Latest News

Last week we let you know that TELUS and Rogers would both be making the iPad with Retina display and iPad mini “in the coming weeks.” No dates were listed on either of the carrier sites, but we can now confirm that these tablets will be hitting Rogers stores on June 26th, presumably the same date on TELUS.

According to an internal doc we received it reveals the same pricing as visiting the Apple Store or Apple’s online store, but this move will help the carriers activate in-store rather than sending customers to another retailer. Rogers does note that customers who activate on their LTE network “enjoy the freedom of online connectivity when and where you choose, added security, and the fastest wireless internet speeds in Canada.”

16GB iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular will be available in black or white for $459, plus Rogers can order you the 32GB or 64GB in white and black for $559, $659 respectively. For the iPad with Retina display with Wi-Fi + Cellular, this will come in the 16GB or 32GB models, again white and black, for $629 and $729 outright. In addition, the 64GB and 128GB can be ordered for $829 and $929.

We’ll have more info soon!
(Thanks tipster!)

We loved what we saw when Sony unveiled the waterproof Xperia Z earlier at CES earlier this year, but the company had different plans in store for the Canadian market. The Xperia ZL was the same phone on the inside but lacked the polished and more attractive glass body and ingress protection.

With the announcement that T-Mobile will be getting the more svelte Xperia Z as an exclusive later this summer, it became apparent that this would be a great addition to WIND’s lineup. The Canadian carrier, which runs on the same AWS 3G network as T-Mobile, only sells the Xperia ion from last year, but its rival Mobilcility and Quebec-based Videotron do, most recently with the Xperia ZL, so it would seem natural for WIND to snatch up the other model as a differentiator.

We’ve heard inklings over the past few months that another Canadian carrier, maybe Bell, would launch the Xperia Z. While it would make more sense for WIND, who doesn’t have any exposure to Sony hardware, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Xperia Z show up in one form or another in our face country.

To review, the Xperia Z comes with a 5-inch 1080p screen, a 1.5Ghz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, a 13MP Exmor RS camera and Android 4.1.2.

Via: T-Mobile

HTC announced a phone today that wouldn’t seem out of place in 2009. With a 3.5-inch 480×320 pixel display, a first-generation single-core 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB of internal storage and the woefully aging Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, the Desire 200 is likely never going to appeal to the average user.

While the device is never likely to be sold in North America, its existence goes to show that the commoditization of smartphones is pushing down development, production and distribution costs, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Desire 200 sold for less than $80 in many parts of the world. Only Nokia, with its entry-level Asha and Windows Phone 8 devices, has been taking advantage of this space.

The Desire 200 does boast a few interesting features, including Beats Audio and a built-in Data Manager app to ensure users keep to within their bandwidth limits.

Source: HTC

Blekko is a search engine that has been around since late 2010 and purports to offer a viable alternative to Google’s often advertising-heavy and arguably content-farmed results.

The company is diversifying its mobile portfolio today with Izik, which was previously only available for iPad, launching new apps for Android phones and tablets, as well as the iPhone.

The app is clean, focusing on dividing results into categories. When you search for something, say “iOS 7,” the results are divided into horizontally-scrollable tables. Not only is the format mobile-friendly but it cuts down on wasted content, as only the best results float to the top.

There’s also a “What’s Nearby” feature that draws down results like Bars, Restaurants, Shops, Movies and Gas Stations, arrayed on a Google Map with appropriate touch points. It may not unseat Google, especially on Android 4.1+, as the go-to search app, but it’s a great choice for iPhone users looking for something different.

Download Izik for Android and iPhone.

Over the past few weeks, I have been testing a product that has changed my life. I first saw the Fitbit Flex at CES, but struggled to get a good view thanks to a teeming crowd looking for a chance to try the fitness and wellness tracker.

Fitbit is a US-based company that has gained prominence in recent years for releasing inexpensive, easy-to-use wearable technology — until now, clips and small baubles — that connect to an iOS or Android device to ascertain whether you’re walking, eating and sleeping properly.

The new Fitbit Flex band is similar to its high-end One clip, but wraps around the wrist for a much more solid fit. It connects wirelessly to a Bluetooth 4.0-enabled device like the Galaxy S4 or iPhone 4S/5, and tracks your steps and how well you’re sleeping (review coming soon).

After a very successful crowd-funding campaign on Indigogo, specifically raising 874% above their original goal, Toronto-based Whirlscape will officially release a beta version of their simplified keyboard called ‘Minuum.’ This Android beta is reserved for those who backed the project a couple months ago, but they do note that “iOS developers and everyone looking forward to our wearable development kit can expect access to our software later in 2013.”

In an email to the 10,000 supporters yesterday, Whirlscape stated “you will be invited to a Google Group for Minuum beta users. Once you join the group, you’ll be able to download the Minuum beta for Android through the Google Play Store. Only members of our Google Group for Minuum beta users will be able to download the beta trough the Play Store.”

Pretty exciting stuff for the Canadian company. Let us know when you’ve received the download link and how you’re liking Minuum.

The HTC One mini has been leaked several times already, and is expected to be announced some time next month in a price range between $350-400.

A recent document called a UIPref was gleaned from a working model of HTC’s upcoming second-in-command and confirmed what was speculated: the One mini will be called exactly that (with a lowercase “m”) and come with a 4.3-inch 720p screen and Android 4.2.2.

Recently, HTC came under fire for ostensibly delaying the launch of Android 4.2 for its flagship One device, and it’s believed that they will wait until the launch of its smaller kin to make the update available.

Source: HTC MMS
Via: TheNextWeb

Huawei announced today its many-times-leaked and ultrathin Ascend P6, the new metallic prize in its smartphone collection.

The 4.7-inch device comes in at a staggering 6.18mm thin and weighs a slight 120g, with a 1280×720 in-cell display that has MagicTouch abilities, another term for being responsive while wearing gloves. There’s a 1.5Ghz quad-core processor behind the scenes, along with what appears to be 1.5-2GB RAM (it’s not specified at the moment) and a 2000mAh battery.

Huawei is also promoting its sealed 2000mAh battery as providing up to 30% better uptime than the equivalent cell size from another manufacturer, and the 8MP rear camera boasts macro views of 4cm. The front-facing camera is also noteworthy, as its absurdly high 5MP resolution may be approaching overkill.

Lastly, Huawei has dropped Android 4.2.2 into the Ascend P6′s lap, covered by the company’s bright and colourful Emotion UI, which has received a few tweaks since the last iteration.

No word on a North American launch; Huawei is sending the P6 to China this month, and Western Europe sometime in July.

Via: Huawei

Samsung has announced several new devices over the past few weeks, such as the Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy S4 mini and the Galaxy S4 Zoom. These will all be on stage during their upcoming ‘Premiere 2013′ media event on Thursday, as will new ATIV products. If you’re unable to make it to London for the big show, then perhaps you’re interested in watching the experience unfold on YouTube. Samsung has announced that the Premier event will be streamed live starting at 4PM EST (9PM BST).

Source: YouTube
Via: SamMobile

Rogers unleashed their LTE Max network in Manitoba yesterday – the speeds were pretty impressive (see here). In addition to this expanded coverage, Rogers also extended LTE Max – which uses dual frequency 2100 MHz and 2600 MHz bands – in various regions of Quebec and Alberta:

- Baie-Comeau, QC
- Hull Expansion, QC
- Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
- Grand Prairie, AB (LTE, not LTE Max)
- Medicine Hat, AB

These locations join over 20 other spots in Canada that the Rogers LTE Max network is live, mostly in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

Source: Rogers