The latest update to Google Maps, in version 5.7, is that it now allows you to save maps for offline use. Android Central has a great video instruction on how to do this which you can find at this link.
Google Maps 5.7 now allows you to save maps for offline use
Smarthphones (Androids) For All
Four years ago the GSM Association held a conference at New Delhi, India where the 3G For All initiative was launched. The GSM Associations 3G For All program was envisioned to bring 3G multimedia services and mobile Internet access to a mass-market user base around the world, and the LG KU250 handset was selected as the winning device. The group planned to launch more low cost 3G devices, but eventually the initiative became necessary as manufacturers on their own launched lower and lower cost 3G devices.
Today, it is about smartphones. The feature phone will slowly fade out of existence, save maybe for the most basic handsets, and there is a need to bring smartphones to the mass market. Low cost handset manufacturers from China, with the free license Android operating system from Google, are making this a reality.
Today, we got two Huawei U8150 IDEOS handsets on Smart Communications postpaid Plan 500 offering. Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular offer the same phones on similar plans.
The phone is decently built, and while Android on a 2.8-inch 240 x 320 screen is not ideal, it is a much better choice than any other smartphone at a Php6,000-7,000 budget. It has WiFi, a high speed data connection, can run a large number of Android apps, and can even play Angry Birds (though Rio gets a bit choppy).
This kind of humble device, will bring smartphones to the masses and will probably make Android the dominant operating system in the planet.
HTC Cha Cha is here
Techi.com.ph announced that the HTC Cha Cha, an Android phone with a physical QWERTY messenger form factor is now available in the Philippines. The main feature of this phone is that is has a dedicated Facebook button, which when pressed, takes you to Facebook.
Given the form factor, the screen cannot be all that big, and the phone sports a 2.6-inch 480 x 320 screen. Inside you will find the same 512MB of RAM, 512MB of internal storage and the same 5MP autofocus camera found in HTC's similarly priced Wildfire S which is a pure touchscreen phone a 3.2-inch screen. The Cha Cha does have a faster 800MHz processor than the 600MHz processor found in the Wildfire S.
The suggested retail price is Php15,500, although we expect it to go down to a bit below Php14,000 once it becomes available at your favorite online retailers.
I am not too big on touch screen QWERTY messenger phones. I think the day of the QWERTY messenger on phone priced at over Php10,000 is over. Too many apps just require larger screens. Just imagine playing Angry Birds in a 2.6-inc screen. But the Facebook branding on this phone might help it sell.
Hopefully HTC Philippines also brings in the Facebook inspired Salsa. That one, with its 3.4-inch touchscreen, we do expect to sell well.
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| Salsa on the left, Cha Cha on the right |
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