It’s time for another edition of Apps of the Day, covering what’s hot and new in the Android Market. Just a few apps eking their way in before the weekend, but you’ll want to check them out. Nano Panda comes highly recommended, but don’t take our word for it. Actually take our word for it, the word you will find just below.

Nano Panda – Fluffy, small pandas. Nothing’s better than that, right? Nano Panda is a puzzle game by Unit 9 apps that has you destroying “evil atoms that have infiltrated a science lab.” I have to be honest – this game took a while to grow on me. It’s weird, to put it simply. But it’s unique, gets fun and gives you a challenge after a while. If that doesn’t pique your interest, then the music alone will help soothe you on a bad day. Just don’t let the few performance issues spark that bad day back up. [Market]

Credit Usage – This is a simple application, but one I’m sure many could use. Credit Usage offers an alternative to some carriers’ metering solutions. Some provide their own apps, others allow uses to see usage online, and others don’t give you the option at all. And even for those who do present you with said information, often times than not it isn’t very flexible. Credit Usage allows you to meter anything – SMS messages, MMS messages, free calls to others in your countries, international calls, data – everything you could want, really. If you fit the bill of the type of person who’ll need this, be sure to give it a shot. [Market]

BattleBallz – It’s Brick Breaker on steroids. Sort of. I really can’t describe what BattleBallz is because there is so much going on at one time. That’s not a bad thing, though. People who like seeing explosions, lights and chaos will love this game. And it definitely takes a lot of skill to master. Pocketeers boasts great sound and graphics, and more than it looks and sounds good, it has substance. Check it out for just under $ 2. [Market]

Android Phone Fans

Looks as if T-Mobile will be quietly launching a new Unlimited Even More Plus Plan for their customers on April 13th. The plan will include unlimited Talk, Text and Data. Not too shabby if you’re one of those types who doesn’t mind paying full price for their handsets.

Of course, as is the case with T-Mobile, data is really only “unlimited” until you hit that 2 GB ceiling. From there you will be throttled into oblivion for the rest of your billing cycle.

I will definitely be letting my loved ones who are happy with T-Mobile know about this new offer.

[Via T-Mo News]

Android Phone Fans

As gadget users, we are always looking for the next greatest dock or mount that is affordable and does its job as it should. Often times we end up having many different docks or mounts for all of our devices. This can really get on your nerves when traveling or even at home. I know I have 4 different holders sitting on my desk at home for various purposes. I suppose I should say I used to. Now I just have my Spiderpodium and my life has become just that much easier.

Instead of taking a bunch of pictures of this thing sitting on my desk, I thought it might be a bit easier to use some of the photos from Breffo’s photo gallery to give you some ideas on how functional this accessory is.

Not only can you easily use this great accessory for your Android device but you can use it for your camera, iPhone, MP3 players, books, beverages and so much more. As you will notice from the photos the original unit comes in black or white. With 8 fully bendable legs. There is no limit to what this little guy can get its legs around and do for you.

After I received my Spiderpodium, I spent a good 3 hours bending and configuring this unit into anything I could imagine. Since the unit is designed essentially for all your gadget needs, setting this accessory up can take a minute based on the device or function you are going for.  I think this is what sets it apart from the rest though. I wrapped my Vibrant up and hooked it to the stroller while I took my son for a walk and then wrapped it around a pole at the park to take a video of him in a swing. I can already think of at least a dozen other uses for this accessory. For instance, wrapping it around a flash light and hanging it from the hood latch to work on your car.

The casing is made of a rubberized coating which has a great soft touch feel to it. The coating allows for the Spiderpodium to grip on to things while not being clamped to them or cause any damages. The legs can bend in any direction or fashion you desire. Although there are segments located on the legs, the whole leg will bend anywhere you choose to bend it at. aAnother added advantage is how portable it is. It has a very simple design, can fold out flat and pack very easily. Add in the fact that this is not device specific makes its a must have for everyone for any reason.

But wait, there’s more! I love infomercials. The above device is for smaller gadgets and pretty much anything else you can think of for your everyday life. Breffo has a second Spidepodium available. One specifically designed for tablets. This one is much larger and could still be used for many more things then just propping up you Galaxy tab 2.

Now the most important part. How much is one of these Spiderpodiums gonna set you back. Well, you can pick up the standard one which is  aimed at most all portable devices for only $19.99, if you are in need of one of the larger tablet variations you are looking at $34.99. The tablet versions of this unique product are only available for pre-order at the moment. They are expected to ship sometime this month. They will be available in grey and white.

For more information on these units, head on over to Breffo’s home page and take a look.

View full post on AndroidSPIN

We know that a native Netflix app is coming to Android soon. But it’ll be a bit, and it will start with the NEXT generation of Snapdragon processors. So what does that mean for us in the meantime? Well for those of you with Froyo (should be soon for US Galaxy S owners), PlayOn is bringing an app to the Android market that can perhaps scratch your itch for now. At $40 for the first year and $20/year after that (or $80 for a lifetime subscription), PlayOn will bring you an app that will stream Netflix, Hulu, Comedy Central, Amazon VOD, ESPN 3, and more on your phone. The app is available now in the Android market…video advertisement and full press release below.
Read More…

More Streaming Video Comes to Android with PlayOn

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago have been added to the MacTech Boot Camp’s 2011 tour.

View full post on Macworld

We keep seeing more and more good things come from RIM and others on the PlayBook front, and with TAT on board it’s full steam ahead. We already saw a sweet scrapbook application running on the PlayBook, and now the guys from IntoMobile have snagged the above video of some more amazing demos. The first app shown is a media viewer hooked up via HDMI to an external display. It shows extremely well and even has some crazy 3D too. Then we get another look at Scrapbook, and finally check out a multimedia app called Frontrunner. All of them look amazing and really show off the capabilities of the PlayBook. The apps look so smooth and run without a hitch – that "double multitouch" really wows me too. Take a look at the video above for all the goods then sound off in the comments.

Source: IntoMobile

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. TAT shows off more BlackBerry PlayBook capabilities

View full post on CrackBerry.com blogs

The 2011 road map for Dell has landed online and we’re only happy to learn of new Android devices to put on our watch list.  Look for additional smart phones and tablets from the PC giant, including the Millennium, Hancock, and Silver Oak.

The full details are a bit lean at this point but we can hope to expect the Ice Cream (Sandwich) version of Android running on the Hancock with a 4-inch qHD screen, an 8-megapixel (HD) camera, and a front-facing camera of 1.3-megapixels.  Judging by the really tiny image of the road map, the Hancock should feature a 4-row sliding QWERTY keyboard.  The Millennium looks to be a nearly identical handset save for it being a larger (4.3-inch) touch only phone with DLNA support.

On the tablet front, we have even less for the four Android units on the horizon from Dell.  Beginning around April and heading into early 2012, we will see the Gallo (Honeycomb), followed by the Sterling (Q4)  and the  Opus One and Dell Silver Oak in Q1 of next year.  The road map also mentions that a few of the tablets (Gallo, Streak 7)will see handwriting recognition updates later in 2011.

Dell 2011 Road Map Leaks, More Android Smart Phones and Tablets on Horizon originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

You May Also Enjoy…

• T-Mobile’s Confirms Dell Streak 7 at $199.99 After Rebate, Due February 2nd
• Dell Announces Two New Phones for India
• Dell Rumored to Be Working on Dual-Core Streak Successor

View full post on AndroidGuys

The United States might be the land of the free, but we’ve yet to earn freedom for many of the smartphones and Android phones in Asia and Europe that we would otherwise Desire (see what I did there?). It only takes a few specs to quickly put the Toshiba Regza near the top of that list:

The Regza only runs Android 2.1 but with a 12MP camera, NFC chip, and waterproof conditioning it immediately seems like a pretty sweet phone. In my limited time toying with the Regza I was pleasantly surprised. I’m still dying for the day that we get an Android phone with optical zoom, but the pictures on the Regza – at least in the viewfinder – looked quite gorgeous. I tried to share/E-mail them to myself but they have yet to come through… if they do, we’ll be sure to post them here.

A quick look at some of the specs:

• Android 2.1
• 12MP camera (plus a front facing camera)
• Waterproof
• 4-inch screen
• 854 x 480 pixel resolution
• 14.7mm thick
• 149 grams
• Near Field Communications equipped

Now Toshiba needs to bring their Android Phones to the American market (please). I’ve owned two Toshiba laptops and have loved them both. Actually, this very post is being written lovingly from a Toshiba laptop.

If the Toshiba Regza was available in your area, would it make your short list of Android Phones to consider buying?

View full post on Android Phone Fans

We’ve seen plenty of HTC Thunderbolt cases showing up over the past week, despite the fact that a rumored February 14th release date seems to be giving way to an a second rumored February 24th release date. While the first group of cases we saw landed at Best Buy, if I’m not mistaken this is the first group to be found at a Verizon retail store.

The bunch features three different cases: a “high gloss” silicone cover, a snap-on hard cover, and a combo hard case with gel cover all with kickstand cutouts. Interestingly, the hard cover alone and the hard cover/gel combo both cost $24.99, while the gel cover by itself goes for $19.99. We would love to sprinkle in some “well the cases are at Verizon, maybe it will show up sooner than the 24th” speculation, but with the way this release date keeps fluctuating we don’t want to add to the fire. At least we know that when it does show up casing options will be ample.

View full post on Android Phone Fans

In this week’s iPhone 4 case roundup: Hardcore cases that can turn your iPhone into a wall-busting projectile, finely crafted wooden wonders, and a whole lot more.

View full post on Macworld

We’re but a few days away from Mobile World Congress 2011 where we’ll finally be able to put some smart phone rumors to bed.  One handset which has seen its fair share of speculation is the Galaxy S2 from Samsung.  Heading into the annual event, we’re hearing what may be the last batch of specs, from two separate sources.  Hit the break to see what both PocketNow and MobileFun are tossing around.

PocketNow is pointing at few Expansys  details for not only the Galaxy S2, but additional Android smart phones.  As for the Samsung device, these are “nothing more than speculatively populated” specs, but they do match up well with previous whispers.  These guys are saying to look for a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 512MB RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8-megapixel camera, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.  Rounding out the hardware would be support for NFC, HDMI out,  HSPA+, Bluetooth, and GPS. Looking at the processor, we’re somewhat surprised to see a Qualcomm’s 8260 1.2GHz processor with Adreno 205 3D instead of their own Orion chipset.

MobileFun lists mostly similar specifications for the Galaxy S2, but does have a few discrepancies. In this case, we have the dual-core 1.2GHz Samsung Orion processor running things with 1GM RAM. Aside from a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, everything else remains pretty consistent. Android 2.3, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC support, and an “ultra sharp 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen sound about right.

Look for all this to come to a head next week as Samsung unveils the real deal. We’ll be anxiously awaiting and look forward to sharing the news with you guys!

Even More Rumored Samsung Galaxy S2 Specs on Eve of MWC 2011 originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

You May Also Enjoy…

• Leaked MWC Plans Confirm Samsung Galaxy S 2, Tab 2
• Samsung Teases MWC Announcement, “Evolution is Fate”
• Galaxy S2 to be Unveiled at MWC?

View full post on AndroidGuys

MWC is not even here yet and we’ve already confirmed Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play is around the corner.  We even caught a spot for its ad which aired during the Super Bowl yesterday, you can check it out after the break.  Well, it’s time for carriers to start getting on board, and it looks like the first up to bat is O2 in the UK.  O2 tweeted on their official Twitter account that the company would be carrying the device on their network, but no further details were given.  So, for now, no word on cost or whether or not we will see this device hit US stores. Read More…

O2 UK To Get Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play, More Carriers To Follow In April?

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Last week I heard a lot about a new Nokia Beta Labs utility called Nokia Bubbles and I finally went and downloaded it for my Nokia N8. Nokia Bubbles is a utility that lets you interact with your N8 in a rather unique way to perform several different functions, such as unlocking your device, responding to new messages, managing your profile, enabling the flashlight (doesn’t work on N8 with Xenon though), and many more. Check out the more info page for more about what Nokia Bubbles can do and view the video below as well.

Bubbles appears when you press the Apps key while your device is in sleep mode and then you grab a bubble and drag it to a drop point to perform the action.

I am having fun with it and plan to see if my wife likes it on her Nokia N8. I have been playing with it a LOT more and Bubbles is a real kick to have on your device. BTW, while the Xenon flash doesn’t work on the N8, using the Flashlight bubble will turn your display fully white. Any readers try out Bubbles yet?

View full post on Nokia Experts

If you watched the Google event a few years ago or just read our coverage of it, you’ve heard a little talk about “fragments” in the Honeycomb OS. Over at the Android Developer’s Blog, software engineer Dianne Hackborn has shed a little light on exactly what these fragments are, and how they’ll work.

There’s a lot of technical information in the post, so it’s definitely worth a good read if you’re interested in the developer side of the platform. For the rest of you, the interesting part is that fragments are a way of organizing information and pulling it across various parts of the app. She also mentioned that fragment technology will be rolling back across to older Android versions, all the way back to 1.6. No word on the “when” of it, but it’ll be coming down the pipe.

Android Software Engineer Explains More Detail on Fragments

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

T-Mobile USA unit may be close to a deal to buy wireless spectrum from Clearwire, reports Business Week.

The sale of the spectrum could happen by the end of the first quarter, one of the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity. T-Mobile USA isn’t in a rush to buy spectrum and can demand a financially advantageous deal, which may happen in the near term, another person said.

T-Mobile, the fourth-largest mobile-phone operator in the U.S. after Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc. and Sprint Nextel, accounts for about a quarter of the German company’s sales. The company may fund the spectrum purchase with proceeds from the sale of its U.S. telecommunications towers, valued at $2 billion by analysts.

Clearwire has lots of spectrum available at 2.6 GHz. The company has some 120 MHz available in most urban areas but uses only about 30MHz for its currently operation WiMAX (4G) service (at 10 MHz per sector). Clearwire is also testing multi-mode service, in Phoenix, where it is offering plain vanilla WiMAX, while simultaneously testing FDD-LTE and TD-LTE service using both 10 Mhz and 20 Mhz channels.

In addition to the 80-90 MHz of 2.6 GHz (4G) spectrum at 2.6 GHz, satellite carriers like Lightspeed/Inmarsat (at 1.6 GHz) and Terrestar/ICO (at 2 GHz). Both may soon offer more than 20 MHz each of nationwide spectrum as an adjunct to their satellite backbone.

The FCC last month laid out a roadmap for satellite players to sell terrestrial-only devices using their satellite spectrum, reports industry analyst Tim Farrar. DISH Networks has agreed to acquire DBSD (ICO) for $1B. In conjunction with TerreStar, which is also valued at roughly $1B in its bankruptcy, this creates the opportunity for potential partners to consider using a rival 40MHz block of 2GHz MSS spectrum instead of investing in LightSquared or Clearwire.

DBSD and TerreStar (using 2 GHz) and Lightsquared and Inmarsat (using 1.6 GHz) are valuable not just because of their huge operational $250 million satellites, but because their spectrum can now be used terrestrially, via the Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) rules of the FCC.

• Echostar’s Charlie Ergen is maneuvering for control of both DBSD and TerreStar. That may result in his virtual control of the MSS satellite band (2 x 20 MHz).
• Lightsquared and Inmarsat use the L-Band (1.6 GHz spectrum). Lightsquared is paying Inmarsat to use some of their spectrum for a similar spectrum grab in the L-Band (1.6GHz). Lightsquared has a $7 billion commitment with Nokia Siemens Networks to build their ground-based LTE network.

Still, T-Mobile USA strategy presentation (pdf) last month poured cold water on expectations that T-Mobile has a pressing need to acquire more spectrum. The company stated that it would not need additional spectrum until 2014.

Related DailyWireless stories includes; Charlie’s Big Play, T-Mobile: No Spectrum Deal…Yet,
T-Mobile Makes Its (4G) Move, FCC Green Lights Lightsquared, LightSquared: In Trouble?, Lightsquared Unfurled, MetroPCS Eyes TerreStar, SkyTerra 1 Launched, Broadband Satellites: Black Hole?, MSS: Stuck in Space, Satellite with 328 ft Antenna to Launch, SkyTerra 1 Launched,

View full post on dailywireless.org

Maybe my memory escapes me… but the last time I remember using their Samsung Unpacked promotional website was a LONG time ago. A friendly tipster (thanks Eric!) wrote in to let us know the site has been updated and it’s all about the Galaxy goodness we’ll be getting at MWC 2011.

Two promotional videos tell us almost nothing… except that Samsung will be announcing the next Galaxy S device.

Beyond the teaser Samsung has 3 hidden videos named D-1, D-2, and D-3:

To me that sounds pretty darn ripe for a 3D announcement… you know… 3 different dimensions? LG just announced their Optimus 3D and I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung followed suit. But I thought we already knew Samsung would announce the Galaxy Tab 2 and Galaxy S2?

In fact, the unpacked site seems to tip off that the Galaxy S2 will be one of the devices on hand. Notice the “Galaxy S II” in the finer white print?

If you won’t be in Barcelona you can always tune into Phandroid for all the news you’ll need, but as you can see above, Samsung will also be broadcasting the event live.

What do you think Samsung will be announcing? Any surprises you care to predict?

View full post on Android Phone Fans

Is there anything better than waking up to your inbox and receiving some good news?  Yeah, how about an inbox with an email from Google inviting you to an Android event at the Googleplex in Mountain View?  That’s right, Google has stated on Feb 2nd, they will be holding an event to discuss “an in-depth look at Honeycomb, Android ecosystem news and hands-on demos”.  We can’t help but wonder if Google has something new in store for us.  It’s not like Google to just hold an event for a mere summary of Honeycomb.  Maybe we’ll hear some discussion on all of these 2.4 sightings or whether or not Honeycomb will be configured to operate on a smartphone?  We can hope can’t we?  Yes we can, and shall.  In any event, stay tuned to Talk Android because we’ll be covering the event and reporting back to you first hand.

Google has also provided a way for you to stream the event live, for those of us who sadly, can’t make the event.  What do you want to see come out of all of this ?   Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Google Announces Android Event For February 2nd, Touts An In Depth Look At Honeycomb And More

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Keep in mind – this is CDMA (hence why you’re not seeing Torch2 or apollo listed). Also means
we could see GSM releases sooner than the CDMA timeline above… plus things often change from plan.

In the last couple of weeks we’ve learned a lot about RIM’s 2011 BlackBerry pipeline thanks to a handful of device leaks. After months (and in some cases over a year) of speculation, we saw specs and renderings show up for the dakota (touchscreen GSM Bold), monaco (aka Storm 3, though possibly will not fall under Storm branding at launch), Torch 2 and apollo (new curve). All that was followed by rumors of another Curve, sedona. Despite the windfall, what we’ve been looking at only told about 65% of the story. Today, thanks to a whack load of CDMA carrier roadmap slides, we can further fill in the gaps and clarify the codenames and even product names of what’s coming up in 2011, including an entirely new device that really hasn’t been touched on yet (Curve Touch!).

Further BlackBerry Smartphone Roadmap Highlights and Clarifications

• new BlackBerry Bold Touch: dakota is the GSM version, while montana is the CDMA version
• next gen Curve: apollo is the GSM version, while sedona is the CDMA version
• new Curve Touch: not previously mentioned, malibu is a new CDMA touchscreen Curve (likely to be a GSM one in the works too of course)

On the BlackBerry 6.1 front, beyond what we learned at DevCon Asia, we can see some of the other goodies coming our way. Included in the update is a faster user experience via "liquid graphics", a faster web browser experience (thanks to hardware acceleration and more mhz in the new devices), more homescreen customization options and even voice-activated universal search. 

All in all, things are really starting to make sense and look good! There’s plenty to look at below, so keep reading and be sure to sound off in the comments with your thoughts!

read more

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Exclusive: CDMA BlackBerry Roadmap 2011 – Montana, Monaco, Sedona, Malibu, BlackBerry 6.1 Evolution and more!

View full post on CrackBerry.com blogs

If you’re not sick and tired of hearing about the Sony Xperia Arc, then you’re in the right place.  The folks over at HDBlog.it managed to get their hands on some more juicy footage of the Arc in all of its glory.  They have provided a whopping 15 minutes plus with the device.  This smartphone still rings impressive since it was first displayed at CES.  So, without further ado, check out the videos below.  HDblog was even kind enough to produce an English version for those struggling to catch up on their Italian.  And as always, let us know what you think in the comments below. Read More…

Xperia Arc Gets Extended Footage And More Hands On Treatment

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Often times we focus all our efforts on finding the latest and greatest games from top developers and companies. The beautiful thing about the Android market is we have no lack of applications. Some would argue that it is often flooded with garbage, others back it up as a way to stay open. No matter how you look at it, there is always something wonderful to find.

In this case it’s a company called href="http://www.appbrain.com/browse/dev/Defianted+Development">Defianted Development. Not to be confused with Defiant Development, who brought us “ href="http://androidspin.com/2010/12/15/quick-look-rocket-bunnies-an-action-puzzle-game-that-rocks/" target="_blank">Rocket Bunnies.” Still, they have brought us a lot of game applications that I feel have slipped under the radar of most users. With so many applications, it is hard to focus on just one or a couple. I’ll give you a look into just a few here in this article and might follow up with another later next week.

The company has focused primarily on moving games from needing an emulator to being a standalone application. That is a very novel idea. It should help some of the less technical-minded avoid the trouble of searching for BIOS and ROMs. Although, judging from the comments on the market, some of these seem to be a hit and miss. I can’t find anything that narrows it down to a certain device or potential user error. I have personally had no issues with any of their applications.

Enough about that. Let’s take a look at some games already!

When we first told you guys about Rocket Bunnies for Android, the comments piled up claiming the game was indeed a blast, some even comparing its addiction to compareable to Angry Birds. Good news: we just got a note from our friends at Defiant Development letting us know about a HUGE update to the game that will have enthusiasts happy and newbs with a boat load more to dive into.

What new goodies can you expect?

• 30 new levels
• New enemies
• New obstacles
• Hidden hats

Take a look at the newness in action – the company sent us this exclusive screenshot that comes straight from the new version of the game:

I was also pleasantly surprised to find them commending the community for helping them improve the app. This is the type of attention to detail that makes great developers- not only making a great product but continually improving it for the people that matter most. A snippet directly from the horse’s mouth:

A massive shout out to the Android community for helping us catch bugs and add features. Your comments and feedback have helped us make this the best Rocket Bunnies yet. Here’s some things the community has helped with :

- Reduction of size on SD-Card was fixed as a priority.
- No crash on screen lock.
- Addition of a little bit of narrative set-up – check out the revised 1st level in the Carrot Galaxy to see what we’ve added!
- Lots of subtle improvements to the shell and navigation in order to make the interface clearer.
- Removed the need to check phone status. Now runs with less permissions and less intrusiveness.
- Turn off sound and music from the pause menu.

For those that aren’t familiar with the game, here is a preview of the original version of the game:

Now go download, play, and report back!

View full post on Android Phone Fans

Today, Sprint introduced a $10 price hike on their 3G smartphones. Sprint customers who get a new smartphone will have to pay $10 more for their data plan. Sprint says smartphones use more data since it introduced its $69 Simply Everything plan and it had to adjust prices.

The $10 Premium Data add-on charge previously applied only to WiMAX-enabled smarphones like Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G, HTC EVO Shift 4G and Samsung Epic 4G. Now all Sprint smartphone owners will pay the $10 “premium” whether they use slower 3G data (EV-DO Rev A) or faster 4G (WiMAX) data.

Sprint says its price plans of are below AT&T’s and Verizon’s for a comparable plan, but they’re above T-Mobile’s. AT&T abandoned its unlimited data plans last year in favor of limited, while Verizon Wireless is trying out a cheaper limited plan along with a more expensive “unlimited plan”. Verizon does not offer a “4G” data plan for smartphones — it’s currently only available using a dongle.

Bill Shrink has a comparison of data plans.

• AT&T changed its data pricing model last June. The $30 “unlimited” smartphone data plan was dropped for two new tiered pricing options: $15 per month for 200MB (“DataPlus”) or $25 for 2GB (“DataPro”). On the $25 plan, you’ll pay $10 for each additional GB.
• Verizon offers 150-megabits of data for $15 a month, in a move to lure in new smartphone customers. Verizon’s new iPhone data plan (using CDMA-based EVDO Rev A), offers “unlimited” data for $30 per month, in contrast to AT&T. Verizon sets a separate 5GB data limit on its $30 tethering option and on data plans for USB modems.
  
• Sprint’s $69.99 a month, Everything Data with Any Mobile, Anytime includes unlimited messaging and web access, but the plan only includes 450 anytime minutes for voice calling. Limited data fees are 2GB for $25.00 and 200MB for $15.00.
  
• T-Mobile offers a limited 200-megabyte data plan for $10 a month, making it among the lowest in the industry. T-Mobile’s “Even More Plus” plans apply to customers who bring their own phones to the carrier or buy them from T-Mobile at unsubsidized prices, and can save $10-$20 a month, but you have to go to a T-Mobile store to get it. T-Mobile’s wireless data plans include a $24.99/200 MB monthly plan and a $39/5GB monthly plan. T-Mobile’s provides HSPA+ on their AWS band, which they call “4G”.

Prepaid Wireless Guide compares various Prepaid Wireless Broadband Plans.

All four of the nation’s leading carriers, along with their smaller competitors MetroPCS and Leap Wireless, are grappling with how to address skyrocketing data usage, and T-Mobile and Verizon will ultimately have to decide whether to follow Sprint into increase prices on unlimited service, or follow AT&T into tiered plans and usage caps, concludes Light Reading.

Related Dailywireless articles include; AT&T Data Caps Extend to Femtocells, AT&T’s New Data Plans, T-Mobile: Now HSPA+ Coverage for 75M, Clear: No Limits, and Phoney Spectrum Scarcity.

View full post on dailywireless.org

Market research firm ABI sees a future where Femtocells will be able to improve home security, personal safety and help integrate smartphones with TVs, laptops and media players, in addition to improving cellular coverage in the home.

View full post on Macworld

OverDrive, a distributor of popular ebooks and audiobooks has released their media console application for Android devices.  The app allows you to download digital content to your device from over 30,000 libraries, schools and universities, including local libraries near you.  OverDrive also states that they are currently working on a version of their app for tablets.  Currently, the  application is on version 2.0 and supports the following features:

• Read Adobe® EPUB eBooks.
• Find libraries using the new ‘Get Books’ feature.
• Listen to MP3 Audiobooks.

Hit up the break for the full press release and head on over to our apps database to download the app via the source link.

Cleveland, OH, Jan. 4, 2011 – OverDrive (www.overdrive.com ), the leading global distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, and digital content to libraries and schools, has released apps for iPhone® and Android™ that enable users to download library eBooks and audiobooks directly to their devices for the first time. The free apps include a “Get Books” feature that guides users to their local library’s digital catalog of best-selling and new release titles, allowing them to easily browse, check out, and download with just their device. More than 13,000 public libraries, schools, colleges, and universities now offer eBook and audiobook downloads via OverDrive, including institutions in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and nine other countries. Read More…

OverDrive Lets You Download eBooks and Audiobooks From Your Local Library and More

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates