Kernel Oops - BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at (null); RIP: 0010:[<0000000000000000>] [<(null)>] (null)

Startup from cold gives flash-bang logo in Notification Area about kernel problem. Has occurred 2 out of 2 times - upgraded to 10.10 beta from 10.04 (latest patches) yesterday (05/09/2010). No other issues noticed yet, sound wi-fi etc still working as per out of box. This is my first bug - I assume the apport report is being attached automatically; I will also attach the logs described below.

I have an internal Gobi 2000 3G card which was working under 10.04 with some tweaking (gobi_loader etc). I only mention this as the crash looks like it occurs around the USB detection phase, right after bluetooth, and the Gobi is logically the next device:
martin@martin-vaio:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 0489:e00f Foxconn / Hon Hai
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 05c6:9224 Qualcomm, Inc. Sony Gobi 2000 Wireless Modem (QDL mode)
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 05ca:18b7 Ricoh Co., Ltd
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 147e:1001 Upek
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

I note that the gobi_loader is not initialising this device currently (haven't played with trying to tweak this yet - but basically once firmware is loaded properly device 05c6:9224 should become 05c6:9225).

ProblemType: KernelOops
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: linux-image-2.6.35-19-generic 2.6.35-19.28
Regression: Yes
Reproducible: Yes
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-19.28-generic 2.6.35.3
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-19-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Annotation: Your system might become unstable now and might need to be restarted.
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC275 Analog [ALC275 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: martin 1765 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xde100000 irq 48'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC275'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0275,104d4100,00100005'
   Controls : 11
   Simple ctrls : 7
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'NVidia'/'HDA NVidia at 0xd3000000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Nvidia GT21x HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10de000b,104d4100,00100100'
   Controls : 16
   Simple ctrls : 4
Date: Mon Sep 6 07:12:08 2010
Failure: oops
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=065c34d0-b35c-4380-a170-86ddea41ac2e
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
MachineType: Sony Corporation VPCS11C5E
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-19-generic root=UUID=7b0d0b92-7080-4148-90d8-e1b242ee38be ro splash vga=799 quiet splash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.38
SourcePackage: linux
Title: BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at (null)
dmi.bios.date: 06/11/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: INSYDE
dmi.bios.version: R0300Q3
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnINSYDE:bvrR0300Q3:bd06/11/2010:svnSonyCorporation:pnVPCS11C5E:pvrC1043F7K:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: VPCS11C5E
dmi.product.version: C1043F7K
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation