It’s not targeting at high end market though. This mid-range Bada smartphone has a 3.2-inch WQVGA touch screen, 3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0 and built in WiFi 802.11 b/g/n. It also has an additional front camera for video call.

According to the press release, the new Wave 578 will be available in most regions gradually from May 2011.

Press release

Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the Samsung Wave 578 at Mobile World Congress 2011. The new bada handset is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity, a sleek, user-friendly design, and runs on bada, Samsung’s own smartphone platform.

“With the Samsung Wave 578 handset, we will provide the latest innovation in mobile industry running on bada platform. The enhanced connectivity, design and social experiences enabled by this handset, represent Samsung’s commitment to democratizing the smart phone market and providing users around the world with access to rich experiences and content,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business.

Connectivity & Speed

Samsung Wave 578 is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) – a technology that allows users to enjoy many innovative services such as mobile payment at the shops and paying transportation fare, reading tags, getting mobile coupons, etc.

Users can enjoy the fastest connectivity available on the Samsung Wave 578. With Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, and USB 2.0, the device enables fast data rates and easy information sharing.

Sleek Design

With soft rounded edges that support an ergonomic grip and a sleek metallic body, the Samsung Wave 578 is comfortable to hold and fashionable in every social situation. The device does not compromise function for form and offers the best of both worlds with a sleek design and value-added features.

The QuickType by t9 Trace is two to three times faster than standard typing and supports more than 75 languages. It will deliver a more convenient typing experience while reducing input error. The Samsung Wave 578 is also equipped with multi-touch functionality so that users can easily zoom in and out and pinch the screen to browse and view the gallery.

Enhanced Social Experiences

A rich communication suite (RCS) supports a wide variety of social communication on the Samsung Wave 578. Users can share content while chatting on the phone or send messages to several friends at the same time. The experience on the device is further maximized through SNS (social networking service) integration that seamlessly connects contacts across various social outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, so that users can focus on the people who matter most. Push IM enables users to access messages anywhere and anytime on the Samsung Wave 578.

Samsung Apps, an integrated application store accessible from the device and online, allows Wave users to simply and easily download an abundance of applications. Featuring a wealth of games, navigation, social networking, e-book, health and lifestyle applications, Samsung Apps gives users instant access to a wide range of mobile experiences on the Samsung Wave 578 handset.

The Samsung Wave 578 will be available in May of 2011 in France and will be gradually rolled out to European countries, CIS, South East Asia, India, Middle East, and China.

The Samsung Wave 578 will be on display at Hall 8, Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The sticker will cost about $35 USD, can be applied at the back of iPhone 4 and tested with the original iPhone 4 Bumper protection case. It is designed to avoid any radio interference with the iPhone 4 and weight about 14 grams.

While there isn’t any announcement on the PayPal for Android Market store purchase, the company releases PayPal Mobile for iPhone 3.0 with new location-based search feature.

A new location-based feature allows PayPal iPhone app users to find businesses accepting PayPal wherever they happen to be. Merchants can attract nearby customers to their stores by sending deals and promotions to customers’ phones, and customers can pay for goods or services at local outlets with PayPal or a BlingTag(R) from Bling Nation. This new local service is initially available in beta in the San Francisco Bay Area. Interested merchants or service providers can sign up at www.paypal-labs.com/local.

Update #1: For buying apps on Android Market via PayPal payment, it looks like the company was ready to make the official announcement on their blog (Google Cache) but pull the announcement. So expect to see the real implementation soon? (via TechCrunch)

Verizon Wireless customers will be able to pay for online content and digital goods that are downloaded and consumed on their personal computers from Danal’s participating eCommerce merchant partners. A secure connection and integration between Verizon Wireless and Danal will provide features important to online consumers and merchants, including robust subscriber authentication and fraud protection, among others.

The mobile payment service will feature a $25-per-month spending limit for these purchases, along with content and parental controls for individual accounts, giving account owners the ability to manage their BilltoMobile usage. When available, customers with text messaging-enabled phones will be able to shop quickly, securely and conveniently for Verizon Wireless-approved content at online stores, including game sites, social networks and virtual worlds. Users will also be able to purchase subscriptions to online games.

To conduct a transaction, consumers click on the BilltoMobile button during checkout at a participating online Web site and then input their mobile numbers and mobile billing zip codes for subscriber authentication. A text message is then sent to consumers’ mobile phones with a one-time passcode. Once consumers input this passcode into the online checkout window, the transaction is completed. The entire process takes about 15 seconds, and there is no pre-registration or links to credit cards or bank accounts required.

“We’re thrilled to unveil BOKU. Our vision is to provide a new industry standard for mobile payments, bringing ease, accessibility and security to the market,” stated Mark Britto, CEO for BOKU. “The strength of these two acquisitions and our recent financing will help us strategically to enable global consumer adoption and accelerate global carrier coverage.”

“This investment is a landmark in the evolution of mobile payments. It underscores the global potential of mobile money by providing convenient access to money anytime, anywhere. Given Nokia’s position as the leader in mobile communications, we could not have asked for a better investor,” commented Obopay CEO Carol Realini.

Teppo Paavola, said, “This investment reflects our belief in the global potential for mobile payments. Obopay has consistently demonstrated its ability to redefine how people spend and send money and has established itself as the leader in a competitive landscape.”

“MTN MobileMoney” is a SIM-based, version of Fundamo’s Mobile Wallet Solution ver 3.1, specifically designed to meet the needs of MTN’s subscriber base. Using HSM technologies that offer ATM level security, and a PIN system that prevents sensitive information from residing on the handset, users are entirely safeguarding against theft and fraud.

The solution is also fully compliant with all banking and FICA regulations, enabling banks to login to the system and manage the banking elements of the service while MTN focuses on customer acquisition and retention.

“MTN MobileMoney” doesn’t require users to setup a bank account, instead offering a variety of services; from money transfer, mobile payments and balance checking to mobile purchases, and the ability to buy airtime in real-time. Users have the option to receive a branded “MTN MobileMoney” debit card that can be used to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Tom Alexander, CEO of Orange UK, said: “Today you pay for things by cash or on your credit card. Tomorrow, you’ll use your mobile to buy the things you want, whether that’s on the high street or the internet. These are the services that will change the way we live and work for the better, and are evolving the way we interact with each other and the way that companies serve us.

“The mobile industry is being looked to more and more by companies wanting to evolve the way they do business with their customers, and a key part of our strategy at Orange is to grow and evolve our business in order to provide people with services beyond talk and text. This new partnership with Barclaycard is at the forefront of that kind of thinking, and our customers will benefit from the leading-edge technology that both Orange and Barclaycard can provide.”

The trial will make it possible for Kasikornbank customers to walk into a store that accepts contactless payments and to purchase goods simply by waving a NFC mobile phone over the contactless reader at the point of sale. Purchases will be charged directly to the customer’s Kasikornbank credit card account.

Participants in the Kasikornbank mobile payment trial will use their NFC-enabled Nokia 6212 mobile devices to make purchases at more than 1,000 existing merchant locations in Thailand. Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range wireless connectivity standard that enables intuitive, simple and safe communication between NFC compatible devices. Products with built-in NFC capability can simplify the way consumer devices interact with one another, helping people to receive and share information and make fast and secure payments.

Venyon’s role in the first stage of the Kasikornbank mobile payment trial is a services partner and in future stages a Trusted Service Manager (TSM). TSM provides neutral and trusted services to service providers, such as banks, retailers and transit operators, and to mobile network operators to enable third party NFC applications to be provisioned over the air (OTA) to the NFC-enabled phones and SIM cards.

“Mobile payments are an increasingly critical part of mobile computing, a core component of our Unwired Enterprise strategy,” said Marty Beard, president of Sybase 365. “The sheer number of people with access to a mobile phone in both developed and emerging markets around the world, means the mobile device has the potential to become a dominant vehicle for consumers to connect and transact conveniently, anytime, anywhere, fueling the mobile economy. This acquisition extends our offerings and capabilities to enable this mobile economy.”

A privately held company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Raunheim, Germany, paybox will be integrated into Sybase 365, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sybase, Inc.