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LG G2 reaches the FCC with North American LTE
Want to know which North American carriers might offer the LG G2 after August 7th? The FCC is offering a big hint: it just approved a region-appropriate version of the Android flagship. Going under its D801 codename, the G2 variant cleared by the agency supports all the LTE and HSPA frequencies used by AT&T, T-Mobile and large Canadian networks. As such, it's likely that the smartphone will get a multi-carrier launch next month. The real question is whether or not any CDMA providers (which aren't included in the filing) will come along for the ride.
Mobile Miscellany: week of June 24th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, the Galaxy S 4 was spotted in purple garb, a new Windows Phone was outed for AT&T and US Cellular officially welcomed a budget handset from ZTE into its ranks. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 24th, 2013.
Bell cleared to buy Astral Media, creates a Canadian TV powerhouse
Bell tried to shake up the Canadian media landscape last year by acquiring Astral Media, but it ran into a CRTC-sized roadblock -- regulators didn't want 25 TV stations moving to one provider. After some big concessions, however, Bell has received approval to buy Astral for $3.2 billion. The revised deal gives Bell control of 12 channels that include The Movie Network, HBO Canada's owner. Bell is offloading some important TV content to move forward, though. Corus gets several recognizable channels that include the Cartoon Network and Teletoon, while big stations like Disney XD and MusiquePlus are on the auction block. Not that Bell will complain too loudly when the buyout closes on July 5th, mind you. The merger still gives it 35.8 percent of the English Canadian TV market and 22.6 percent of its French Canadian equivalent, or enough to immediately eclipse rivals like Rogers and Quebecor.
Bell intros Fibe TV Wireless Receiver, takes Canadians multi-room for $199
Some Canadians can get multi-room TV through their providers, but a truly wire-free option has never been on the table -- no doubt a disappointment for backyard viewing parties. Bell is filling that void today with what it says is the first carrier-supplied wireless TV package in Canada. Fibe TV subscribers can now pick up as many as five Wireless Receivers (really, Motorola VIP2502 boxes) to extend their HD viewing and DVR control to the whole home without cables. It sounds easy; the real challenge, we figure, will be getting a Wireless Receiver in the first place. Customers have to live in Montreal, Quebec City or Toronto for Fibe TV to even be an option, while each Wireless Receiver costs either $7 per month or $199 up front.
PSA: Samsung Galaxy S 4 now on sale at Canadian carriers
Samsung's launch of the Galaxy S 4 hasn't been as coordinated as the company would like, but it's making some amends with today's launch of its flagship phone in Canada. In one fell swoop, most of the larger Canadian carriers are now offering the 16GB model for a typical $200 on a 3-year contract. Bell, Rogers and Telus (as well as their sub-brands) are covering much of the country, while more region-specific carriers like Eastlink and Videotron are also joining in. Carriers like Mobilicity and Wind Mobile aren't yet included, however, and supplies are known to be tight -- we'd ask about stock before making a trip to the local store.
PSA: BlackBerry Q10 on sale in Canada, but only in Toronto (update: other cities too)
Today marks one of the symbolically more important launches in the BlackBerry universe: the Q10, the first keyboard-equipped BB10 phone, is at last available on the company's Canadian home turf. As promised, customers with Bell, Rogers and Telus (as well as their Virgin Mobile, Fido and Koodo sub-brands) can snap up what's arguably the true Waterloo flagship for about $199 on a 3-year contract, or between $625 to $700 contract-free. Shoppers are largely buying the same phone no matter the carrier, although Rogers is hoping to lure the undecided with both LTE on an extra frequency as well as access to the white model. Just be prepared for a slightly longer wait if you plan to buy one in person -- BlackBerry warns that it's limiting Q10 supply to the Greater Toronto Area for the first day or two to accommodate demand high demand in Canada's financial capital. Update: Although BlackBerry was emphasizing Toronto, readers in other cities have mentioned getting early access. We'd still call ahead if you're set on grabbing a Q10 at retail, however.
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 22nd, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, a familiar smartphone leaked that's said to join the prepaid ranks at Verizon Wireless, AT&T swung back against the DOJ, and Rogers issued its quarterly earnings. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of April 22nd, 2013.
BlackBerry Q10 coming to Canadian carriers May 1st for $199 on contract
It's usually safe to presume that BlackBerry will give the most love to its home country, and that's proving reasonable with the BlackBerry Q10. Bell, Rogers and Telus have all confirmed that they'll be carrying the QWERTY-equipped smartphone on May 1st, quite possibly putting them on the cutting edge of the Q10 launch schedule. Smaller networks like Fido, Koodo, Sasktel and Virgin Mobile are also on deck. The big three are already taking pre-orders today, but we'd brace for a rather steep price premium -- they're all asking about $199 for the Q10 on a three-year contract, which is more expensive than many of the phone's touch-only rivals. BlackBerry hasn't outlined plans for the US or other countries yet, but we're hoping they get a slightly better deal.
Galaxy S 4 pre-orders live in Canada today, $199 on a three-year commitment
Samsung's next Galaxy flagship is seeking a new home in the land of hockey, maple syrup and politesse. Starting today, Canadian subscribers on Telus, Rogers or Bell will be able to pre-order the 16GB Galaxy S 4 for $199 on a three-year plan. Shipments of the TouchWiz-laden überphone are slated to begin later this month on the 27th, with Telus committing to an in-store date of May 3rd. Of course, you needn't sign away such a significant chunk of your wireless life for subsidized GS4 privileges -- the handset can be had outright for $700 CAD. Whether you go all in or opt for the monthly payment package, you'll at least have your pick of carrier poison.
Sony Xperia ZL review: a giant phone in a surprisingly compact frame
Sony took a rather unusual path with its flagship smartphone for 2013: it designed the hardware twice. The Xperia Z is ostensibly the star of the show with its glass body and waterproofing, but it's launching alongside the Xperia ZL, an equally brawny, yet plainer sibling. On a spec sheet, there's no apparent reason for the ZL to exist when its features almost perfectly match those of the slimmer and more stylish Z. Still, it's precisely that emphasis on function over form that might just win the day. Sony bills the ZL as the most compact 5-inch smartphone on the market, which could win over folks who see large-screened phones as unwieldy. But is it enough to challenge conventional thinking on big phones, especially in light of fiercer competition? And is there anything special lurking underneath the ZL's reworked hood? Read on and we'll let you know whether the second device in Sony's dual-phone strategy is strong enough to outshine the Z -- and, more importantly, its rivals. %Gallery-185056%
Sony Xperia ZL reaches Canada through Bell, Rogers and Videotron
While we're still waiting on an American carrier to officially release Sony's Xperia ZL, it turns out that Canadians don't have to be quite so patient. That promised April launch in the northern country has come right at the start of the month, and locals can order the compact 5-inch flagship from Bell, Rogers or Videotron as of today. Pricing varies sharply between networks, however. Bell is offering the most aggressive discount, at $100 on a lengthy three-year contract, while Rogers and Videotron raise the prices to a respective $125 and $200 on similar terms. You can also buy the smartphone off-contract from the carriers for $600 (Bell and Videotron) or $625 (Rogers), in addition to the $675 unlocked model from Sony itself. We'd think carefully about a purchase when the Xperia ZL is about to get some stiff competition in the next few weeks; those who want a better sense of (Omni)balance in their lives can hit the carrier links at the source.
Mobile Miscellany: week of March 25th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, an unknown T-Mobile handset with Snapdragon 800 internals lit up the benchmarks, Sony was foiled at the lock screen and Rogers made 44 new promises without saying much at all. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of March 25th, 2013.
Mobile Miscellany: week of February 25th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought news of a new direction for Muve Music, the arrival of a budget smartphone at Sprint and a whole lotta LTE expansion. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 25th, 2013.
Sony Xperia ZL coming to a swath of Canadian carriers in April
It's not quite a US launch, but it's close: Sony is bringing the more compact of its two 5-inch smartphones, the Xperia ZL, to Canada in April. While that's already good news for locals who like their Xperias extra-large, the real perk will be a change in Sony's tendency toward limited launches in North America. The release will put the ZL on several of the more significant Canadian networks, including heavyweights Bell and Rogers as small-but-significant carriers like Mobilicity, MTS, Videotron and Wind Mobile -- the only major exceptions appear to be Telus and the big providers' budget brands. There's no word on pricing, although we're not expecting a radical break from the norm. We're mostly just left wondering whether the Xperia Z will appear as well, and just which if any of Sony's 1080p flagships will cross the border to the States.
PSA: BlackBerry Z10 launches in Canada today
BlackBerry's home turf of Canada didn't quite get the honor of carrying the BlackBerry Z10 first -- that went to the British -- but it's rectifying that today with a full-scale release. Bell, Rogers and Telus, as well as their respective Virgin Mobile, Fido and Koodo budget labels, are selling the inaugural BlackBerry 10 device now. Those subscribed to one of the Big Three will normally pay about $150 if they sign their lives away on a 3-year contract, or between $550 to $600 outright. Smaller carriers like Mobilicity, Videotron and Wind Mobile haven't yet launched the Z10 themselves, although they promise sales soon. BlackBerry fans south of the border, meanwhile, will just have to stare longingly until March if they're not bent on imports.
Did ASUS' Atom-based VivoTab show at the FCC with AT&T-ready LTE?
ASUS' Atom-based VivoTab has largely stayed on the sidelines while the VivoTab RT takes the limelight. The FCC may have just hinted that it's time for the non-RT model to shine with a filing showing what could be a North America-specific variant. The absence of RT labeling across the descriptions is the main clue that there might be Intel Inside, although the slate on show clearly isn't a pedestrian WiFi model -- there's four-band LTE inside, including an AT&T-specific 700MHz frequency and AWS bands that would support both AT&T and Canadian carriers. There's no guarantee that Big Blue will carry the Windows 8 tablet, especially not when it's already offering the Windows RT version, but those craving both LTE and full-on app compatibility could be satisfied in short order.
Samsung ATIV S review: the Galaxy S III, repackaged for Windows Phone 8
Samsung was one of the first to join the Windows Phone parade with the Focus, and was quick to follow up with devices like the Focus S. It's been unusually conservative with Windows Phone 8, however: the ATIV S ($100 on contract through Bell Canada) is the last of the big three flagships to arrive in 2012, following weeks after the HTC Windows Phone 8X and Nokia Lumia 920 went on sale. Some would argue that Samsung has been especially conservative with the ATIV S, given that it shares the same 4.8-inch screen, Snapdragon S4 processor, cameras and overarching design traits with Sammy's other flagship phone, the Galaxy S III. There's a real worry that someone visiting the carrier store will see both devices and pick the Galaxy simply through name recognition alone. And yet, they're not entirely cut from the same cloth: there's a design twist or two, a larger battery and, of course, a switch to an entirely different ecosystem. Some will want the phone to try Windows Phone's simpler, at-a-glance interface concept; others are shopping solely inside of Microsoft's universe and want to know if expandable storage and Samsung's custom app suite fend off rivals. We already have lots to like, but there are a few punctures in the ATIV S' faux-metal armor that will keep it from being the handset for everyone, even if they do prefer Windows Phone. Read on and you'll see why.
Samsung ATIV S goes on sale at the big three Canadian carriers
Samsung's ATIV S has only just started trickling out into the marketplace, but Canadians will be happy to know they're some of the first to get their feet wet: Bell, Rogers and Telus have all made the Windows Phone 8 headliner available from today. We're seeing a wild variety in pricing that doesn't often happen with smartphones, however. Bell is offering the phone for $100 on a lengthy 3-year contract, but the amount drops to a momentary $80 at Rogers and just $30 at Telus' discounted price. Landing the ATIV S off-contract either costs $600 (at Bell and Rogers) or $650 on Telus. Locals shouldn't count on a walk-in purchase when there's talk at MobileSyrup of tight supply; they'll likely still be glad when they at least have the chance a week or more before their British counterparts.
Leak suggests Samsung ATIV S to launch in Canada with Bell on December 14th
The S III-esque ATIV S didn't materialize on Canadian carriers in November as we'd expected, but a supposed leak from Bell's internal system shows it might well be launching before the holidays. Samsung's first (but not only) handset running Windows Phone 8 is arriving December 14th at Bell, according to MobileSyrup's source, which also reports SIM-free pricing of $599.95 (Canadian dollars), or $79.95 on a three-year contract. We can't confirm the numbers, but it should only be a few days before you can find out how much of that Christmas budget you'll need to repurpose for your own treat. And, with a new phone to play with, you won't even notice the thinly-veiled disappointment caused by your bargain bin gifts.
Huawei Honor 2 passes through the FCC with North America-capable 3G, not much else
Huawei upped its ante in the smartphone games with the Honor 2 just weeks ago, but with few mentions of where the phone maker might place its bets outside of its native China. An FCC filing has at least raised the slim chance that Huawei might look to North America. The newly-tested device doles out HSPA+ support on the 850MHz, 1,700MHz and 1,900MHz bands, letting it work with the 3G of just about any American or Canadian GSM carrier. Without any LTE to speak of, though, the Honor 2 variant is more likely to appear on a smaller network that doesn't yet have access to the faster data, such as T-Mobile or Wind -- if it shows up at all, that is. As FCC approvals only occasionally spoil a launch, we'll mostly be waiting to see if Huawei or carriers step forward before anticipating the mid-tier phone on this side of the Pacific.
