So I Got My iPhone 4, Now What?
Jul 30th
So the day has come.
Just over a month ago that mock neck rocking, wrangler jean wearing genius that is Steve Jobs announced the much-anticipated 4th generation iPhone. Loaded with so much goodness our 3GS’s now seem ancient (even with the update) and though we as Canadians were left out of the first batch, it seemed like a blessing in disguise when the antenna issue (or antennagate as it was humorously dubbed) was discovered, acknowledged, then essentially dismissed by Apple.
Fast forward to today, Friday July 30th 2010; The phone has finally landed on Canadian soil. Fanboys using vacation days to camp outside their carriers retail outlets to get their hands on the device, first, drooling as their RSS feeds pushed them teaser pictures of the devices being received and prepped for their consumption. Some lucky ones (myself included) were able to get their devices first thing this morning, before the Rogers’ systems imploded, and are now happily wasting the day enjoying their new toys. Others weren’t as lucky, having to wait in line for hours on end, to be told that because of the system crash they would have to come back later.
In my situation I did get one, but am already thinking, “now what?” I have reloaded my apps, pictures, songs, etc., used “Facetime” to call a few friends, slapped the bumper on it (come on, do you really think I’d miss that?), and basically drained a full battery within 6 hours of getting it (simply because it is such an attractive device and I couldn’t put it down). But, now that I have played with it, I’m left staring at it thinking that it is still the same phone, made, marketed, and distributed by the well-oiled machine that is Apple. Under the new housing is the same OS with additions that many would argue should have been there 2 generations ago; I mean they only JUST now added a flash to the camera!
Either way, I resigned for 3 years and am back in a personal 7th heaven with my apps and music. Apple has made me a fanboy and though I still have a Blackberry for BBM (yes, I’m that addicted) I’m slowly phasing off it. Jobsy knows what he is doing, and whether we like it or not, he does what he does. Each generation outsells its predecessor and it will continue to be like this as long as he is at the helm of Apple. Honestly, I know myself and probably will be bored of this device in a matter of months, leaving me to daydream of all the potential announcements set for WWDC 2011. And that’s exactly what he wants.
Bell, Telus and Rogers Release Similar iPhone 4 Price Plans, Early HUPs
Jul 30th
Yes, it appears that Rogers’ $159 16GB / $269 32GB trend has spilled over to the other carriers, and this will be a Canadian mosquito-swatting competition to see which carrier can be lure you into the light.
What’s lovely about this is that all three carriers are being more lax about their hardware upgrade requirements, so even if you’ve upgraded your phone quite recently, you can probably eek out a lower-cost iPhone 4 than you would any other device.
This is the first time that the iPhone has launched simultaneously on Canadians networks. If you recall, Telus and Bell only launched their HSPA+ network in November 2009, so up until then Rogers had exclusive sale opportunities for the iPhone 3GS. Hence, this time, why the competition is so heated.
As well, Bell is offering a 6GB/$30 monthly data plan, which jibes with Rogers’ latest offering, too. Get this while it’s hot, as it will probably expire September 30th. Telus will likely have to follow suit, though no announcements have been made.
Bell is also offering a $10/month iPad sharing offer, so if you sign up for that 6GB plan, you can share it with your iPad for only $10. Not bad. Rogers is offering the same ability, but for $20/month.
iPhone 4 Officially Ready To be Sold!
Jul 30th
What we have here is a screen shot of the iPhone 4 showing up in the Rogers retail upgrade screen, meaning the die-hards in line can rest assured that they will get their device (obviously stock permitting)
Pricing seen reflects the users monthly spend NOT the price of hardware.
Before I pick my device up, I will be talking to some customers waiting in line today to get their reaction to the whole ordeal, so stay tuned!
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BlackBerry App World 2.0 available to select Beta Zone members!
Jul 29th
As soon as I received my invite today, I logged into Beta Zone just to watch the site crash. I quickly saw I was sharing the pain with many other Beta Zone members, as my twitter timeline was full of similar comments. Even when I was able to login to the site, it would eventually send me in a loop back to the login page. This isn’t the first time Beta Zone has sent me in a forever frustrating loop, but I digress. I’ll save the issues with RIM’s shoddy Beta Zone site for another article. About 5 hours later, I was finally able to download App World 2.0. I’ve only used it for a few minutes so far so its too early to do a full review. For now, see App World 2.0′s features via Inside BlackBerry after the jump.
Top 25 Themes and Top 25 Apps
Let’s get started! You’ve asked and we’ve listened – you enjoy your BlackBerry Smartphone themes, but you want to see them listed by themselves. You also asked to see what’s new and what’s been updated recently in BlackBerry App World, and we’re happy to deliver.
In our new “Top 25” screen, you can see the Newest apps, Recently Updated apps, Top 25 Free Apps, Top 25 Paid Apps, and Top 25 Themes. These lists update every 24 hours, and are based on a combination of number of downloads and user ratings.
BlackBerry App World Barcode Scanning
Another cool feature we’re adding is the ability for our developers to use a QR barcode to promote their apps. BlackBerry App World 2.0 will have a new menu option called “Scan a Barcode” – which works just like scanning a barcode for a new contact or group in BlackBerry® Messenger 5.0. Just point the camera of your BlackBerry Smartphone at a QR barcode and the details page for the app you’re scanning pop right up!
More Billing Options
In addition to the ability to purchase apps with a PayPal® account, we’re adding support for two new billing methods to BlackBerry App World. To access these new billing options, you will be able to simply log in and choose ‘Payment Options’ from the menu.
Credit Cards
We know that many of you will be happy to hear that you will soon be able to use a major credit card (cards vary by region) to purchase apps. If BlackBerry App World credit card payments are available in your country, you’ll see the new “Credit Card” option where you can securely enter and save your credit card information for all your App World purchases.
Carrier Billing
We’re also excited to tell you that we’re working on integrated billing with various carriers to enable carrier billing as a payment option in BlackBerry App World.
PayPal
If you prefer the simplicity of paying with PayPal, then just choose the PayPal option. You’ll be asked for your PayPal account email and password once, and then all your purchases can be made using your PayPal account.
Introducing BlackBerry® ID
We’re also proud to introduce the new BlackBerry® ID, a device-independent user identification. With your BlackBerry® ID, you can easily download and purchase apps, then manage them in My World. Also, if you ever need to switch to a new BlackBerry Smartphone, logging in with your BlackBerry ID will bring all your apps to your new BlackBerry smartphone so you can always have the apps you need, when you need them!
[Via: InsideBlackBerry]
Motorola Flipout Coming To Rogers in Q3
Jul 29th
Motorola’s strange-looking square Android device, the Flipout, is coming to Rogers in Q3! According to an internal document leaked to us, the 2.8″ device with a QWERTY keyboard will be available later this year. It has a 3MP camera and runs Android 2.1 with an updated version of MOTOBLUR.
Price has not yet been released yet, but it will be eligible for BOGO.
Rogers Official iPhone 4 Pricing Confirmed
Jul 29th
It has been the talk of the day and most of you know it already, but in case you were waiting for validation, you now have it.
The document above was sent internally to Rogers employees stating official pricing for both newly activated lines and upgrades (Check Rogers Redboard for eligibility details).
Also announced today was the decision to bring back the $30/6GB data plan along with allowance of sharing for iPad users (an additional $20), finally giving Rogers customers a reason to smile.
Good luck to everyone tomorrow who plans on picking one up!
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First Look: Koodo INQ Chat 3G
Jul 29th
Koodo’s second HSPA device is a doozy. UK-based manufacturer INQ has a very unique branding style that they hope will appeal to teens and young adults. Along with their new $40 Stay Social Combo, the company plans to counter Chatr, WIND and Mobilicity before they heavily penetrate the market. With unlimited text, incoming calls, 7pm weekdays and 300 daytime minutes, plus unlimited Social (for BlackBerry) or 100MB (non-Blackberry smartphones), the price plan is fairly competitive.
The INQ Chat 3G is one of the phones that Koodo hopes to use to attract new and existing customers with, since it’s a superior phone to a lot of the discount competition. I had a chance to play with the phone today, sans SIM card, so I don’t know how it runs on Telus’ HSPA+ network, but the phone itself seems to be quite capable.
The keyboard sits below a non-touch screen, and feels quite a lot like a BlackBerry QWERTY, though a bit more rubbery. I could certainly touch-type on it, after only using it for a few minutes. The interface is quite simple, with a number of icons sitting on the lower portion of the screen, which you can flip through using the four-way directional pad. There are a number of buttons above the phone, and it feels a bit cluttered, but ultimately the buttons act as menu or confirmation keys.
Installed onto the phone are Twitter and Facebook clients, as well as email and messaging apps, all of which seem usable. The surprise of the day was seeing Opera 5 Mini installed on the phone, which, according to the Koodo rep, should operate quite similar to the BlackBerry version. The interface, from what I could see, was quite complete.
The box included with the INQ Chat 3G is considered a collectors’ item. The company has made 15 of them in assorted designs, and in the UK at least, the enterprise has taken off, with people trading them online and trying to collect all of them. The instruction manual, peppered with interesting illustrations and creative designs, seems more like a graphic novel than user manual, with sparse text and profuse slang. But it’s not me they’re aiming at, and I can definitely see the mass appeal.
Hopefully we’ll get to test out the phone more comprehensively in the coming weeks, but until then, enjoy the pics after the break!
iPhone 4 Demos Begin To Arrive At Rogers Retail Stores [Updated]
Jul 29th
If this isn’t a huge tease, I don’t know what is.
On the eve of the much anticipated Canadian launch of the iPhone 4, as frantic consumers try in vain to source out a device for themselves from both Rogers and Apple stores alike, our Rogers connect has just sent us a few drool worthy shots of the floor demo which just arrived at his store. Though it is nothing we haven’t seen before, it makes tomorrow morning seem oh so far away, leaving me with one final question…
Have you sourced out yours? I know I have 
UPDATE: We just received word that the first round of devices have been received in very limited quantities!
Hit the break for more shots
Blackberry 9780 Saying Hello on Video
Jul 29th
Driphter was at it again this morning bringing us a video of the forthcoming 9780 running BlackBerry 6. They also have a comparison of the device next to the current 9700. This 9780 definitely looks nice and packs in a lot of cool new features. The video gives some more coverage on the webkit browser and it is looking great in the smaller screen. After yesterdays images of 6 on the 9650, it sure is great to see how this new operating system flows on the smaller screen.
I am slightly worried of all the real estate you lose on the home screen on the 480 x 360 display, as I am someone who likes a clear view of my wallpaper.
So what do you think?
[Driphter]
Jailbreak App Review: MyWi Tethering App for iPhone
Jul 29th
Dashboard Image for MyWi
Need a Wifi Hotspot? Look no further, MyWi is here! Don’t you hate when you’re out for coffee and you want to get some work done, but the coffee shop you’re at doesn’t have a WiFi hotspot? You could try tethering, but it drains your notebook battery too quickly and who wants to deal with constant freezing and crashing.
If you’ve got a jailbroken iPhone and 3G signal, you can create your own Wifi Hotspot with MyWi.
For $9.99 multiple devices can connect to your MyWi signal including notebooks, iPads and other mobile devices at the same time. Want to make it a secure connection? Not to worry MyWi offers 40 & 104 bit WEP Security so you don’t have some dillhole using up all your data. An additional awesome feature is the blue up/down bandwidth usage bar that is located at the top of your screen.
PROS:
-MyWi is simple to use and doesn’t crash & freeze.
- Support is available for iPhone 2G/3G/3Gs running 3.1 and newer.
-10 day free trial is available if you just want to give it a test drive before you purchase.
-Blue status bar shows you the amount of bandwidth you’ve used.
-Create a WiFi Hotspot virtually anywhere
-Worth the $9.99 for this product.
CONS:
-The purchase process can be confusing if you’re not paying attention.
-Keep a wall or car charger handy for your iPhone. Battery life does suffer when using this app for long periods.
-If you don’t have a 5 or 6gig data plan then I wouldn’t suggest this app.
If I were to give MyWi a mark … I think it would be 4 out of 5. The pros way out weigh the cons on this app.
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