Bell Mobility
Bell readying a BlackBerry 6 update for 2011?
Aug 26th
Good news for Bell users with HSPA BlackBerry’s who recently upgraded and are salivating over the pending Canadian launch of the Torch 9800.
A tipster sent MobileSyrup an internal screenshot of both when they expect to release the update and the devices expected to be supported. Although, if you have been following BlackBerry news lately you would have already known these devices would get the update sooner or later, its always been a question of when.
With this little “leak” I guess it’s just a matter of time before Rogers and Telus drop the same information.
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Bell Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant Unlocked!
Aug 21st
Finally! After almost a month of turmoil, Canada’s “best” Android phone has finally been unlocked, and it isn’t through one of those expensive third-party providers. In fact, you can unlock the device yourself. All you need is root access, a tiny .exe file, and a little Command Prompt knowledge.
See, the unlock code is in fact embedded in the device; all that needed to happen was someone to decode the hex values. So, over the last 24 hours, Galaxy S owners the world over have paraded around in their large underwears, dancing the jig of the carrier-free man.
I can confirm that procedure works, and I am currently using a Rogers SIM on the Bell Galaxy S Vibrant.
Hit up XDA-Developers for more information, and thank the original poster for his hard work!
HTC Legend Being Discontinued?
Aug 20th
Some of the best Android devices get the shortest life span, and it seems as though the very popular HTC Legend is seeing its final days as well.
According to the above inventory screenshot, due to supply constraints, the HTC Legend is being discontinued from Bell’s lineup of Android phones less than 3 months after being launched as a Bell/Virgin exclusive. The device hasn’t even received its update to Android 2.2!
A lot is left up in the air with this one causing some to question its validity, but factually speaking since the introduction of AMOLED screens to the mainstream, the components have become incredibly scarce, meaning Bell may be looking for a quick exit strategy to put focus solely on the recently released Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant.
Unfortunatley, the Legend, like its predecessor the Hero, fit a certain small-handed niche in North America. Because Bell (and Telus before them) were the only carriers in North America to release the device, they became an importer’s dream down south, where neither of the phones were offered officially by a carrier.
Either way, the HTC Legend had a great run in Canada, you can read our review on it here or say R.I.P. and let is go to Android heaven with the recently demised Nexus One.
[Via MobileSyrup]
Follow me on twitterCanadian Contracts Are Vampires: Study
Aug 11th
Get it? Flipout?
Canadians pay too much for their monthly cell phone bill, and are dragged into lengthy contracts that punish consumers for ending them before their term, according to a SeaBord Group study entitled “Death Grip.” (Great name!)
There will likely be another wireless spectrum auction in 2012 or 2013, and could increase competition again in the country, as the auction did in 2008, leading to the creation of WIND Mobile and Mobilicity, two companies who are completely contract-free.
But these companies will always be at a disadvantage to the three incumbents, Rogers, Telus and Bell, in part because they are established brands within the country, whose networks extend nationally, but also because they offer huge phone subsidies when signing a contract.
The problem comes in when customers want to remove themselves from the contract; they have already received promotional prices on their phone, and likely preferred monthly rates on their plan, but the cancellation fee is directly tied to how many months remain in his or her contract. Sometimes these penalties can cost more than the cost of the phone itself, which is the whole reason the contract exists in the first place.
But contracts are guaranteed revenue for these carriers, and they are loathe to change their business model, especially for higher-end business and data clients, who spend $100+ every month on their smartphone plan.
The report goes on to say that even though the Canadian carriers have less “buying power” when purchasing handsets, the discrepancy between the cost to the consumer and to the carrier is too high, and consumers end up with the brunt of it.
Read the entire report, and see for yourself.
(via The Globe and Mail)
Rumour: Bell Samsung Vibrant not unlockable
Aug 7th
Now this won’t really be news to anyone except Canadians who want to unlock their newly-minted Bell Vibrant to be used on another provider, but it turns out that the device for whatever reason is not unlockable. There is a thread going on at Howardforums where the consensus seems to be that no company can seem to find a suitable unlock algorithm for the phone, and for most new Samsung devices. Bell will, after 30 days and for $75 dollars, sell you an unlock code for the device, but the price seems exorbitant.
Besides the iPhone, which is either factory or software unlocked, this Samsung device is the first I’ve heard that is hard to crack.
Remember, BlackBerry devices are always going to be easy to crack, and they can be obtained from our store should you need one. This goes for the Torch 9800 when it is released, too.
Bell Samsung Vibrant launching August 6 for $149.95
Aug 4th
This wasn’t unexpected, but the news is here, and it’s officially official. The Samsung Galaxy S variant that we’ve seen floating around the US in T-Mobile bands is now in Canada, and will be priced at a fairly expensive $149.95 on a 3-year term, $499.95 without one. While cheaper than the 16GB iPhone 4 by $10, it doesn’t exactly scream “alternative!” to me. That’s because, for all it’s beautiful specs, the phone runs Android 2.1 underneath Samsung’s less-than-ideal TouchWiz3 interface.
I will be getting a demo to try as soon as it’s released, and a full review will be forthcoming, but until then, hold tight.
In the meantime, try to win one yourself at Bell’s contest page.
Rogers, Bell, Virgin and Telus confirm the Blackberry Torch 9800
Aug 3rd
No surprise here now that AT&T and RIM have let the cat out of the bag, ALL the Canadian carriers have confirmed they will carry the new Blackberry Torch 9800.
Though no official release date has been announced, they all make mention of it being released in “the coming weeks”. So i’d imagine an end of Q3 launch.
We will update as we know more.
Read the official Rogers announcement via their Redboard Blog here
Read Virgin’s announcement via their twitter handle here
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.
Should You Upgrade to the iPhone 4 in Canada?
Jul 28th
Today we introduce another contributing editor to the site, GuruTyler. Tyler is an iPhone fan-boy and cellphone guru-in-training. Please welcome him!
To upgrade, or not to upgrade
As we approach the Canadian release date of the iPhone 4, the anticipation of hopeful buyers is beginning to reach critical mass. Without the ability to pre-order with the providers, long lineups are surely expected on July 30th when it finally drops. Unfortunately, along with the newest technology, also comes a hefty price tag and a new 3 year contract. Of course, for the first time, the iPhone will be available for purchase without a contract, however expect the cost to be similar to an iPad. All this begs the question – is it really worth the upgrade?
Firstly, this article is geared towards current iPhone owners, whether it be the 3G or 3GS. With the recent iOS4 software update, is the iPhone 4 merely a sleeker version of the previous models, or is it worth the money?
Beginning with what most casual owners care about, space. Perhaps the most disappointing thing about the iPhone 4 is that Apple is not offering larger capacity flash drives, remaining with 16GB and 32GB models. Although most may find 32GB to be plenty, the massive number of available Apps is quickly making the 16GB feel outdated.
Everybody loves taking pictures, making the next most important feature the camera. This is the biggest hardware related improvement in the iPhone 4 compared to all previous models. There is now a camera on both the back and front, as well as an LCD flash. Current owners are well aware that not having a flash is very frustrating and provides for very low quality pictures in dim light. Also, trying to take a self-portrait with a touch screen is unnecessarily difficult. As if those improvements weren’t enough, the camera records in 720p High Definition, which could hypothetically put HD flip cameras completely out of business. Lastly, Apple has introduced a new featured entitled “Facetime” which allows for video calling between iPhone 4 owners over a WiFi connection. Needless to say, the beefed up cameras alone might be enough to entice customers to upgrade.
As far as hardware, those are really the most important aspects. Of course the iPhone 4 has improved their display, battery life, and esthetics, but none fully justify an upgrade on their own. That leads to the meat and potatoes of the device: software stability. iOS4 performs much better on the newest model than the 3GS across the board. With an updated “A4″ chip similar to that used in the iPad, it runs noticeably faster and smoother. The 3G really suffers in this department with iOS4. Hardly any of the new features are available, and not having multitasking is an utter disappointment. The 3GS has all the key features of iOS4 but there is noticeable lagging when switching between apps in multitasking. It is certainly not a severe enough issue to say the 3GS is outdated, but to say that it runs as smooth as 4 would be false.
The final verdict: The iPhone 4 is without a doubt one of the best cell phones ever released. There is no question that it is the biggest advancement since the original iPhone was introduced. For those still using said original or a 3G, an upgrade will be a great improvement. However those with 3GS can easily get another year out of it if the fancy bells and whistles aren’t as appealing. All this keeping in mind that Apple will undoubtedly be releasing a 5th incarnation of the iPhone in the summer of 2011.
Release Date Set for Blackberry Curve 3G on Bell
Jul 27th
We posted last week that Bell had intentions on launching the Blackberry Curve 3G (more commonly referred to as the Kepler 9300), yet no other details regarding pricing or availability were known. Well, today Crackberry put our minds at ease posting an inventory update stating a launch date of Aug 12,2010, with hardware rumored to be arriving within the next week at retail locations.
Expect official pricing and probably more word from the other carriers planning to launch it to leak out in the coming days.
[via Crackberry]
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