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Rogers selling the BlackBerry Curve 8900? UPDATE: Yes indeed
Word on the street is that people have suddenly (and rather unexpectedly) started to be able to buy the Curve 8900 on Rogers for $179.99 on a three-year contract with support for the carrier's Talkspot UMA service. Why this wasn't heavily advertised leading up to the release, we don't know -- folks seem to be red-hot for this release -- but at any rate, you should be able to stroll into your local shop in the next few days and pick this sucker up. That eternal question comes up yet again: Curve, Bold, or Storm?Update: Game on -- according to Boy Genius, the Curve is now listed in Rogers' internal database and retail stores are starting to get stocks. So what's it gonna be?
Nokia E71 now available from Rogers
Looks like the Daytime Emmy-quality drama that's infiltrated the Nokia E71's entry into the Canadian market may finally be drawing to an overdue end. Originally, Fido had been rumored to be the lucky recipient of the sexy little S60 number with QWERTY, but at some point, parent company Rogers became the front runner to nab it -- and MobileSyrup reports that the coup is now complete. There's no sign of it on their website just yet, but calling up a Rogers rep will apparently now net you the opportunity to score an E71 for $99.99 CAD on a three-year contract with the purchase of a voice and data plan totaling $45 a month or higher -- so if enterprise-y Symbian gear is how you roll, here's your chance.
Fido's rebrand complete, yellow figures prominently
Fido, Canada's other GSM carrier -- though, wholly owned by Rogers Wireless -- has finally found its new identity. The faithful, straightforward, and trust-inspiring pooch is still present in the new look and feel as well as the hammer-like subtle use of yellow. New plans being launched include "all-in" price plans starting at $15, a $25 deal with unlimited text messaging, and all feature per-second billing and no system access fee. The new site's up now if you're inspired to switch up your plans a bit and we have to say, if the fine type's not too fine, things are definitely looking rosy for budget-minded consumers up north.
Fido to revamp image, become more than a Rogers clone on Tuesday
Fido's experienced a bit of an identity crisis ever since being snatched up by GSM giant Rogers several years ago, struggling with product and pricing lineups that don't really project the quirky, young image that the brand's supposed to be all about. That might all change Tuesday, though, with rumors swirling that the carrier's poised to totally remake itself with new branding, a new, expanded hardware lineup, and lower fees. This might be largely in response to Telus' creation of the low-cost Koodo Mobile network, but also in preparation for an onslaught of competitors brought about by Canada's recent AWS auction. Either way, it sounds like it's probably good news for Canadian consumers looking for another (only?) source of budget GSM stuff.[Via MobileSyrup, image via HowardForums]
Rogers holds hands with RBC / Visa for mobile phone payment pilot
If you're tired of paying for random snacks and such the old fashioned way (you know, swiping your credit card and handing over your John Henry), Rogers Wireless feels your pain. While not the first mobile payment initiative to hit the Great North, this one has some pretty notable backers. Starting in mid-2009, Rogers, RBC and Visa will join together to allow customers "to pay for small purchases" so long as they're holding one of the "specially-equipped mobile phones that can be waved at Visa payWave-enabled checkout readers at select retail stores and quick-service restaurants in Toronto's downtown core." The pilot will utilize Motorola handsets outfitted with Near Field Communication (NFC) contactless chips, while Gemalto will be managing the transfer of credit card information from RBC to the secure SIM card. There's no word on plans beyond the trial, but here's hoping it does something more than just fizzle out.[Via mobilesyrup]
Nokia's E71 swiped from FIDO, reserved for Rogers launch?
From a corporate standpoint, we can sort of understand the parent company's desire to have the best handset launches all to itself, but it sure would've been kind of it to throw FIDO a proverbial bone. If you'll recall, whispers were in the air that Rogers, FIDO's parent company, would be reserving the Nokia E71 for a fall / winter FIDO launch; now, we're hearing from a number of directions that those plans may have been scrapped. In fact, Rogers could now be hosting the phone all by its lonesome next month in Canada. Of course, we'll have to wait until then to see if hearts change once more, but boy, the tug-of-war between parent and child here is really bringing back some frightening memories.[Via mobilesyrup]
Samsung Jack gets Windows Mobile 6.1 boost in Canada
Rogers' Samsung Jack, which is Canada-speak for BlackJack II, has been officially blessed with Windows Mobile 6.1. It's a few weeks behind the BlackJack II's own upgrade, true, but... you know, Canada-izing this stuff takes time. Or something. Grab the update from Samsung's site while the gettin's good.[Thanks, Fred]
Rogers gets rugged with Motorola VA76r
Mil-spec (and mil-spec-esque) hardware seems to be all the rage lately, so Motorola was more than happy to oblige when Rogers asked for some rough-looking gear to slot into its lineup. Meet the VA76r, a beefy set that'll take pretty much all the drops, dirt, and spills you can throw its way and keeps things rockin' on the data side with triband HSDPA. You've also got a QVGA display, Bluetooth, 2-megapixel cam, and microSD expansion; the $199.99 CAD (about $194) you're going to pay on a three-year contract isn't the cheapest we've ever heard, but for those that need this kind of toughness (you know who you are), it's probably worth the cost of admission. No word on a US release, but we suspect Moto would love to launch this sucker on AT&T to do battle with Samsung's Rugby.[Via MobileSyrup]
WiFi-equipped BlackBerry 8320 on tap for Rogers?
There's an old saying in the wireless industry: "As AT&T goes, so goes Rogers." Actually, that's not a saying, we just made it up -- and it's not terribly accurate, either. But in the case of RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8320, there's at least a little bit of truth to it. New documents floating around indicate that Rogers intends to add the WiFi-packin' version of the Curve to its Talkspot lineup, giving users yet another smartphone option after the 8120 launched earlier this year. It'll apparently be offered in "Sapphire Blue" for $149.99 CAD (about $140) with a launch expected before the month's out.
Rogers embraces N-Gage, Nokia Maps
Rogers has gained the notable distinction of becoming just the first carrier in North America to partner with Nokia to distribute its N-Gage and Maps clients, an unprecedented move that could lead to tighter (dare we say, more Europe-like?) relationships in the future. Both products are initially available on the N95 8GB -- a phone that Rogers officially offers through its own channels -- and will presumably see wider launch as other S60 handsets are brought into the fold. What's next, Rogers, full-on Ovi support?[Thanks, James]
Samsung t336 to shore up Rogers' Talkspot offerings
It looks like Rogers is finally getting around to expanding its rather anemic selection of UMA-enabled Talkspot phones, informing dealers that they can expect delivery of the t336 from Samsung in the next few days. The phone -- a dead ringer for T-Mobile's similarly-equipped t339 -- should offer a 1.3-megapixel camera, 220 x 176 primary and 96 x 96 secondary displays, stereo Bluetooth, and most importantly, a WiFi radio for hookin' on up to your router. Looks like it'll run $49.99 CAD (about $47) on a three-year deal when it starts filtering into stores later this week, assuming everything goes well.
Rogers Wireless releases some iPhone data usage details, says nyaa-nyaa
Drumroll please! We all heard a fair bit of uncharacteristic anger echoing out of Canada with Rogers Wireless' announcement of its -- and FIDO's -- iPhone data pricing models. Of course, Rogers rethought its plans, launched the $30 / 6GB plan and all was well again in the land of the polar bear and beaver. We had a quick chat with Elizabeth Hamilton, the Director of Corporate Communications at Rogers, this week, and it turns out they may not have been so completely mistaken with the plans offered after all. First month stats show that 1.2% of iPhone customers used more than 1GB of data in the first four weeks, 95% used less than 500MB, and 91.2% used less than 100MB. Considering the original plans were as high as 400MB per month, it would seem they would have served the northern populace quite handily.
Rogers announcing new data plans, peace of mind in October
Now that Rogers' iPhone users have had a month to play and Rogers have had time to look at usage, it comes as no surprise some new data plans are in the works. First off, the good news is that the $30 6GB plan will be extended until the end of September from the end of August -- mind you, this is less generosity and more wanting to sign new BlackBerry Bold owners on to the plan. On October 1st Rogers -- and Fido -- will launch a new $15 2MB plan, $25 500MB plan, $30 1GB plan, $60 3GB plan, and an $80 8GB plan. These new plans will apply to smartphones, data cards, tethering, and of course BlackBerry devices. Most notable in the good news binge are a few "peace of mind" protection tools also being launched in October, including SMS data alerts, Freedom of Data, and a $100 data charge maximum. SMS data alerts will let subscribers know before, when, and after they've emptied the data bucket for the month. Freedom of Data will give 3 months of real unlimited usage just on the off chance you completely blow it out, the overages will be zeroed out and you can learn, adjust and move on. The $100 maximum idea means that no matter what data plan you're on, your monthly bill will never be higher than a hundred bucks as a combination of your fixed cost plus your overage. It seems this may spell the end of outrageous data bills in Canada, and we're thinking that deserves some applause.
Rogers BlackBerry Kickstart 8220 gets priced?
Somebody has let the BlackBerry out of the bag chez Rogers, as we're now seeing alleged marketing material for the flippable Kickstart 8220 spinning its way on to the internet. As this ad proclaims, the Kickstart 8220 will be listed at $149 on a minimum $35 plan if you sign a three year stint. No word on if Rogers will have other plans, deals, or rebates, but we suspect if you're willing to throw more loonies their way, you'll be able to pick this up on a shorter term. Of course, if a flippin' BlackBerry isn't your thing, the recently launched BlackBerry Bold might fit the bill, though, that bill will be for at least a couple "brownies" more.
BlackBerry Storm 9530 for Verizon gets boxed
So we might not have a physical device here, but these packaging renderings are pretty solid evidence of exactly what BlackBerry fans on Verizon -- particularly those jealous of the Bold -- can expect in a few weeks' time. It looks like RIM's first foray into the scary world of touchscreens will be officially branded the 9530 Storm, will be global (it includes a SIM card, after all), and will feature an 8GB SanDisk microSD card preinstalled. Wondering what happened to the Thunder name? Turns out that'll apparently be reserved for the version of the phone launching on Rogers up in Canada and on Vodafone across the pond. Those Storm users on the screen there sure look happy, don't they?%Gallery-30627%
BlackBerry Bold unboxing and hands-on at Engadget Mobile!
We've been waiting to get our smudgy digits on RIM's BlackBerry Bold, and finally, Canada's Rogers Wireless gave us a helping hand. While we put together a proper review and gather our thoughts, Engadget Mobile's whipped up a giant gallery of Bold poses to keep you busy. Follow the link to get at the goodies!
BlackBerry Bold unboxing and hands-on
We've been waiting to get our smudgy digits on RIM's BlackBerry Bold seemingly since before the Earth's crust finished cooling, and finally, Canada's Rogers Wireless lent us a hand. In a few words, the screen is striking, size is actually pretty comfy to hang on to, the keys are fairly easy to use, and we're kinda digging it. As a quick refresher, the Bold has tri-band HSDPA, quad-band EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 1GB of onboard memory, and a 2-megapixel cam that can take advantage of the GPS for a bit of geotagging tomfoolery. The integrated media player seems to get the job done with a pile of supported formats -- including DivX, some support for XviD, H.264, MP3, WMA, and a bunch more -- the OS 4.6 looks slick, and have we mentioned the frickin' screen? We'll be back right quick with a deeper dive into the Bold's capabilities, but for now, enjoy the pics.%Gallery-30537%
BlackBerry Bold 9000 unboxed on video
We can't help but feel the BlackBerry Bold 9000's much-anticipated launch ended up being just a tad bit anti-climactic. Maybe it's a Canada thing, or maybe we're just haters. Or maybe we hate Canada. While we mull that over, you might as well have a look at CrackBerry.com's video unboxing of the new phone, complete with some comparison shots and, um, unboxing. Oh, there's an iPhone versus near the end, so don't go anywhere! Video is after the break.
BlackBerry Bold hits Rogers on August 21st, so get your thumbs worked-out
Well, it looks like that long, painful wait is finally over. According to all kinds of tipsters, the BlackBerry Bold touches down for the first time in North America (in its home country of Canada, obviously) come August 21st (that's this Thursday, in case you don't own a calendar, computer, or have any friends). That's right -- the Bold will land on Rogers (where else?) with a price tag set somewhere between the dark valley of $300 and $400, according to Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie. Reports say the phone will be available from other carriers by the end of the week, though we don't have any definitive rumblings that confirm such heavenly ideas. You'll know more when we do, of course.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Rogers' regular sized BlackBerry Bold gets priced: $399.99 on a 3-year contract
Though the pricing is a bit (and we emphasize "bit") easier to swallow than the $600 Movistar is charging in Chile, it's not even close to free. Rogers will soon be offering up a palm-sized version of its gigantic BlackBerry Bold (which will hopefully swap those informational cards with cell radios and such) for a staggering $399.99 on a 3-year contract. Who knew highway robbery was legal, anyway?
