Travelers this holiday season are getting a welcome gift from Skype in the form of free Wi-Fi access at more than 50 U.S. airports to place voice or video calls over Skype’s service. The year-end promotion runs from Dec. 21 through Dec. 27; a time when many are hitting the skies to visit relatives and friends over the holidays.

Skype’s blog offers an interactive map showing which airports will have the free wireless access for Skype services. Most of the major airport hubs are covered, but my local area of Philadelphia isn’t getting any love for some reason. Luckily, I’ve got a data-only SIM card combined with native Android SIP support to make free or low cost calls, and Google Talk video as another supplement!

Speaking of Android, Skype WiFi isn’t supported on Google’s mobile devices. However, you can use it in conjunction with Windows PC, Mac or iOS devices, including iPads, iPhones and iPod touches.

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Looks like Verizon’s got a hardware-crush on teensy 3FF Micro SIMs. The carrier’s two latest 4G handsets, Samsung’s Stratosphere and Motorola’s Droid RAZR, both appear to make do with the diminutive cards. Neither, however, would be the first, as that honor was bestowed upon the carrier’s version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. If you’re eager to call one of these devices your own, but already sport Big Red’s LTE service, then get set to bust out the scissors for a little SIM card arts and crafts. Further pictorial proof of these itsy, bitsy modules awaits you at the source.

Samsung Stratosphere, Motorola Droid RAZR to be first Verizon LTE phones with Micro SIMs? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 08:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While mobile operators are increasingly relying on Wi-Fi to augment their cellular networks, it’s still a lesser tool in their toolbox. But in the coming year, Wi-Fi is going to play a more vital role for carriers turning operators from providers of cellular voice and data to purveyors of connectivity.

That’s the prediction of Bob Friday, the CTO of wireless for Cisco, who is helping push this vision along. Cisco is a major driver behind Hotspot 2.0, an initiative that will use 802.11u, WPA2-Enterprise and EAP-based authentication to create easy Wi-Fi roaming for devices looking to move from cellular networks onto Wi-Fi networks or between Wi-Fi networks. Essentially, it will bring the ease of cellular roaming to Wi-Fi, something Stacey has written about before.

“The vision is to bring cellular-like authentication to Wi-Fi. Hotspot is trying to be the SIM card for Wi-Fi. We’re trying to bring connectivity to the general public,” Friday said.

This kind of roaming, Friday said, will make Wi-Fi a much more versatile tool for wireless operators because it will greatly simplify the way people jump onto Wi-Fi networks. He said by automating the authentication process, tying user identity to a SIM card and making it seamless for users, their devices can easily shift over to Wi-Fi networks without having to enter in credentials. And that will help transfer the data traffic burden on to Wi-Fi while giving users a better experience indoors and at crowded venues.

But it could also allow carriers to charge their users for access to Wi-Fi. That’s something we’ve talked of before, and it remains a potential byproduct of easier Wi-Fi roaming. Carriers, as they do with cellular roaming, could charge users when they jump on to other networks and track their usage using their SIM card. Friday said it’s possible that users would pay to roam on international Wi-Fi networks, but he wasn’t sure that would be the case domestically, if carriers signed agreements between each other. But it could be another source of revenue for carriers interested in bolstering their bottom line.

In the larger picture, Wi-Fi will become a much more valuable weapon in their arsenal and along with femto cells and small cells, will make them focus on delivering broader connectivity, regardless of the technology. Through their own Wi-Fi networks and roaming agreements with other Wi-Fi network providers and owners of hotspots, the operators can better construct a comprehensive system that keeps their users connected. Users will not only be able to jump on to Wi-Fi networks seamlessly but they’ll also be able to move between Wi-Fi networks.

The Wi-Fi Alliance and Wireless Broadband Alliance in June announced plans to collaborate on developing Hotspot 2.0 to ease Wi-Fi roaming. Trials are being conducted this year with further testing and a rollout expected to take place in the first half of next year, Friday said.

It’s unclear if all the operators will sign on, which would undercut the usefulness of Hotspot 2.0. Japan’s KDDI is already pursuing its own proprietary solution with a network that utilizes seamless switching between the cell sites and 100,000 Wi-Fi hotspots with a WiMAX overlay. Other companies are also putting together their own tools to help with Wi-Fi roaming. But Friday believes operators will be motivated to wait for Hotspot 2.0 to achieve a more comprehensive roaming system.

“It’s in the interest of the operators (to support Hotspot 2.0). It’s the same drive for cellular authentication that will drive them to Wi-Fi authentication,” Friday said.

This is going be key especially with the explosion of Wi-Fi hotspot use. In-Stat recently estimated that by  2015, wireless hotspots will account for nearly 120 billion connect sessions. And by 2013, there will be one million hotspot locations available. With so many hotspots available, having a comprehensive program to ensure easy roaming will facilitate the kind of sharing that has helped cellular operators. And it will mean more utility for users, who will have fewer restrictions in moving between Wi-Fi networks.

And just like KDDI is already proving, carriers will increasingly operate more heterogeneous networks that utilize a handful of technologies to connect users. It makes sense for the carriers to stay on top of exploding data traffic and it gives users a better experience and potentially more lower prices. The only questions are will the operators wait around for Hotspot 2.0 or pursue their own solution now? And will they charge for all this additional Wi-Fi service?

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The Android phones keep coming from manufacturers and this week, the most prominent addition came from Verizon. Motorola’s Droid 3 is available online and arrives in stores on July 14 for 9 after contact. The original Droid, combined with the marketing muscle of Verizon advertising and the debut of Android 2.0, helped kick off Android’s strong market share growth and the Droid 3 looks a worthy successor to the line. Those that require a hardware keyboard on a new Android smartphone should consider looking at the Droid 3.

Among the major improvements, the new handset offers a 960×540 resolution display, a 1 GHz dual-core processor, and comes with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) out of the box. The keyboard has a small, fifth row of dedicated number keys, as well. And travelers ought to appreciate the support for GSM / HSPA networks; the phone can accept a SIM card for voice and data use in more than 200 countries around the globe. The Droid 3 has a front facing camera but until it sees Android 2.3.4, it won’t be able to use Google Talk for video chatting.

Android tablets, however, do support video chats in Google Talk, which is about to improve. SRI International, a non-profit research firm, announced this week that Google has chosen its 2D video stabilization software for Google Talk on Honeycomb tablets. The software not only minimizes any shaking on the incoming video but could also reduce the amount of effort needed from a device to encode the video, which can help battery life. Although few people are likely walking and talking on video, there is a growing trend away from stationary computing as activities become more mobile.

Another mobile activity is social networking and the new Google+ service is on a roll. Google’s own Android app for Google+ is actually better than the desktop experience and while it’s not a “killer app”, it could sway some consumers to either stay on or adopt Android handsets. Google has submitted an iOS Google+ app to Apple for review, but as of the time of this writing, no such app has been approved. Instead, iOS users are relying upon a web version of Google+ which is somewhat limiting. And it’s not yet clear if Apple will allow the Google+ app to upload photos instantly in the background, which is a native function on the Android version.

Android smartphones also gained another feature not found on other platforms this week: downloadable maps. Thanks to a new Labs feature in Maps for Android, travelers can choose locations and download a local copy of the area for use offline. Traffic and satellite data won’t appear, unless the handset goes online, but basic street information for simple, manual navigation is available in areas without a cellular data signal.

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The use of the iPad by mobile workers is on the rise, and that brings with it both boons and challenges for worker productivity. Here’s how you and your remote staff can stay on top of iPad usage, lest iPad usage controls you and your organization instead.

1. These Are the Apps You Need; These Are the Apps You Don’t

Keep your productivity and entertainment app worlds separate on your iPad. I know it’s too much to ask that workers who are mostly using their own personal devices in the work place to use them strictly for work purposes, but everyone will be happier and better able to focus on getting work done if you keep your fun and games-related apps in a separate folder or folders. Keeping the productivity and work-related apps out in the open on the app’s home screen will give them priority seating when it comes to your attention span, and the distractions will be left just a little bit beyond finger’s reach, where they’ll be less of a temptation.

2. Carry a Keyboard

The iPad is a great consumption device, but as we’ve seen, people aren’t crazy about using it for data input. Having a Bluetooth keyboard handy makes working on the iPad exponentially better. You have a few choices when it comes to which keyboard to carry. I’m personally a fan of the ZAGGmate keyboard/hard case combo, which comes in both original iPad and iPad 2 flavors, but the official Apple Wireless Keyboard is an attractive option, too.

3. Have a Wireless Strategy

If you want to use the iPad to make mobile working easier, you’ll hit a wall pretty fast if you don’t have access to a reliable data connection. For users with a 3G-capable iPad, this means checking to make sure you have an active plan ready to go with the carrier of your choosing, and ensuring that your carrier offers service in the place you intend to use your iPad. If it doesn’t, shop around for a temporary carrier/SIM card for your working destination.

Verizon iPad owners will want to make sure that they have something other than a simple SIM switch in place for most international destinations, which largely use GSM technology to power their networks. Finding a provider that offers a pay-as-you go mobile hotspot solution might be a good workaround. Companies can help by issuing globally-compatible mobile hotspot hardware to remote employees who travel internationally.

4. Have a Battery Backup

Battery backup offerings for the iPad are many and varied, but carrying a reliable one that has enough juice to give your iPad a decent bump is a good idea. You never know when you might lose your power cord, or forget to secure an adapter before a quick stopover in an international destination. Check out Dave Greenbaum’s roundup of iPhone and iPad battery backups for a good look at some of the better options out there.

5. Enable Find My iPad

Losing an iPad really sucks. But what’s worse is losing your iPad having not enabled Apple’s free Find My iPad service. Through MobileMe, Apple can help you locate a lost iPad if it’s enabled, or at the very least, you can use the service to remotely wipe your device, thereby protecting sensitive personal and work-related data. Enterprise is already nervous about the potential security hazards associated with consumer devices in the workplace; help make them less so.

6. Lock It Up

It may seem obvious, but even more important than enabling Find My iPad is setting up your device to require a passcode upon waking. You can do this in the iPad’s Settings app, under General > Passcode Lock. By default, the iPad will use a simple passcode consisting of a 4 digit number, but you can turn this off, which will let you set a longer password that can combine both letters and numbers. If you’re storing sensitive information on your device, you’re better off using a complex passcode lock.

7. Invest in a Good Headset

The iPad truly can be a communications hub — even for voice chat and phone calls. But it’s not perfectly suited to that task out of the box. If you get yourself a decent headset, however, you can better make and take phone calls on your device using VoIP apps, and you’ll even be better equipped for using the many video conferencing options available for the iPad 2, like that provided by Cisco’s WebEx.

Share your tips for more effective iPad working in the comments.

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