The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Internet access providers are not broadcasters. The ruling means that Canadian Internet providers such as Bell, Rogers, and Telus can't be forced to carry Canadian content on streams or downloads. It also means that they don't have to make payments into funds that subsidize the creation of local Canadian content.
Telus became the third Canadian carrier with an LTE-based 4G network on Thursday. Starting on February 10 in Halifax, the carrier will have the same 75Mbps peak download speeds and 12-25Mbps averages as the existing networks from rivals Bell and Rogers. It plans to kick off the network with the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE, LG's Optimus LTE smartphone, and Novatel's Ovation MC679 modem; the Galaxy Note with LTE will be available on February 14.
Unusual rumors on Monday had Apple negotiating for fabled TV set with Canadian telecom providers Bell and Rogers. The respective satellite and cable TV providers were said by the Globe and Mail to be Apple targets as they had "wireless and broadband capabilities" that could be used for launch partners. The two allegedly even had prototypes in their labs.
Both Americans and Canadians alike got the opportunity to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Note on Sunday. An AT&T listing lets Americans pick the 4G device and a matching plan ahead of the February 19 release. Contract-free purchases aren't available ahead of time on the $300 Android phone, although both the very dark carbon blue and ceramic white colors are options.
AT&T's launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note might be preempted by a very wide Canadian release. Bell, Rogers, and Telus have all committed early this week to carrying the LTE version of the 5.3-inch phone and tablet crossover. Although Bell and Telus have only listed it as "coming soon," Rogers has officially committed to a mid-February launch, making it probable that all three will launch at or near the same time.
Motorola sought to raise the baseline on Android smartphones Thursday with a pair of new world models. The MOTOLUXE runs on a modest 800MHz processor but has a four-inch, 480x854 screen, eight-megapixel back and VGA front cameras, and a fairly healthy 1,400mAh battery good for 6.5 hours of talk. Borrowing a slight cue from the HTC Rhyme, the lanyard slot lights up for missed calls, mail, and text.
There's a moment at the end of the movie 1900 (one of Robert De Niro's great early roles) where the peasants think they've finally won the revolution as Italy's fascists are overthrown. We're free, our harsh rulers are dead or gone! Then, however, the "revolutionary committee" comes and says they must give up their guns. After they do, they realize that they have just as little power as they did before; they just handed the power to another master, and now they don't have the righteous energy to fight back.
Bell Canada has backed off of plans to throttle peer-to-peer traffic on its network following a CRTC decision that could make it illegal. As of March 1, neither Bell itself nor wholesalers on its network will see connections slow down when BitTorrent or similar traffic goes through. The Internet provider spun the decision as a reflection of a "diminishing" ratio of peer-to-peer traffic in favor streaming and other means of getting the same content.
Canadian wireless carrier Globalive, which is better known by its subsidiary brand Wind Mobile, is reportedly in talks to acquire competing carrier Mobilicity. An unnamed person familiar with the negotiations told Bloomberg that Globalive is attempting to build its presence in the Canadian market to compete with dominant carriers Bell, Rogers and Telus.
RIM has usually tried to chase the high end of the smartphone market when it adds a touchscreen: the Storm, the Torch, and the newest Bold phones are all aimed at the same crowd as the iPhone and top Android hardware. With only a limited amount of success, then, it's taken a fresh strategy of bringing a touchscreen to the Curve line for the first time. We'll see in our review of the BlackBerry Curve 9380 if shrinking down and aiming for cost has given RIM a chance at carving out a lead in a young category.
The Galaxy Nexus is arguably the first official Google phone whose appeal isn't just confined to hardcore Android fans: even those who only know the iPhone by name are taking notice. With a massive 4.65-inch, 720p display, a near-instant camera, and most importantly Android 4.0, it promises not just to be a powerful phone but the most cohesive expression of what Android can be. But can it cross over into the mainstream in a way that previously only Apple could? Our Samsung Galaxy Nexus review settles that question.
The previously leaked volume fix for the Galaxy Nexus is pushing out now, Google confirmed in a statement. Owners of the HSPA+ version, mostly in Europe, should be getting an over-the-air update starting now and should finish within a week. The CDMA version won't need the fix.
Canadian carriers on Thursday became the first in North America to get a pair of new smartphones. Bell now has the Galaxy W, Samsung's mid-tier Android 2.3 phone. It raises the bar for entry smartphones through a 1.4GHz single-core processor, a 3.7-inch LCD, 14.4Mbps 3G data (not 4G as claimed), and 4GB of internal space with a microSDHC card slot for more.
LG on Tuesday detailed a rare special event for itself that hinted at the possible launch of the Nitro HD. The New York City gathering on December 1 has few details other than its mobile focus and an "exclusive launch" for a mystery product. "All will be revealed," the company said.
Canada beat the US to getting a commitment for a ship date and pricing for the Galaxy Nexus. Samsung's Android 4.0 flagship will ship both to Bell and to Virgin on December 8, supporting rumors. Both carriers will sell it for $160 on a three-year plan or $650 contract-free.
Samsung has submitted a cellular-enabled Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the FCC for regulatory approval. This new seven-inch tablet features support for the HSPA+ 3G cellular data standard, like the T-Mobile version, but on the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands used by AT&T and major Canadian carriers. As such, it might be destined either for AT&T or for Bell, Rogers, or Telus.
We were given a brief first opportunity to play with Samsung's Canadian variant of the Galaxy Nexus on Monday afternoon. The reps on hand included Ken Price, Samsung Canada's Director of Marketing for the Mobile Communications Division and Vlastimir Lalovic, Director of Wireless Product Realization. They gave us a quick run-through of some of the handset's unique features, while dropping hints that a more official announcement is coming a little later in the week. Hopefully, this includes pricing, but thus far, they kept mum. They were willing to say in advance that the Canadian model only supports HSPA+ networks, while the US version will support the higher-speed LTE, with this being the major and perhaps only difference between the devices.
Rogers on Monday afternoon revealed that it would be later than its peers to get the Galaxy Nexus. Where Bell and Virgin will get it in early December, Rogers will get Samsung's Android 4.0 flagship in January. It will show in the carrier's reservation system as of Tuesday.
The LG Optimus LTE smartphone has now arrived at Bell in Canada, and PocketNow is now reporting that it will soon arrive at AT&T in the US. It will be known as the Nitro HD, but otherwise share the same hardware. These include the dual-core, 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, the eight-megapixel camera and its namesake 4G network support.
Bell has confirmed that it will have an ‘exclusive’ on the LG Optimus LTE. Already released in South Korea, it will be the first foreign carrier to sell LG’s latest Android flagship phone. It centers on a large 4.5-inch 720p-capable IPS display and is powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz processor matched with 1GB of RAM. The company has created a sign-up page for interested customers.
We've had the opportunity to test the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in its 3G version just ahead of its release on T-Mobile. While it's superficially the same, we'll check both 3G performance and how well Samsung's TouchWiz interface layer works in practice. Read below for what's different and whether our view has changed relative to the iPad since the 'pure' Tab 10.1 first showed.
Preempting the US event for the Rezound next week, HTC on Thursday planned to bring its international equivalent, the Raider, to North America first through Canada. Both Bell and Rogers are getting the LTE-based 4G version of the phone and can stream HD videos or otherwise get online faster still than either carrier's regular HSPA+ network. Accordingly, either version can tap into HTC's Watch movie store or use the 4G for a hotspot, although low LTE bandwidth caps may discourage using either feature often.
LG is keeping mum on the launch of its Optimus LTE smartphone in Canada, going as far as telling MobileSyrup that is has no information regarding this. A demonstration video from electronics retailer The Source indicates otherwise, however, with the handset due out at Bell, who owns The Source. It will be called the Eye, however, and due to arrive sometime in November.
RIM's new BlackBerry Torch line is a reboot for the company. After the Storm and Storm2 failed to stem the tide of the iPhone and later Android, the new Torch shows signs RIM has learned its lesson: a faster processor, a touch interface, and the death of its infamous click-down screen. But is it enough? Our review of the Torch 9850 and 9860 will see if RIM is back in form or if its rivals are still moving faster.
Samsung brought the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE to North America for the first time with a launch in Canada. While no hint as to a ship date other than "coming soon" is visible, the mere presence of the page suggest the 4G-capable tablet could arrive in the country before the US. It's expected the tablet will arrive in both Canada and the US before year's end, however.
A last-minute discovery of a poster and detailed specs may have divulged most details of the Galaxy Nexus. The Blog of Mobile sighting of an NTT DoCoMo ad both cemented the name and gave it a November 10 release date, the same as that for Verizon. Samsung is now known to be using a dual-core 1.2GHz TI OMAP4460 processor inside, and Android 4.0 has been identified as Ice Cream Sandwich's final name.
Many Canadian wireless providers have began offering the newly announced iPhone 4S for pre-orders. We've summarized the prices for the various capacity models at each. The device is available in either black or white at all, and the prices are in Canadian dollars.
Americans visiting the online Apple Store to pre-order an iPhone 4S encountered multiple limitations on what they could buy. The unlocked GSM iPhone 4S won't be available until November in the country despite Canadians and some other regions having the option from the start. No reasons have been given, although it may be either supply or an agreement with AT&T.
On cue, the online Apple Store and numerous carriers including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon have begun taking online preorders for the iPhone 4S. The picks include carrier-locked models as well as the full-price but unlocked GSM versions for those who want to switch carriers or avoid early cancellation fees.
Sony late Friday brought the Xperia ray to the US without waiting. The Android 2.3 smartphone is officially available in the country for $425 through stores like Newegg, but without being locked into a any carrier. It carries AT&T-native 3G and should work in Canada as well; T-Mobile owners can use it if they don't mind losing 3G.
Samsung's Galaxy S II smartphone has surfaced with a white housing and Bell branding, suggesting the color option will be available in markets beyond Europe. Leaked pictures, which were posted by Mobilesyrup, show a white color scheme and chrome edging, matching images for a similar offering announced earlier this month by Vodafone.
The LG Optimus Hub that appeared in Europe recently is now undergoing FCC testing, likely for sale in the US. It could also be an international model, however. The FCC listing does reveal 850MHz and 1,900MHz 3G support, both of which are used by AT&T, Bell, Rogers and Telus.
For much of 2011, many had counted RIM out: many 2010 BlackBerry phones were old as soon as you opened the box, and it wasn't clear that it would ever adopt features Android and iPhone users took for granted, like 3D gaming, HD video, or even just fast web browsing. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the vanguard of a complete overhaul that could prove the doomsayers wrong. But does it? We'll answer that in our BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 review.
Bell on Wednesday will become the second Canadian carrier to formally launch an LTE-based 4G (link active soon) service. Going live first in the Golden Triangle area in and around Toronto, the service will echo the same 75Mbps peak, 12Mbps to 25Mbps real-world speeds seen on Rogers. Bell's edge will be its support for 42Mbps HSPA+ as a 'fallback' with Rogers' service at a more modest 21Mbps.
In order to address the issue some users faced with its Voice Search feature, Google has released the Android 2.3.6 update starting with the Nexus S. The frustrating problem would have the feature active itself without any user input, making the devices unusable at times. The news broke on the Google Mobile Help Forum.
Canadian wireless provider Bell will soon launch a high-speed LTE service of its own soon, according to 'reliable' sources speaking to TekTok Canada. Bell will initially offer two LTE devices, both from Samsung and with the Galaxy S II LTE smartphone and Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE.
HTC launched itself back into Windows Phone support at its special event Thursday with two new models. Topping the group, the Titan (once codenamed the Eternity) is the biggest Windows Phone ever and has a 4.7-inch (albeit 480x800) touchscreen in a relatively slim 0.39-inch unibody frame. It confirms front camera support in the Mango update to the OS and has both a 1.3-megapixel front camera along with the rear eight-megapixel piece.
Motorola took a second shot at capturing the pro smartphone market away from RIM on Tuesday with the Pro+. Along with a sleeker and more BlackBerry Bold-like shape, it's the first work-level phone from Motorola with Android 2.3. Accordingly, it gets the latest version of the Blur interface and has seen its 3.1-inch display upgraded to a sharper 640x480, twice as dense as the older Droid Pro and XPRT.
With the Galaxy S II just hitting US shores, Samsung is poised to make its biggest impact on the smartphone market ever; it's already the second-largest smartphone maker after Apple. The phone itself is, at least on paper, a powerhouse with a dual-core processor and a massive display. Will it give the iPhone 4 (and possibly iPhone 5) a reason to worry in Apple's home territory? Our Galaxy S II review will find out.
Canadian carriers Bell and Virgin Mobile have joined Telus in lowering the price of the iPhone 4. In both cases a 16GB model is just $100, although with Bell this requires a three-year contract, and on Virgin either the contract or coverage under a SuperTab. 32GB models remain as expensive as before, costing $270.
The base level of RIM's new BlackBerry 7 line, the Curve 9360, has had launch dates for North America leaked that show it arriving in the next few weeks. First up is expected to be Bell, which should bring the phone to Canada on August 29. Although not mentioned in MobileSyrup's tip, Rogers, Telus, and their related carriers are likely to get it at the same time.
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is now shipping at Canadian providers including Bell and Virgin Mobile, with Rogers and Telus expected to update their product pages later on today as well. At the former two, the smartphone costs $600 CAD ($607) without an agreement and $170 CAD ($172) on a three-year/SuperTab contract. Rogers has already said it would charge a steep $250 for the same device.
The top three Canadian carriers have not only unveiled their plans to carry the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and new BlackBerry Torches but given the clue as to pricing that will likely translate to the US. Rogers has said that both the 9810 and the 9860 will cost $200 when attached to a three-year contract. The Bold 9900 will carry an unusual premium at $250 on the same terms.
A leak reportedly details the launch time-frame for RIM's BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Torch 9810 smartphones through the Canadian carrier Bell. Screenshots allegedly showing the carrier's internal documents, which were posted by CrackBerry, suggest both the Bold 9900 and Torch 9810 will be available at Bell on August 16.
A slightly upgraded version of Motorola's Defy mid-range Android smartphone may soon arrive at AT&T, This is my next reported on Thursday. While a source isn't revealed, the handset is said to get support for 850MHz, 1,900MHz and 2,100MHz HSPA bands, which are used by AT&T and some Canadian carriers as well. This leaves T-Mobile out of the equation, however, despite its carrying the original handset.
A Dell employee used Twitter to reveal that the Venue Pro smartphone on T-Mobile in the US and other countries began receiving a firmware update on Wednesday, July 20. Bugs addressed by the update include the Wi-Fi lockup issue and some other, less serious ones. When AT&T users of the phone or those with Bell in Canada will get the update remains to be seen.
Late last month, Samsung confirmed that it was bringing the Galaxy S II smartphone to North America by way of Canada. None of the three Canadian providers, Bell, SaskTel and Virgin, offered any date, beyond generically this summer, as to when it would be available. Bell has now quietly revealed that it will arrive July 21.
RIM's BlackBerry Torch 2 may be close to a release as the phone has surfaced in an FCC approval. As shown in the filing, the second-generation slider supports HSPA 3G on the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands needed for AT&T as well as the top three Canadian carriers. Like the Bold 9900, the Torch 2 might show in late August since it too will see details go public in 45 days.
Canadian wireless provider Rogers on Friday announced it will bring the HTC Evo 3D and the LG Optimus 3D to its stores this summer. The pair will be Canada's first smartphones capable of capturing 3D images. The handsets capture said images using their dual five-megapixel cameras and can play them back to users on their 4.3-inch touchscreens without the need for 3D glasses.
The first version of the Motorola Droid 3 in the West outside of Verizon arrived on Thursday through Bell Canada. The XT860 4G is identical on the outside but has a much faster 14.4Mbps HSPA Internet link and the needed GSM calls. What software changes if any weren't detailed, but the Android 2.3 phone is expected to ship with TuneWiki to stream music and podcasts as well as likely Bell preloaded apps.
