My weekly wrap-up is a little late this week but today was just nuts (a good thing though).

Last week was a big week in mobile with the Mobile World Conference (MWC) going on in Barcelona. If you follow us on twitter or facebook, you would have seen several posts on the announcements during MWC. The biggest stories during the week centered on Microsoft and Google. Microsoft released their highly anticipated finally presentable Windows Phone 7 and received great reviews from the critics (yes, I’m serious) … but we won’t see it until at least Q4 2010 which in today’s mobile environment is an eternity. Just imagine what Google will add to Android by then, especially considering they told the mobile world last week that Google advocates “mobile first”.  Google seems to be saying all the right things these days and the numbers prove it with over 60,000 Android-based phones shipping per day. Can Microsoft capitalize on Windows Phone 7 or is their finally-respectable mobile product just too late? Only time will tell. Either way, MWC got me even more excited about mobile in 2010.

I’m sure you noticed but one major mobile company made no news at MWC – and that was Apple. Why not? Simple, it’s because they are just too arrogant to attend. Apple wants the world to respect them as a mobile leader yet they don’t have enough respect for the industry to attend the biggest mobile conference of the year.  Ironically, Steve Jobs won the “Mobile Industry Personality of the Year” at MWC… I don’t think he’ll be getting that award again.  Although Apple was not at MWC, they still made the headlines last week. Apple decided to use their magic veto stick and remove apps from the app store that “suggested” explicit material (not contained, but “suggested”). OK, now that Apple’s removed all those “dirty” apps, the iPhone is free of smut, right? Hmm… ever heard of Safari and the web??? I used to respect Apple and their core corporate values, but with their over-the-top egos and authoritative control, I now see them for who they are – money vultures in angel’s clothing.

Along with all the MWC excitement, we saw lots of handset news last week. Below is the list I compiled, so enjoy and start planning your next purchase:

• Hands-on with HTC’s Smart for O2, based on BREW MP but sporting the Sense UI
• Live – the Pulse mini Android 2.1 smartphone for T-Mobile UK
• First look at Samsung’s bada-powered S8500 Wave
• Hands-on with the Acer’s Android powered Liquid e smartphone
• LG’s Android powered LU2300 smartphone to ship with augmented reality app
• The OT-980 is Alcatel’s first Android device and the first Alcatel handset to offer advanced smartphone features.
• AT&T launches Mobile-TV equipped LG KM900 Arena touchscreen phone
• AT&T to carry Android powered Motorola BACKFLIP with MOTOBLUR
• Acer outs beTouch E400 Android 2.1 powered touchscreen smartphone
• A look at HTC’s stunning Legend Android smartphone, carved from a block of metal
• Mobile World Congress Best Of Show: HTC Desire
• HTC reveals updated Sense user interface for Android smartphones
• T-Mobile gives an HTC HD2 reminder, now with more fun!
• Android 2.1 coming to Samsung Moment and HTC Hero in Q2, says Sprint
• LG GW990 to be among first MeeGo phones
• Motorola Quench hands-on with video
• Acer announces neoTouch P300 Windows Mobile 6.5.3 smartphone
• Acer shows off neoTouch P400 Windows Mobile 6.5.3 smartphone
• Acer Ferrari smartphone coming this March to handle your mid-life crisis
• Huawei makes the U8100, U8110, U8800 and U8300 with Android official
• Microsoft Turtle and Pure deets are revealed

As most of you know, I always end by sharing other stories or articles I enjoyed during the week, so enjoy:

• Shout for Android offers one-tap texting
• Can Any Smartphone Survive The Patent Gantlet?
• ITC Opens Second Apple Investigation In Three Weeks
• Motorola DROID running Flash 10.1 demo
• Firefox Mobile for Android launching “late this year”
• The New WebKit BlackBerry Browser: Yes, It’s Actually Good
• RIM to give away server software
• Verizon Wireless and Skype launch Skype Mobile for BlackBerry and Android devices
• Adobe bringing AIR to smartphones–Android first
• Mobile companies band together and rise against Apple

See or hear anything else interesting in mobile.  Let us know by leaving a comment below.