Remember when SPB launched their new application SPB Online application and we wanted to see if Verizon or AT&T would pick it up? Well it looks like the Russians beat us to the punch. A company called Sky Link is one of Russians largest CDMA operators in that part of the world and will be one of the firsts to launch with SPB Online customized for their local preferences. The first device rolling out with the integration is the AnyData ASP-505 in November (and we thought the U.S. had funky names).

We Reviewed SPB Online not too long ago and came away impressed enough recommend it to carriers for pick-up, though whether it's a good buy for the average consumer is another story. I personally like the fact that Sky Link has realized the potential with SPB Online. I dislike the fact that here in the U.S. companies like AT&T will probably never pick up something like this because it would compete with their own crapware they install.

SPB has been one of the major players in the Windows Mobile software market for a number of years. Their Mobile Shell is one of our favorites here at WMExperts and is on our list of must have software.

A software based content portal seems to be a holy grail of sorts for several large players in the technology world. Yahoo has attempted it with their Yahoo Go application and one of the major draws of Apple Computer’s iPhone is the App Store along with the ability to get at content from popular sites like YouTube. SPB is making an attempt at the content portal niche with SPB Online (see our post about the announcement here). SPB is aiming for a higher standard with SPB Online than any of the other content portals have been able to attain.

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Remember the interview with Anton we had on the WMExperts Podcast 26? Of course you do, so you remember Dieter and Anton were discussing how SPB was coming to the market with “Something new” and that SPB wanted to change the way the consumer used their phone as a multi media device. As of today it's here. Well the press release is, anyway. Some of the services that will be available include:

• Mobile TV
• Online Radio
• News
• Weather
• Online Games
• On-device Catalog

SPB hopes to “Unlock 3G” by allowing you to use you phone to watch TV, check the news, and listen to radio a lot more than you do now. SPB online will make using your phone as a multi media device easier because its all in one location. An interesting thing to point out is that SPB has a breakthrough patent pending TV technology. It will be interesting to see how it stacks up to the Media Flow, AT&T Cellular video, and Verizons Vcast that are already out.

Hopefully the big guys like Verizon and AT&T take this seriously and pick it up. If SPB can sell them on the fact that what they have now for media sucks and SPB will make using 3G easier to use then they might have a shot. In point of fact, that's just the shot they seem to be taking, as the press release above seems more directed at carriers than it does users.

Either way, SPB does plan on releasing it for users later this year for $30.