When it comes to keeping track of your cell phone usage, it can be really troublesome, especially since Windows Mobile does not really provide any sort of tracker. You could count the text message sent by looking at your Sent folder and you could calculate how much airtime you’ve used by looking at the Call Log. But those, like I mention earlier, are just troublesome. However, it seems that a new freeware that was recently released might make the process a very easy one. Just install, set up and forget about it (until you want to check it of course).

Introduction

The software I am talking about is LCMinutes created by Lyon. He has a blog where he details the development but considering that the software was recently launched, there are not too many posts about it. He does list some of the features which you can use with the current version as well as future implementation and it sure looks promising. For those interested in giving it a go, (it’s currently at V1.01 at the time of review), feel free to get a copy of it here. Don’t forget to do a soft-reset after installation to see the Today plug-in.

Plug-In Position Problem

There seems to be a problem with the plug-in position. No matter where I placed it in the Today plug-in options, it still appeared at the top. This might not be a problem to most but for users of iLauncher (such as myself) you’ll notice from the screen shot above that the icons get cut off halfway. I am not sure if there will be a solution to this but I will be sure to let the developer know about it.

Update: It seems that you’ll need to do another soft-reset after setting the position for it to take effect. This worked for me and it should work for you as you can see from the screen shot above.

Great For US, Not So For Others?

I know that most, if not all, cell service providers in the US charge by the minute or part thereof. However, this is not the case for other cellular providers. For example, in Singapore, StarHub charges by the second and SingTel charges the first 60 seconds or part thereof and per 6 second block thereafter.

Keeping this in mind, the current application might not be useful for those whose providers charge usage otherwise so do check with your provider before deciding on a tracker.

The program is still early in development phase so bugs are expected. That’s not to say that you should stay off it until it’s completed before giving it a go. Instead, I would urge you to give it a go and let the developer know of your problems and feedback. This way, he can make the necessary changes that would not just make the program better but also make it more suitable for you. In the mean time, here are some of the good things I found about LCMinutes.

Easy To Setup

It’s relatively easy to set up, if you know all the details of your plans such as how much you are charged per month for subscription, when your billing cycle ends and what time your night starts. Even without such information on hand, you can always contact your provider to have them give it to you. And once you have it, just input them in and you are all set to go.

Detailed Billing

You can see all at one glance your usage, from the calls you made to the text message you sent and received so you can count them for yourself (but who would want to when you have an application to do it for you).

Does Not Always Need To Run

Unlike other trackers that I have come across, this application appears to not require to always be running. That means, you could opt to not show the Today plug-in if that is what you want. Instead, when you need to calculate balances, just run the application, import the various logs and let it do the calculations for you. This way, you can save resources (although I am not sure how much would be saved) and only use it when you need it.

Great Potential

The developer has a lot planned for this application, from data and MMS charges to support for Free Numbers such as those in T-Mobile’s MyFaves. On top of that, you can also put notes next to any phone call, message or balance record for your reference.

Suggestions

However, I think one feature that the developer should add would be the ability to add or remove an entry (be it a phone call or message) from being calculated in the balance. For example, I can place free calls to T-Mobile cell numbers because I am on a plan that allows me to do so. Thus, if I were to call a number whom I specifically know to be a T-Mobile user, then I should have the ability to check (or un-check it, whichever way it works), the phone call such that is not counted towards the balance of my minutes.

And while this might be asking for too much, maybe the developer can add in the various names and plans of the Cell Service Providers to make it easier for the user to set up. That way, all the user would have to do after installation is to select which provider he is with and what plan he is using and he’s all set. Sure he can make changes here and there where required but I think with these default settings, it would definitely make things a lot easier.

Conclusion

Like all the cell usage tracker I have tried, this software would not be able to track those free mobile-to-mobile calls that are offered in the US. That’s due to the number portability that makes it difficult to pinpoint which provider the number is using. Maybe when the developer introduces the MyFaves feature in the application, you could add the number and that could solve the problem, partially of course.

It also claims that you should not take the report accurately as your provider may have other charges within your plan that is not accounted for by the application. Far enough because I have yet to see a tracker that can guarantee such a report.

That being said, I still think this software is useful. While you can get an accurate report, you can at least use it as a guide and when the bill comes, compare it to see by how much it’s off. If it’s a lot, then at least you have something to back you up. Even if you don’t do so, keeping track of your usage has never been easier (and cheaper). So hurry on and get your copy of the LCMinutes. And be sure to let the developer know your feedback. Who knows? Your idea may just be a feature in the next release

P.S. For those wondering about the lack of screen shots, that’s because there are not too many screens I could capture. Yes, the program is that simple!

Tags: free software