just anobservation are you sure you have includied ng-cordova.js properly?
in index.html
<!-- ng-cordova have to be before cordova -->
<script src="lib/ng-cordova/dist/ng-cordova.js"></script>
<!-- cordova script (this will be a 404 during development) -->
<script src="cordova.js"></script>
and in you controllers module needs ngCordova:
var starterControllers = angular.module(‘starter.controllers’, [‘appServices’, ‘ngCordova’]);
i’m not sure if its to any help but the full example can be found here:
though the example has some problems when doing calls outside the function scopes (long story: ngCordova $cordovaNetwork, navigator / navigator.connection and ionic deviceready?)
so you might just rather go with the solution by calendee for now
//
pelle