Trick Out Your Phone With Software

So you picked up a new phone and decided against that uber expensive smart phone. But now you're feeling a little jealous of your friends who are loading up their smart phones with tons of great software. Well fear not, due to the wonders of Java you too can trick out your smart phone with some useful and powerful applications.

Java applications have historically been limited to games, but nowadays some companies are taking advantage of the technology to deliver valuable software and services to the millions of regular phones that support it. If you have a fairly new cell phone, chances are that you'll be able to use these applications, so read on for our top picks.

Note: most of these are going to require that you sign up for an unlimited data plan, you have been warned, don't come crying when you get a huge bill next month.

Google Maps
Want to find the nearest gas station? Need directions from your house to a restaurant? Don't spend your money on the carriers overpriced local search or dialing 411, instead you can bring Google Maps to your phone with Google Maps Mobile. This handy java application works on just about any phone and allows you to view maps (including satellite views on some phones), get directions and do directory searches all from your mobile phone. You can even look up a phone number and make a call directly from the application. You can get Google Maps Mobile by pointing your phone's web browser at www.google.com/gmm.

Opera Mini
Let's face it, web browsers on most cell phones are painful to use. Not only do they do a poor job of fitting full web pages onto your small screen, but it can be a pain to navigate large pages. If you know what I'm talking about then Opera Mini is your answer. This java version of the Opera browser does an excellent job of shrinking web pages down to fit on your phone's screen. It uses remote servers to shrink the page before it gets to your phone, which cuts down on data usage. Plus, getting around the web page is super easy, with up/down being used to move from link to link and left/right used to scroll up or down a full page. Opera Mini will work on most modern phones and is available by pointing your phone's browser at operamini.com. Hopefully that will be the last time you have to use the built in browser.

Yahoo Go
If you're a Yahoo user you might want to try Yahoo Go. Although compatability is more of an issue than with Google Maps or Opera Mini, Yahoo Go will work with some regular phones, go here to find out if yours is supported. If it is, Yahoo Go will give you access to your Yahoo email, Flickr account and Yahoo search all from your phone. You can get it directly from your phone by pointing your phone's browser at us.get.go.yahoo.com.

Shozu
Shozu is a great little app that allows you to upload your photos to a web service of your choice. This helps turn your camera equipped cell phone into a mobile photo blogging tool. As with Yahoo Go not every phone is supported, go here to check. If your phone is supported you can set up your account online at www.shozu.com and then have an SMS sent to your phone that will allow you to download the application. Once you've put your photo service information into the account you can easily manage your photos on the phone and quickly upload them online.

Gmail Mobile
If you're a Gmail user Google has your back once again with Gmail Mobile, a java application that works with most phones that allows you to quickly and easily manage your gmail account. In addition to the email services you can also use the application to view view attachments, including photos and PDF or Word documents. You can pick up Gmail mobile by pointing your mobile web browser at gmail.com/app.

There you go, five great apps to make your regular phone smarter. Don't forget that you will need an unlimited data plan to get the most out of these services. Such plans are available for between $5 and $20 per month, depending upon your carrier; and with these great applications you'll make great use of that data. Of course, what if you did dish out the cash for a smart phone? Check back next week to get our top smart phone application picks.