AMERICANS APPEAR TO BE moving closer to a goal of using mobile handsets to accomplish financial transactions and make purchases as several competing market players align on both technology and objectives, says research firm In-Stat. Although 2008 will not be "the year of mobile payments" in the U.S., some progress is likely, says a new report from the company. "There is evidence that the U.S. market may overcome a crucial issue ‘technology incompatibility’ and make progress during 2008 toward contactless payments using cell phones," said David Chamberlain, In-Stat analyst, in the press release. "Companies in several different sectors all ultimately...