Well, would you look at this? Not quite a year after we got some pretty strong whiffs of the SGH-F110 fitness phone, the rumor has at long last become a reality. Heck, even the model name stayed the same. Slated to launch in the UK next month, the Samsung / Adidas F110 (miCoach) is out to take on the mighty Nike+ training system, and besides the obligatory heartbeat monitor and step counter, the handset also boasts a built-in MP3 player / FM tuner, two-inch LCD and a two-megapixel camera. Additionally, the currently unpriced phone will chime in when you're not running hard enough, but feel free to drown it out with jams packed on the 1GB of internal memory.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Simmer down, NFL fans -- we're talking real football here, so we'd recommend hoping a flight to Europe if you're interested in taking advantage of this. Reportedly, Bluepod Media has inked exclusive BT marketing rights with a bevy of Premiership football clubs including Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, West Ham, Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic (among others). The deal was worked out after successful trials at Portsmouth and Birmingham City, and going forward, Bluepod will be working with third-parties to "create and distribute branded content to football fans within all stadiums on match days." Best of all, said content will be offered up to attendees gratis, while brand owners will be shelling out cash on a per download basis. Don't worry, dear Americans, you can always order up a hot dog from the comfort of your Safeco Field seat with your DS -- how's that for a consolation prize?

[Via IntoMobile, image courtesy of Hobo Tread]

Nokia's Sports Tracker app for S60 devices certainly isn't new; it's been kicking around since the early months of the year, in fact. So why is it back in beta? Turns out the service has been significantly expanded and retooled to give it all more of a cooperative, social, webby feel by allowing folks to upload and share their personal workouts (pictured). It'll work with S60 3rd Edition handsets using both internal and external GPS modules, making a wide array of phones compatible -- though it's unclear exactly how a runner would attach a phone and a GPS module to their person securely and unobtrusively enough to work out. The service is still in beta, and Nokia's promising more features (like real-time data uploads) down the road -- but if you simply must try it out now, by all means, don't let us stop you.

[Thanks, Antti V.]

Those so desperate for football that they're watching preseason showdowns should certainly enjoy this one. Reportedly, subscribers to DirecTV's Sunday Ticket SuperFan package will be able to access NFL games on their mobile for the first time this season. Users who plunk down the necessary coinage will soon be able to view "the entire weekly lineup of live NFL Sunday Ticket games" via the internet, which can be accessed through a computer or one's handset. Additionally, customers can even look forward to in-progress highlights, scores, and clock updates, which means that you'll never miss a moment of pigskin action so long as you've got a signal on Sundays.

[Via MultiChannel]

Although the SGH-F110 was initially believed to be a sure bet, things have since turned, as the German site Area Mobile has updated its article by removing the bulk of the text at Samsung's request. Nevertheless, this could also mean that Sammy just wants the thing kept under wraps a bit longer, so here's what we know so far. The black slider will reportedly boast quad-band GSM and EDGE connectivity, Bluetooth 2.0, a two-megapixel camera, microSD expansion slot, two-inch LCD, and a host of exercise-centric features such as a pedometer, heart rate monitor, distance / calorie burning calculator, and possibly a "voice coach" to keep you going just one more lap. Unsurprisingly, there's no details on price nor availability, and we're still not sure if the pictured design will stick if this thing does emerge, but there's no time like the summer to bust out a fitness phone, eh?

[Via Pocket-Lint]

ESPN got driven clear out of the MVNO game, but it wants another go at winning the hearts and minds of US mobile subscribers -- this time through a partnership with Verizon. "ESPN MVP" will become a new standard feature of Verizon's VCAST offering at no additional cost, offering a slew of sporty content: news, stats, configurable alerts for scores and news, editorial content, fantasy team management, and quite a bit more. It'll even feature ESPN's instantly recognizable "Bottomline," a scrolling ticker of updated news and scores. Look for it to hit tomorrow on the LG VX8300, Chocolate, and VX8600, alongside Motorola's V3c, V3m, and K1m; additional compatible models will follow in the "coming months."

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Seeing newly-unveiled outerwear touting iPod / Bluetooth connectivity is becoming a winter tradition it seems, as these blustery days bring about visions of new coats, helmets, lift tickets, and never letting go of your dear DAP / cellphone. This time around Quicksilver is seeking the technological know-how from Plantronics as it offers up a "limited edition" lineup of snow-ready gear that plays nice with your iPod and BT-equipped handset. The Double Daffy Snow Jacket sports Plantronics "stereo sound and voice technology" via Bluetooth, and should hit retail stores for $370 soon, while the presumably corresponding Pulse Helmet rocks a lightweight, ABS-infused design, side vents, and a black camo motif for $249.95. For the ladies in the house, the Teen Angel Snow Jacket caters to the female agenda for $340, and the partnering Shiver Helmet will run you $249.95. While no hard availability dates were mentioned, all the new kit will be on display at the SIA conference in Las Vegas through the end of the week, and we assume it'll hit your favorite ski shop shortly thereafter.

At this point, it seems like Nokia has the procedure for relaunching aging S60 handsets down to a science: bundle them with some new goodies, maybe offer some new colors, and tack "______ Edition" onto the end of the model number. In this case, the lucky victim is the not-so-old, ruggedized 5500, which has undergone a magical metamorphosis of marketing to become the 5500 Sport Music Edition. Other than a bundled half gig of microSD (for, you know, music), a new carrying strap, and an "energetic new color," the Sport Music Edition looks to be a dead ringer for its predecessor -- and like the original, we don't expect to see it on these shores any time soon. Europeans, however, should be able to find these things on store shelves already for something in the neighborhood of €350 (about $450).

[Via Camera Phones Plaza]

Whoa Nellie. The folks who scooped Disney's ESPN-branded cellphone service -- MobileESPN -- are now calling for "big changes" in the MVNO. According to Rafat Ali and Staci Kramer who cite "numerous sources," the doomed MobileESPN MVNO is set for "a phased winding down/transition, or getting sold" outright this week, just before Disney's fiscal year draws to a close. A spokeswoman for MobileESPN confirmed an announcement was coming, most likely on Thursday, and that staff would not be laid off this week contrary to rumors. Merrill Lynch already asked Disney to pull the plug in a research note published back in July estimating that MobileESPN had only snagged 30,000 of the 240,000 anticipated subscribers since its Superbowl launch representing a loss of some $135 million for The Mouse. All this is potentially bad news for the likes of Amp'd Mobile and Helio who may be in for an MVNO backlash on The Street where investor sentiment is already pretty low. Oh BJ, not you and the Bear too?

Update: Just minutes after we posted the article above, Disney officially dropped the ax on MobileESPN, and the happiest place on earth is just a little bit gloomier today. According to an open letter on the MobileESPN homepage, cellular service will stop as of December 21st, although all that great content that you handful of subscribers have come to enjoy day in and day out will soon be available through one of the major carriers. Meanwhile, existing customers are free to drop the service anytime before the end of the year without penaltly, and once your bills are all paid up, the soon-to-be-defunct MVNO will refund the full cost of your handset. Epitaph: MobileESPN, we had such high hopes for ye, but your glass jaw made a first round KO inevitable. R.I.P, sweet, failed telecom experiment.

[Via GigaOM]

Despite some evidence that mobile TV isn't the coolest thing since Elvis in consumers' eyes, carriers are pressing on with efforts to build out their made-for-mobile video offerings. Most recently, Sprint has announced its Power View network of sports programming, and the use of the term "network" is surprisingly appropriate here -- most, if not all of the content will be produced specifically for Power View, with a full 15 camera crews shooting on-location footage of sports events. A host of big-name anchors are filming weekly segments, too, and any handset compatible with Sprint TV will be able to rock the new service at no charge. Let us see the action full-screen (that goes for Sprint Movies, too) and you can count us in.

[Via MobileTracker]

We tend to leave the cellphone behind when we're in the gym, assuming that callers would just as soon skip the conversation than listen to our heavy breathing as we struggle to actually burn some calories. But if Nokia has its way, more cellphones may find their way into health clubs. The company's new 5500 "sports phone" not only comes in a ruggedized, rubber-gripped shell, but it also features such sports-friendly features as an integrated pedometer and a database to track and monitor workout goals. The tri-mode GSM phone also includes a music player, text-to-speech engine for message-reading, and 2-megapixel camera. That camera may, however, be the phone's downfall; we've heard of some gyms banning cameraphones, and Nokia might want to consider a cam-free version to beat such restrictions.