Google Latitude Now Available on the iPhone, iPad

Google Maps was a built-in applicaiton in the iPhone since the 1st version back in the year 2007. All these years, while other phones running OSes like Android or Symbian enjoyed Google Latitude - a friend locator-tracking feature as part of Google Maps, Apple had rejected the iPhone version of the app previously. Now, you can download the newest version of the Latitude app on all recent iOS devices like the iPhone 3GS (sorry iPhone 3G users), iPhone 4, iPod Touch 3rd and 4th generation and the iPad. It will require your iDevice to have iOS 4.0 or above installed. 

With Latitude, your friends (ideally, people you know rather well) can know your current location on a Google map. Latitude lets you share your location in the background, even when the application is closed or your device screen is locked. As a measure for your privacy, you can share only city-level location, hide your location or turn off background updating at any time. It may sound creepy to some, but a few could also find it useful. Consider that you are reaching some unknown place where your friend has already reached - thus that person could turn on Latitude, and you just have to navigate to them. 

Check it out on the Apple iTunes website here.

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Tata DOCOMO 3G Tariff Plans Announced

Tata DoCoMo had launched third-generation GSM telephony services dubbed as 3G Live in India last week. Now, the company has revealed the tariff details for Basic 3G Plans, Data Plans and even Voice+Data plans for consumers in nine Indian circles. 

Telecom Talk has put up the tariff plans for TATA DoCoMo's 3G Life services. 

Tata Docomo 3G services are available in all the nine circles where it has the 3G license-Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, UP (West), Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra-Goa. All plans announced would be effective from November 10 in the aforementioned nine circles. Now let's take a look at different 3G Life plans announced by Tata DoCoMo. 

For those who just want to try out 3G Data plans can look out for 3G Data Top-ups which are basic data packs. To begin or experience 3G, one can go for Data Top Up of " Rs. 90 that offers 100MB usage at 21Mbps with a validity of a week. Furthermore if you want to try it out for a month (30 Days) you can go for:

- Rs. 200 Top-up with 200MB usage at 21Mbps 
- Rs. 500 Top-up with 650MB usage at 21Mbps
- Rs. 2000 Top-up for unlimited usage at 21Mbps till 15GB of download and then the speed drops to 256Kbps.

Also, a typical Video Call would cost 0.66 paise per second which sums up to almost 0.40 paise per minute. We're sure you'd rather go for video chat over the Internet connection because Video calls over 3G would require more bandwidth. Unless you don't care for the bills, Video calling is going to be a costly affair.

Small Screen Voice and Data Plans:
Meant for 3G supporting smartphones, these plans are available for both Pre-paid and Post-paid Tata DOCOMO subscribers. Check out the plan tariffs below:

- In addition, there is also a plan available only on Prepaid for Rs." 350. This has 500 minutes (Local+STD) and 150 MB of 3G Data
- These minutes can be used for ALL local, STD and outgoing roaming calls-all calls are on a per-second pulse
- The options are designed at various price points to cater to different consumption levels
- The above voice call minutes and 3G Data plans have a validity of 30 days
- Plans available in both Post-paid and Pre-paid, so customers can choose their payment preference


Unlimited 3G Life:
Carefree Internet users who seek blazing fast browsing as well as download speeds without worrying about the bills should take a look at the Unlimited 3G Life Plans.

High Speed 'Unlimited' 3G Data Card Plan for Rs. 2,000 has been announced wherein subscribers would get 15 GB of data usage at a speed of 21.1 Mbps and beyond 15 GB would be free 3G with lower speed of 128 kbps.

Tata DoCoMo certainly is bit costly as compared to the BSNL 3G Plans available today. Now we shall wait for other mobile operators including two telecom stalwarts - Airtel and Vodafone to roll out 3G services and reveal their 3G tariffs in the country.

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Apple Sued for Updates making Phones Unusable

Every time Apple releases a major iOS update, older iPhone and iPod touch owners get disappointed. One such disgruntled person - Bianca Wofford from San Diego has filed a class action lawsuit against Apple for false advertising, unfair and deceptive business practices by encouraging iPhone 3G users to download iOS 4. Apparently, Wofford stated in the suit that the iOS 4 software update "rendered the iPhone 3G devices virtually unusable, constantly slowed, crashed or frozen".

Apple had released iOS 4.0 software udpate back in June and stated that a few new features like multi-tasking won t work on iPhone 3G. Wofford's lawyers wrote in the lawsuit (PDF) - "The true fact of the matter is that the iOS 4 is a substantial 'downgrade' for earlier iPhone devices and renders many of them virtually useless iBricks."

Wofford contended that not allowing iPhone 3G downgrade from iOS 4 to iOS 3.x was Apple's attempt to willfully manipulated consumers into purchasing the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4. And due to the iOS 4 update, Wofford claimed that her iPhone 3G had gone from 99 percent reliability to "about 20 percent functionality".

Back in July, an Apple spokeswoman had acknowledged that the company was aware of the lag in performance of iPhone 3G post iOS 4 update and would be working on a fix. At the September 4 event keynote, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that the bug that lead to poor performance of iPhone 3G with iOS 4.0 would be solved in the iOS 4.1 firmware which was released on September 8.

The complaint filed in San Diego County requires an approval from a judge to gain class action status. Wofford, in the complaint, stated, "Apple has falsely, intentionally and repeatedly represented to owners and consumers of the iPhone 3G that its new operating system for the device, iOS4, was of a nature, quality, and a significant upgrade for the functionality of all iPhone devices, when in fact, the installation and use of the iOS4 on iPhone 3G resulted in the opposite - a device with little more use than that of a paperweight."

Apple iOS 3.0 update totally left out iPhone first generation and left many dissatisfied. Users who updated their iPhone 3G phones with iOS 4.0 weren't happy with the performance. The iOS 4.2 update is due later in this month and it better improve the performance of the iPhone 3G.

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Are these 3G Tablets Digging our Wallets Deeper?

Tablet computers have never made this big a noise since the iPad launch this year. Most tablets including Apple's shiny 10-inch device or even Samsung's Galaxy Tab (which we recently checked out) come with Wi-Fi for connecting to the net when you're around a hotspot. Many also have 3G for Internet accessibility anywhere you go. Now, something that many may tend to overlook are the recurring charges for the latter. This is more relevant to people who own tablet computers as well as smartphones (which I believe is a big percentage). For such people, they're already paying a monthly fee for 3G on their cell phone.

Over and above this, if you own an iPad 3G model, you'll be shelling out $15 per month to AT&T for a paltry 250MB. Another American carrier Sprint charges $30 per month for 2GB of usage when you purchase the Samsung Galaxy Tab via them. A possible way out of this is to share the Internet connection from your cell phone when required (known as Internet Tethering). For example, Google's Android 2.2 has a feature built-in that lets you turn your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot. It uses its 3G connection to serve other Wi-Fi enabled devices (like say the Wi-Fi only iPad or iPod Touch) with broadband internet. A popular app called Joikuspot for Symbian devices lets you do the same. However, some operators do not allow such type of sharing of their 3G Internet to more than one device.

We still don't know the fate of 3G Internet tethering till all operators launch it. At least most of them have no such harsh restrictions for the currently running 2.5G Internet (or EDGE) service. So, for people already owning a 3G smart-phone and planning to buy a tablet, I'd suggest you do your math before jumping to buy a 3G tablet with a monthly plan. Explore Internet sharing over your smartphone before. You could save a big sum at the end of the year.

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Mobile Number Portability from Nov. 1

Finally the long wait will come to an end next month. Yes, the Mobile Number Portability would be made available from Nov 1 onwards said Indian Telecom Minister A. Raja reported The Hindu. After the recent announcement of 3G services by the mobile operators, the Mobile Number Portability's arrival surely promises pleasant days ahead. 

A. Raja, Telecom Minister for India, said, "November 1 onwards MNP would be operational partially... We wanted to inaugurate it in Haryana."

Mobile Number Portability facility will let mobile phone subscribers to retain their ten digit phone numbers if they wish to go for different or any mobile operator's service. For instance, if you are Airtel subscriber, then you can retain your number after applying for MNP and change to any other cellular service you want. 

Under the MNP process, users will have to apply for number portability and pay nominal fees to retain their ten digit phone number. Licences have been given to Syniverse Technologies and MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions, a 74:26 joint venture between U.S.-based Telcordia and Deepak Talwar Consultants, to implement MNP in India.

Mobile Number Portability will be rolled out in phases in different regions. Stay tuned for more updates on the MNP facility rollout and other details. 

We've noted that few mobile operators have started requesting documents for re-verification and identification. This is applicable to all mobile phone owners who've bought GSM or CDMA connection before Jan 1 this year. 

Several consumers have started receiving emails to send across their document copies again. Here's the snippet from the email:

Dear Customer,

In view of the current law and order environment, the Government of India has advised us to update/re-verify the identities and addresses of our customers who have taken their mobile connections before 1st January 2010 (Please refer to ad released in Times of India on 16th September 2010). Therefore, we request you to submit your recent verification documents at any of the document collection centres within next 3 days.

We value our relationship and your prompt response will allow us to continue with the same without disruption.

In case, if we do not get your documents in next 3 days, we will be bound to suspend your service till proper documents are received.

We'd like to apologize and say that pleasant days of using mobile connection aren't here just yet. We're sure many would have to under go loads of issues related to document re-submissions. However, the three day deadline is way too short. What are you thoughts on this move by mobile operators? Do let us know in the comments section below.

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