Google Maps Navigation is now available for Android 1.6. It is noteworthy that Google had launched the application earlier for Android 2.0 but 1.6 was left out. Various cell phone handset owners who had Android 1.6 on their phones were disappointed, but there’s a reason for them to be ecstatic now.  A large number of users love the navigation because it is free and gives turn by turn directions of maps.

Google has been providing free mapping software for a variety of smartphones. Though Google’s free services might be killing market for other small service providers who generate revenue by selling their navigational applications, yet the good news for users is that Google Maps Navigation, which was earlier available for Android 2.0 is now available for Android 1.6 also. There’s no monthly fee and since the application connects to internet, you don’t need to purchase any updates of map.

Phones running Android 1.6 can download an updated version from Android Market now. The early adopters of the Android platform were left out since the navigation facility was not for latest version of Android. It is noteworthy that earlier Google earlier announced that Android 2.0 will be running its navigation application.

The phones that were left out earlier from the Google Map Navigation can take a sigh of relief as their cell phones running on Android 1.6 will also be able to use the navigation facility. Google only recently made the announcement that its navigation facility will be available for Android 1.6 also. The application is free of cost and provides directions by using Smartphone’s embedded GPS and internet connection.

Several other services which provide paid services for navigational applications would be hit as the latest announcement by Google will kill their market. This will be a tough time for them. Anyways, users will have a great time using the navigational application running on their mobile handsets.

Cricket Wireless, known for their affordable plans, has now opened for business in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  For Cricket, this is their first attempt to build a brand presence in Louisiana markets, and gives them new coverage from the TX/LA border to east of Lake Charles.

What does this recent addition do for Cricket’s overall coverage? According to press releases, this will increase their footprint by 1,367 square miles.  From Leap’s (Cricket’s parent company) perspective this new market gives them continuous coverage from southwestern Texas to Crowley, Louisiana.  The total geographic area accounts for over 27,000 square miles and nationally brings their covered POPs to 91.3 million.

With Cricket’s new Louisiana wireless services will also come 30 new jobs. These are welcomed additions to the area during such difficult economic times.  The bulk of these jobs will be provided by wireless retailers offering Cricket service plans.

Cricket believes that the pricing on their plans uniquely positions them to increase market share. Their plans cost $30-$60 a month and include services that would be more expensive with comparable plans at most competitors’ rates.  Included in Cricket plans are: unlimited any time minutes, unlimited U.S. long distance, unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited texting to Mexico, just to name a few.  Cricket also offers daily rates as low as $1 through their PAYGo plans.  For these plans, Cricket will offer their customers about twelve different cell phones from which to choose.

In addition to the phone services, Cricket will offer low cost broadband services in the Lake Charles coverage area.  The broadband service can be purchased by those who have an existing account with Cricket as part of their package, or it can also be bought as a stand-alone service.  Cricket will offer their newest market all these services in the same manner they do all their other coverage areas; without signed contracts or credit checks.

Simple Mobile, a new Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), has hit the market with its crazy rates of $40 for unlimited voice plan across US.  Simple Mobile launched its operations with SIM card plans for GSM users. The three plans it has offered are; $40 for unlimited talk plan, $45 for unlimited talk and text messages and $50 for unlimited talk, text and web costs.

For $40, Simple Mobile offers unlimited local, long distance and 411, voicemail, caller id and call waiting. For $45, it offers unlimited US and Global text in addition to all services for previous plan. For $50, Simple Mobile offers mobile web, IM, MMS, email and social networks up to 20MB in addition to all services for previous plan. Users can double their data to 40MB for another $5 per month. That’s good enough an offering.

The wireless prepaid market is getting stiffer with the introduction of Simple Mobile’s unlimited plans. Some other carrier is expected to follow soon with better or equivalent plans.

Simple mobile offers a collection of 6 simple handsets (Alcatel Tribe OT-800, OT-363 and OT-303, Nokia 6030, BlackBerry Pearl Flip, and Motorola RAZR). About 180 other models too can run its services.

The users don’t need to sign any contract nor have their credits checked. Simple Mobile provides porting facility from other numbers upon request. The company will assist users whose handsets need additional programming. Customers can activate their own GSM handsets with Simple Mobile plans.

On its website, Simple Mobile provides a coverage map and it seems it is operating on T-mobile network. But it might be coincidental too.

There are certainly many customers out there waiting for no contract and unlimited plan. May be the present prepaid carriers have something to worry about now.

Austin and San Antonio, Texas were the two cities lucky enough to experience Clearwire and Sprint’s unveiling of their WiMax technology today. The WiMax is a 4G network that will ultimately serve to optimize the efficiency and mobility of service for their customers. Essentially, the WiMax system is like an upgrade but for wifi—bridging the ever-shrinking gap between …as it helps to make every handheld wireless devices to become every bit as efficient and capable as large modems, hard drives, engines and hardware.

This also serves as a potentially lucrative business incentive for Sprint and Clearwire, as the prospect for faster and more efficient service is made readily available for their clients upon the purchase of 4G equip devices such as modems, laptops and other various 4G embedded processor devices.

At present, Sprint’s nationwide communications consists mainly of 3G networking. They currently enjoy the title of being the nation’s largest 3G network and they are looking to expand that into 4G territory. Together with Clearwire, they have already introduced widespread 4G coverage to the public in Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston Salem and Greensboro and by the end of the year plan to have made it available in more than a dozen cities nationwide.

As of now, it is not clear exactly why Sprint and Clearwire have chosen the select cities, nor do we know the specifics of the proposed 4G devise that they have on the horizon. One can only guess, however, that they have chosen Second tier cities, surrounded by relatively rural or sparsely-populated areas in order to ascertain and to more closely examine to what extent exactly, the new and improved technology will have on society as a whole. What is certain is that such a move can only help Sprint to further secure its position as a nation’s leading service provider, as today we see once again, another innovative thrust towards an increasingly informational-driven society.

There has been a considerable dearth as far as Flash support for iPhones and iPod Touches, and most of the Android devices as well, which has made it hard for any video sites that are Flash-based to get into the action as far as the bourgeoning market of video consumer devices and Smartphones. Apple iDevice and Android users everywhere will likely be delighted to hear that there are new offerings starting today that they can use on their gadgets of choice.

The ever popular YouTube website was able to implement a way in which they could work around the issue by encoding all of the up-loaded videos in two separate files, Flash and .mp4 but other sites have not been able to get into the same mode, and have been left out in the cold. Unfortunately for those who use these devices, YouTube was about the only website that was able to make this king of magic happen, and iPhone and Android users have had to be patient and bide their time waiting for others to come on board.

Fortunately, there has been a breakthrough that will allow Vimeo to bring out some support for iPhones and Androids, even though it will have to be on a limited platform. Vimeo has solved this lock out problem by re-encoded the favorites and High-Def video showcases to enable them to play on iPhones and iPod Touches, as well as on an Android handset. Mobile friendly Vimeo's busy website ought to have these available today for interested iPhone and Android users. Therefore, for those who have an unlocked iPhone cell phone, iPod Touch, or Android and have been anxiously awaiting the promised files, a virtual trip on the web with a stop at Vimeo will perhaps net them some long-awaited support for their favorite mobile device.

Analysts are estimating that 100,000 Verizon DROID smartphones, dubbed the “iPhone killer” were sold in the first weekend alone since the phone's launch. The DROID's comparisons to the iPhone come from the similarity of their features, and sales show that consumers are eager to embrace the DROID. Experts estimated that the iPhone's first weekend sales back in July of 2007 were up to 246,000 units, while the record for a Sprint device opening weekend sales goes to the Palm Pre, which sold over 50,000 the weekend of its launch in June 2009. The high sales for the DROID may not seem to be a match for those of the iPhone, but keeping in mind that the iPhone was a standout in the field of mobile phones at the time of its launch while the DROID has a number of similar models to compete with; its sales are still impressive.

What is so special about the DROID that would drive the sale of an estimated 100,000 units in one weekend? In addition to the voice-activated commands, the DROID offers a 5 megapixel camera (much higher quality than the typical 2 or 3 megapixels usually available with mobile phones), GPS, Wi-Fi, and the performance enhancing Android 2 technology. One of the most talked-about apps offers Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation, at not charge. Not only does the program navigate, but also it will include street view photographs, and instantaneous traffic reports. The Motorola phone also has a feature that updates the address book with information culled from the Facebook profiles of the owners' friends. The innovative features, reports of high quality performance, and affordability factor are strengthening the DROID as a legitimate competitor to the iPhone unlocked. After selling 100,000 units in the first weekend alone, there is a good chance that the DROID's sales figures will climb even further, solidifying its status as a must-have device.

The strength of Android technology was recently affirmed this weekend with incredible sales following the launch of the Verizon DROID, largely driven by excitement over the phone's reputation for high quality performance and unique features. In addition to the DROID, other cell phones using the Android platform, such as the DROID Eris and the Sprint moment have recently become available. There are literally thousands of apps for the DROID, with a select few standing out from the rest.

The apps generating the most buzz include: Flixster, Meridian, Flyscreen, Nesoid, Twidroid, Qik/Ustream, TED, Barcode Reader, 3Banana, and Power Manager. All of these are free except for Nesoid, which costs $1.99, and Power manager, coming in at $.99. Flixster provides information on movies, reviews and show times. Meridian is considered the best media player for the Android system and plays MP3, MP4, OGG and 3GPP files. Flyscreen is a lock screen replacement offering widgets on a customizable canvas. Nesoid is a highly-reviews NES emulator, which also comes in a Lite version. Twidroid is a Twitter client, as could be guessed from its creative name. Qik/Ustream are two of the many video streaming service available with Android. TED, which features a diverse array of lectures from the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference, is one of the highest reviewed apps. Barcode Reader and Power Manager are self-explanatory, while 3Banana syncs notes and images from the mobile to your computer.

While Meridian, Nesoid, and TED have so far been the highest reviewed features, room for improvement in some of the apps has also been noted. Meridian is considered the best media player for Android, although the general performance of media players with Android cell phones has been criticized significantly. Users will enjoy the TED app as a fun educational tool, with access to lectures from speakers such as Bill Clinton with the touch of a button. These ten apps may be some of the best Android has to offer, but there are many more quality apps out there waiting to be explored as well.

Gas is not the only one with the right to a price hike, just recently, cell phone usage might experience a price hike as well -at least to Verizon customers.

Raising early termination fees for advanced devices seems like being held hostage. A year ago Verizon and other cell phone service providers were pushed by the FCC and a number of consumers to lessen their Early Termination Fee (EFT). It gained a lot of attention when Verizon Wireless paid $21 million to settle a California lawsuit.

Before that, most of the major carriers, including Verizon of course, stonewalled the issue but by October, AT&T started relaxing its EFT rules. Due to the incident, the FCC focused on the EFT thing with Chairperson Kevin Martin favoring a nationwide resolution with regards to termination fees. Verizon seconded Martin's suggestion of prorating of fees and cell phone users thought the EFT problem has already been buried.

Just yesterday, news came out that Verizon is doing a price hike on termination fees. Verizon customers are now saying that Verizon used to be a great service provider. Now the average American says, it is nothing but a big rip off. Some people used to have two accounts and 5 phones or more with the service provider but because of their fees here and there, the giant is now losing customers left and right.

Enter the early termination fee and this will escalate to lawsuits (yet again). We are still in a recession and even if they say that the economy is getting better, it is still difficult to make enough money. Now, who can afford high fees on top of other fees “incurred” during your contract with any of these big companies and if you want to terminate your contract because you cannot make ends meet -they will charge you with higher fees (again).

In one way or another we've all done something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csMb168uHx4[/youtube]

Can you relate? Send us your comments / experience of something similar.

We recently came across this article on CNN that talked about high roaming charges and we thought it would be a good idea to bring it up on the blog.

The article talks about P. Morgan Brown and "when his wife decided to take a spur-of-the-moment vacation to Indonesia."  When she got back from the trip her "Verizon bill came to a staggering $8,000. Text-messages home cost an astounding $2.50 each and the meter was running at an eye-popping $1.75 a minute for phone calls."

Now Mrs. Brown's case is an exception but it's happening more and more.  People aren't realizing the charges and the roaming rates they are being charged.

This problem isn't happening just with overseas travel.  Steven Frischling, a New York travel consultant, returned from a recent trip to Detroit to find a $500 international phone bill.  The problem wiht his bill was he was in Detroit which meant it wasn't actually roaming.  The problem was the Apple iPhone he used kept picking up signal from the Canadian towers.  He was able to prove that he was in Detroit and the charges were eventually reveresed.

The article gives 5 things you can do to alleviate those high charges

1. Buy another phone.  That's right when you get over to the place you are going by a local service with pre-paid SIM card.  Likely this will be a cheaper alternative then the roaming charges.  We are sure that a local cell phone place would have been better then an $8000 bill.

2. Get a plan.  If you want to keep you phone and still use your carriers service then consider getting a international plan.  One where roaming is included.

3. Go VOIP.  VOIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol is a feature that lets you make a call over the internet rather then over the cell phone towers.  You may have heard of Skype.  This is a VOIP service and if you are make Skype to Skype calls then calling is free anywhere in the world.  You can be in the US and calling someone in China and you wouldn't pay a dime.

4. Swap Cards.  Probably the most convenient way.  If you have a GSM cell phone you can get it unlocked or you can buy an unlocked cell phone.  By doing this it lets you use the same phone you are use to but simply remove the SIM card in the phone and replace it with one locally.  Basically this gives you the option of getting a local plan but not having to buy a phone.  This is good since you can generally pick up a SIM card in most convenience stores.  You basically are turning your cell phone into a pre-paid service.  When you get back state-side simply put your regular SIM card back in and you'll have your old service without the charges.

5. Leave your phone at home.  If you really want to be sure then simply don't bring your phone.  If it's not out of the country then it can't get high roaming charges.