May 7 - 8:50am EDT   Bell on Thursday said it had bought up the remaining stakes in Virgin Mobile Canada, taking complete control of the prepay-heavy carrier. The takeover is mutual and is labeled by Bell as part of its attempt to take the lead in the Canadian cellphone market. The Virgin label will continue to exist separate from Bell but will reportedly have streamlined operations, including a shared network and the ability to get the same phones as Bell. [full story]

April 8 - 4:30pm EDT   Wireless provider US Cellular is soon due to get a number of handsets added to its range, including the HTC Touch Pro and BlackBerry 8230 Pearl Flip smartphones as well a number of more mainstream models. The Touch Pro, which is currently available at Sprint and Verizon, will be released on Friday, April 17th, according to a Wednesday PhoneArena report. It features a 2.8-inch touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera and sliding QWERTY keyboard, as well as Windows Mobile 6.1. [full story]

November 3 - 2:20pm EST   Canadian cell carrier Fido is poised for an overhaul that will change its role in the market, a claim by purported sources of the Financial Post says. Under this new strategy, the Rogers sub-brand would more closely compete with Telus' Koodo, Bell's Solo and Virgin Mobile with an emphasis on lower-cost plans and a wider selection of phones than today's selection, which is partly a subset of Rogers' own lineup. Among other changes, the controversial $7 System Access Fee would be dropped to reduce the practical monthly rate. [full story]

October 27 - 3:30pm EDT   A Monday report from BGR lists upcoming handsets Canadian wireless provider Bell and Solo Mobile will launch in time for the Christmas shopping season. The same report alleges Bell will sell a Motorola handset in 2009 running the Android OS that debuted in the T-Mobile G1. Apart from Bell getting a slew of handsets that include such high-tech smartphones like the BlackBerry Storm plus HTC's Diamond and Touch Pro, the provider will also introduce new plans. [full story]

April 9 - 6:30pm EDT   Solo today unveiled a new designer bag made for 15-inch laptops called the Urban At Ease Laptop Messenger Bag, constructed from a durable matte canvas fabric, with an oiled leather trim and padded corduroy sleeve. The sleeve stretches to fit almost any 15.4-inch laptop, and features several interior, side, and rear organizers. The Urban At Ease Laptop Messenger Bag is currently available for $95, in either black or olive finish. [full story]

March 8 - 4:55pm EST   Solo recently unveiled the Smart Strap Laptop Portfolio for 15-inch laptops, featuring a retractable shoulder strap and several other features. The leather bag contains a built-in accordion file, and a zip-down organizer for pen loops, business card holders, key fob, and accessories. Solo's Ride Along Pocket allows users to safely keep tickets nearby and accessible. The Smart Strap Laptop Portfolio is available from several retailers for $100. [full story]