kubuntu not detecting usb

[um_nirvani]

im having a hard time connecting phone to my laptop. have been searching for solutions and cudnt make it work:

i can see that the device is connecting properly but not showing up anywhere:

-----------------------
nirvani@MetalMachine:~$ lsusb
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 0fce:0076 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
nirvani@MetalMachine:~$ lsusb | grep -i usb
nirvani@MetalMachine:~$ lsusb | grep -i usb^C
nirvani@MetalMachine:~$ lspci | grep -i usb
00:13.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 USB (OHCI0)
00:13.1 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 USB (OHCI1)
00:13.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 USB (OHCI2)
00:13.3 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 USB (OHCI3)
00:13.4 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 USB (OHCI4)
00:13.5 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB600 USB Controller (EHCI)
nirvani@MetalMachine:~$ tail -10 /var/log/messages
Feb 1 19:33:11 MetalMachine kernel: [24860.193650] USB Mass Storage support registered.
Feb 1 19:33:16 MetalMachine kernel: [24865.193231] scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access Multi Flash Reader 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
Feb 1 19:33:16 MetalMachine kernel: [24865.194623] sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
Feb 1 19:33:16 MetalMachine kernel: [24865.949398] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] 3935232 512-byte logical blocks: (2.01 GB/1.87 GiB)
Feb 1 19:33:16 MetalMachine kernel: [24865.950255] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is on
Feb 1 19:33:16 MetalMachine kernel: [24865.954036] sdb: sdb1
Feb 1 19:33:16 MetalMachine kernel: [24865.958273] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
Feb 1 19:33:29 MetalMachine kernel: [24879.002287] usb 1-5: USB disconnect, address 5
Feb 1 19:50:38 MetalMachine kernel: [25907.104058] usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 6
Feb 1 19:50:38 MetalMachine kernel: [25907.271774] usb 1-1: configuration #4 chosen from 1 choice
nirvani@MetalMachine:~$sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for nirvani:

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x05393231

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 1306 10485760 27 Unknown
/dev/sda2 * 1306 9833 68496094 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 10320 19458 73399296 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 9834 10319 3903795 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 9834 10319 3903763+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
-----------------------

Same problem when i connect digicam or webcam. <Few other usb devices are working fine, i can see a popup window as soon as i connect other devices. Please help,.

[um_nirvani]

any suggestions?