March 28 - 10:45am EDT   Cuba will start offering cellphone access to normal citizens, the country's state-run company ETECSA said today. Previously limited to certain government workers as well as outsiders roaming on the network, the cellular service should now be available to all Cubans within a few days. Exact pricing and the phones on offer are unknown, though the service is unlikely to include American companies such as Motorola or Palm due to trade sanctions. [full story]

March 13 - 1:05pm EDT   The new president of Cuba, Raul Castro, has formally lifted a ban on the sale of computers and other consumer electronics such as DVD players, say reports. "Based on the improved availability of electricity, the government at the highest level has approved the sale of some equipment which was prohibited," reads an internal government memo obtained by Reuters. Car alarms, microwaves, and rice and pressure cookers are among the other devices Cubans can now buy; TV sizes have expanded to include 19- and 24-inch models. [full story]