-developers community member has managed to crack the new code -- in under two hours, according to Chainfire's posting. The hack itself won't be posted, but we're sure other astute programmers, many of more nefarious intention, will be able to have their way with it just as easy. Sad for developers who've been wanting something more secure -- better luck next update.

[Via WMPoweruser]

Windows Mobile 6.5 users rejoice, you now have a better marketplace experience your way. Microsoft's added a couple updates to its mobile app store. On the developers' side of things there's a new portal for submission, and "more advanced anti-piracy protection" -- no clue if it solves those DRM issues we heard about before, but sounds at least like a step in the right direction. For the consumers, there's now an online store that you can use from your certainly superior desktop / laptop browser. In the vein of Xbox Live Marketplace's online portal at Xbox.com, purchased apps from the browser will be sent to the connected phone next time you open up the Windows Marketplace client... what's that? You want support for Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1? Microsoft reassures us it's coming later this month, so hang tight, okay?

[Via Mobile Tech World]

Read - Announcing new features...
Read - Windows Marketplace for Mobile

If you have an Omnia i900 and you live in the UK, Italy, or France then listen up, Samsung's Application Store just went live. A quick .CAB file download installs the new Application Store client onto your WinMo handset. From there you have access to about 300 paid (payable by credit card, phone billing "coming soon") and free apps via WiFi or Cellular data connections. Samsung plans to have over "over 2,000" apps in the store by the end of 2009 with support added for the Omnia II I8000 and OmniaLITE B7300 from more than 30 countries planned on an indeterminate timeline. A quick glance through the top paid apps reveals the £3.50 Guitar Hero World Tour and free apps like Evernote and the Skyfire browser -- otherwise, the so-called "Hot" game-heavy, apps look pretty lackluster for the moment. It's also interesting (read: odd) that Skyfire is tagged with an "OS Cetified" (Samsung's misspelling) badge for Windows Mobile while the heavily promoted Guitar Hero remains badge-less. Ah well, it is launch day and we expect these things will get ironed-out soon enough. Pics and highly conceptualized App Store experience demonstration after the break.

Read -- Press release
Read -- Download

As expected, Apple has blessed Spotify's streaming subscription music application with a home in its iTunes App Store. Additionally, the app is also making a first, less ballyhooed appearance on the Android Market. The free app allows you to stream any of its nearly 4 million tracks over WiFi or 3G and syncs playlists for playback while disconnected. It's available exclusively to Spotify Premium members in the UK, Sweden, Spain, France and Norway -- only the iPhone app is available in Finland. Great, so does that mean Rhapsody is next? Magic i-ball says all signs point to yes. Video overview of each app after the break.

P.S. We're seeing reports that the iPhone app won't play music in the background. The fix? Android.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read -- Spotify on Android
Read -- Spotify on App Store

Boost's clearly (and understandably) delighted by the explosive popularity of its $50 unlimited package, but the scrappy little division of Sprint still needs to grow into the big shoes it's now fashioned for itself -- and it looks like that's what 2009 is going to be all about. Boost chief Matt Carter has revealed that the brand will be opening some 50 new retail outlets before the end of the year, all of which will be dedicated to peddling Boost goods rather than occupying a lame little kiosk in the corner of a Sprint store. That's in addition to the three dedicated stores Boost currently operates in Miami, LA, and Houston, so it's a pretty big step up -- and with subscriber adds continuing to pile up amid newly-heated competition with arch rivals like Virgin, there probably couldn't be a better time to step up.

[Via mocoNews]

We already knew Vertu was planning to open wide to Tokyo's Ginza district in late February, and apparently it decided to follow through despite an economy that's apt to slow sales of its luxury handsets dramatically. At any rate, the spot is a must-see even for tourists with a savings account that couldn't buy the "8" key of a Constellation Pure, so be sure to freshen up and drop by if you find yourself in the city. Oh, and be sure to ask the reps on hand if any of Vertu's phones can load up the full version of the company's own website without struggling -- we get the feeling the reaction will be priceless.

[Via RCRWireless]

If you're going to go to the trouble of procuring an M8 from Meizu, you may as well turn it into an authentic, memorable, world-class experience by making the pilgrimage to Shenzhen, China to pick it up in its hometown. Oh, but don't just pick it up from some random street vendor -- do it up right by swinging on over to Meizu's shiny new flagship store, where you'll be able to select your M8 (or at least see renders of the M8) in a comfortable, relaxed environment while rubbing shoulders with Meizu employees. The fresh digs just opened today, and pictures from the grand opening show an epic mass of humanity waiting for the doors to unlock -- a promising sign for Meizu, and an unfortunate sign that the enochlophobes among us probably ought to wait a few weeks to make the trek.

[Via Meizu Me]

We've heard that this here Rolls-Royce has been rolling throughout India for a good while now, but it's just too absurd to not pass along. As you can clearly see above, this high-end automobile has been thoroughly abused with a paint can and a slew of decals, but it's easily the most unique cellphone store we've ever laid eyes on. We mean, who wouldn't be interested in buying a gently used handset out of the back of a Phantom?

[Via Autoblog]

If you're a non-T-Mobile customer jonesing for a G1 and you don't mind the prospect of waiting in a line of epic, new video game console proportions, head on out to San Francisco today where T-Mob's corporate location at 3rd and Market will become the first store anywhere to offer the G1 to the general public starting at 6PM. That's a full fourteen hours earlier than the rest of the country; the remainder of T-Mobile's stores in 3G markets will start pushing Android out the door at 8AM Wednesday morning. So, how crazy are you? Book those flights, people -- time's running out!

If you blinked at some point over the past two years you may have missed it, but somewhere in there, Sony Ericsson had a flagship retail location in the heart of London. Actually, they still do -- it's not closed quite yet -- but it'll be gone by the end of the year, just one casualty of the manufacturer's cost-cutting measures in an effort to turn its weak financial position around. Worried about the prospects for immersing yourself in the Sony Ericsson lifestyle after the new year? Rest easy -- the company says it has no plans to get rid of its 200-plus stores in Asia.

[Via Slashphone]

It's not as crisis-inducing as the Starbucks outage earlier this week may have been for some of us, but there's another store closing happening today that we need to be monitoring pretty closely: we've heard that Sprint will be closing every last one of its locations -- even licensed dealers -- from 9AM to 11AM PST for some sort of webcast. Rumor has it Sprint's baristas will be given a refresher course on how to pull the perfect shot of espresso, but if it turns out to be something else, we'll let you know.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

The latest of eight stores now open globally, Nokia has officially unveiled its London flagship retail spot at 240 Regent Street (Hong Kong pictured). The location could very well end up being the crown jewel in Nokia's direct retail strategy, lying within earshot of Apple's impressive London location at 235 Regent Street and covering two full stories of consumer space. As we've seen in the other spots, LCDs and color-changing walls cover the perimeter, while the floors and ceilings are clad with rich woods. A separate "Product Zone," "Solutions Zone," and "Retail Zone" all guide shoppers to different areas of the store depending on their needs, while a dedicated Vertu lounge lets the nouveau riche do their thing in privacy. If anyone has a chance to check out the digs this weekend, be sure to send us some impressions!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Anyone who was sent into a panicked tizzy over Palm's decision to close its retail locations just won a small consolation prize: those precious airport locations are here to stay. Turns out they're not owned by Palm, but rather licensed by vendor Airport Wireless; they might be rebranded, but their line and bold mission statement should both remain unchanged. So the next time you happen to be passing through from LGA to LAX, rest easy knowing that the opportunity to buy overpriced electronic merchandise from a variety of vendors will still be alive and well.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

If our solemn word wasn't enough to convince you of trouble in retail-ville for Palm, take this news as empirical. According to the smartphone-maker, it is officially shuttering all of its retail locations but one over the next five weeks. Originally, we thought that the airport locations would steer clear of the axe, but news today is that 34 stores total -- 26 airport-based and eight branded stores -- will be saying adios before long. Sure, this news doesn't sound real hot, but Palm claims they want to cut costs and focus on its next-gen phones, which is what we've been asking them to do all along... so maybe this is a blessing in disguise?

Screw the glitz and glamor of a posh flagship location in Manhattan. How about a store in the heart of Toronto, RIM's backyard? Nah, still too flashy. Waterloo's finest are seriously taking it to the trenches for their first officially licensed BlackBerry store, an unassuming, freestanding white building in Farmington Hills, Michigan of all places. The store isn't actually run by RIM -- they've left the grunt work to established retailer Wireless Giant -- but it does seem to be a pretty comprehensive BlackBerry haven with offerings available from all four national US carriers under one convenient roof. That being said, we're not really picturing folks driving from states away to pay homage to this shack; let's try more giant plasmas, multicolor lights, and glass walls if you ever decide to set up camp in Times Square, alright, RIM?