Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular among U.S. consumers for accessing the Web, according to data released today by market researcher ComScore. Some 6.8 percent of Web traffic originated from “non-computer” devices in August, compared with 6.2 percent at the end of the previous quarter, ComScore said. Mobile phones accounted for 4.4 percent of that …

Windows Mango in action. Josh Miller/CNET In the face of disappointing sales of Windows smartphones, Microsoft plans to release dual-core and LTE phones. Windows Phone President Andy Lees told AllThingsD in a story posted yesterday that dual-core phones are coming, though he wouldn’t offer specifics. Lees also said the current collection of single-core Windows phones holds up well compared with …

Hewlett-Packard is expected to decide the fate of its embattled WebOS business this week, according to an AppleInsider report. The company plans to hold a companywide meeting tomorrow where it may reveal whether it will sell or spin off the group, according to the report, which cited unidentified people familiar with the company’s plans. HP representatives declined to comment on …

Apple plans to launch a new platform Wednesday that could put a big dent in wireless carriers’ bottom line. Introduced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, iMessage lets users on iOS devices chat with one another like they would send a text message. Like the BlackBerry Messenger, iMessage allows them to bypass the SMS text-messaging network–along with carriers’ texting …

This weekend’s Internet fire sale of HP TouchPads ignited a fury of interest from bargain hunters, as well as just plain fury from some who say Barnes & Noble reneged on their purchases. The tablets, which Hewlett-Packard announced last week it would discontinue, went on sale at a steep discount this week, with the 16GB model dropping in price from …

Skype announced today it has agreed to acquire group messaging service GroupMe. Financial details of the deal were not revealed. “Skype and GroupMe have a shared vision of creating applications and experiences that are the daily communications choice for a billion people,” Skype CEO Tony Bates said in a statement announcing the deal. “The GroupMe team has created an incredibly …

Research In Motion promises to give more details about devices featuring the BlackBerry 7 operating system tomorrow. RIM announced on its official Twitter feed that it would release details tomorrow of forthcoming devices featuring the company’s new operating system: You got it! New #BlackBerry devices are coming w/ our new OS, BlackBerry 7! Check back tmrw 4 deets on #BB7FanNight. …

Cisco Systems announced today it would cut about 14 percent of its global workforce, or about 11,500 employees, as part of a widely expected reorganization. The network-gear maker expects to save $1 billion a year by eliminating 6,500 jobs, including 2,100 employees who opted to participate in an early retirement program. The cuts, which were greater than the rumored figure …

A Microsoft-led consortium will begin a test in Britain this week to investigate how unused TV spectrum could be employed for new wireless broadband networks, according to a Financial Times report. The group, which includes the BBC, British Sky Broadcasting, and telecommunications giant BT, hopes to tap “white spaces” to create “super Wi-Fi” networks to sate bandwidth-hungry smartphones, according to …

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission announced plans today to battle the appearance of “mystery fees” on consumers’ phone bills, a practice known as “cramming.” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement he would soon send his fellow commissioners proposed rules that are “focused on harnessing technology and transparency to empower consumers with the information they need to …