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BlackBerry Bold 9700 available now from Rogers

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 5th 2009 @ 10:56PM

AT&T and T-Mobile customers have a little bit to wait yet before they can clamp down on a 9700 of their own, but Rogers -- which has a history of being in the VIP section for new BlackBerry launches -- has already brought the new Bold flavor to market. RIM's latest high-end full QWERTY device will run you CAD $299.99 (about $281) on a three-year contract, scaling all the way up to CAD $599.99 (about $563) commitment-free -- so needless to say, you have to really want this thing. The original Bold's running CAD $99.99 on contract, so depending on what you're looking for (read: you're not a rabid early adopter like we are), that could come out the better deal.

[Via CrackBerry]

LG GW620 Eve coming to Rogers, Android deftly avoids AT&T yet again

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 3rd 2009 @ 9:16PM

It looks like Canada's Rogers will be among the first carriers in the world to offer LG's first Android device, the GW620 Eve -- and for North Americans, this is particularly notable since it means there's a version of the device at retail that'll theoretically work on Bell, Telus, and AT&T in addition to Rogers proper. We have no indication that AT&T's about to actually pull the trigger on this thing (or on any Android device for that matter), though, so if you're into the 5 megapixel AF cam, full QWERTY slide, and 7.2Mbps HSDPA capability, we'd recommend putting your unlockin' pants on. For Rogers customers, we're not seeing a release date just yet, but it looks like you'll be paying a downright reasonable CAD $49.99 (about $47) on a three-year deal when it launches.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

BlackBerry Curve 8520 now on Rogers

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 9th 2009 @ 5:57AM

You know what's screwed up? A CAD $99.99 (about $95) BlackBerry Curve 8520 -- you know, the cheap one -- being sold on the same carrier at the same time as CAD $79.99 (about $76) Dreams and Magics. Doesn't that seem a little out of whack? Not to mention the fact that Rogers is looking for three-year contracts all around here, and with all due respect to the 8520, the thought of committing to it for anything even close to the next 36 months sends shivers down our spines. The latest BlackBerry (and the first with a touchpad in place of a trackball) is yet to go live on Rogers' site, but apparently you can go ahead and pick one up this very second if you're so inclined -- just be sure to bring cash and your best contract signin' pen.

Telus joins the fun, gets itself an iPhone this November

by Ross Miller posted Oct 6th 2009 @ 10:41PM

Not that we're surprised, but Bell isn't the only Canadian carrier stealing the iPhone exclusivity limelight from Rogers. Telus is proudly proclaiming on its home page that it, too, will have the iPhone 3GS in November. No word on prices, but we doubt the companies will stray too far from the current trends. Now that the playing field's a bit more even, may the best carrier (or the one with the best advertising, at least) win!

Bell nabs iPhone deal in Canada, ends Rogers' reign of terror

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 6th 2009 @ 8:25AM

It's official, Bell and Apple have agreed to sell the iPhone 3G and 3GS in Canada starting November. The move ends the Rogers exclusive in while christening Bell's new 3G network with Apple's darling. Hmm, first O2 lost it exclusivity then Rogers, we're sensing a trend.

[Thanks, Sean]

Rogers' Rocket Hub disguises 3G data and voice as mild-mannered home modem

by Ross Miller posted Oct 3rd 2009 @ 7:10AM

Good news for Canadians who can't seem to get a decent internet plan for home. Rogers has unveiled a 3G station for residential use dubbed the Rocket Hub, and with it a number of jet propulsion-related puns that we'll be taking painstaking measures to avoid. It boasts 7.2Mbps HSPA, WiFi and ethernet out, and voice calls over UMTS. Makes sense since it's riding an Ericsson W3x core. Upfront cost of hardware hasn't been disclosed yet, but plans start at $35 Canadian. Launch date (okay, we couldn't resist) is sometime later this month.

Rogers expands 21Mbps footprint to more towns, HSPA+ Rocket modem available this month

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 17th 2009 @ 3:50PM

Residents of some of Canada's biggest cities are now sitting on near-LTE speeds thanks to Rogers' continued rollout of 21Mbps HSPA+, a technology it proudly boasts is "replacing 3.5G" and stands a fighting chance of offering real-life double-digit speeds. That's pretty amazing when you consider that a lot of people are still using 768kbps or 1.5Mbps DSL lines in their homes -- ten years ago, we doubt anyone would've predicted that practical wireless speeds would be running neck-and-neck with some of the fastest wireline broadband ISPs have to offer -- but we're certainly not complaining. In addition to Toronto, service is now available in Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal, with a new modem cutely named HSPA+ Rocket coming to take advantage of those speeds on the 28th of the month. Interested parties can preorder now, though: $199.99 or $74.99 on a two-year data contract.

[Via Howard Chui]

HTC posts firmware update for Rogers' Magic and Dream

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 28th 2009 @ 4:16PM

Have a Rogers-branded Magic or Dream lying around? Do you salivate at the mere thought of "several key enhancements"? Well, partner, mosey on over to HTC's website right this second where you'll find a link to a mysterious update that literally just popped up today. Let us know the gritty details of your experiences if you decide to take the plunge, alright?

Update: We just spotted a changelog when you click through:

Improves the overall device functionality and stability
Enables correct SMS timestamp
Enables Chinese character display for POP3 HTML Emails
Corrects E-mail client exchange Issues

We're digging the "Improves the overall device functionality and stability" part.

Read - Dream
Read - Magic

Rogers now blowing out Dreams and Magics for $79.99 on contract

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 10th 2009 @ 3:39PM

Hey, T-Mobile, allow us to hit you up with some knowledge, if you would. Take a quick gander up north of the border, where our dear friends on Rogers have reduced both the Dream (your G1) and the Magic (your myTouch 3G) to just $79.99 on a three-year deal -- and that's in Canadian dollars, which works out to $74 in greenbacks. Granted, yes, we understand that a three-year deal is a full 12 months longer than an old-fashioned American two-year deal, but still, you're going to have to forgive us if we start working on our visa applications. Coincidentally, we know there's a version of the Hero kicking around that'd work swimmingly on Rogers; we don't mean to start any rumors, but... oh heck, who are we kidding, of course we're trying to start rumors.

[Thanks, Ilia]

More evidence mounting of an 8GB iPhone 3GS?

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 10th 2009 @ 10:01AM

Well, kids, we don't know if this is a typo, a Freudian slip, or both (or neither), but according to this handy graphic on Rogers' website the rumored 8GB iPhone 3GS exists -- if not for sale, at least for comparison. Keen readers of charts will note that the price listed for the 3GS still starts with the 16GB model, and if you scroll through to the ordering page there is no 8GB 3GS option listed. So, what do you think? Do we have a promising development here, or a simple case of a misplaced check mark? Feel free to sound off in the comments.

Continue reading More evidence mounting of an 8GB iPhone 3GS?

Rogers signs up for the Nokia Surge?

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 7th 2009 @ 8:11PM

It shouldn't come as a surprise that leaked lineup documents suggest Rogers has an eye on Nokia's Surge; Rogers has a pretty good relationship with Nokia, after all, and the Surge is the kind of device that pretty much any text-savvy carrier with an established rapport with Nokia would be looking into. What might be more of a surprise is that they'll apparently be launching it as the 6790 Surge -- Nokia's global designation for the device -- as opposed to the simpler "Surge" preferred by AT&T. After AT&T's move we'd taken 6790 as more of a European branding, but hey, props to Rogers for keeping it real and letting Nokia roll with its traditional scheme. No word on availability yet, but we'll allegedly be looking at CAD $89.99 (about $83) on a new three-year agreement when it finally does launch.

Apple phasing out iPhone 3G in favor of 8GB 3GS?

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 5th 2009 @ 1:41PM

As brilliant as the $99 subsidized iPhone 3G strategy might seem on paper, the fact remains that the 3G now is a 13 month-old device -- the better part of a lifetime by smartphone standards -- and it stands to reason that Apple wouldn't be interested in consuming manufacturing capacity indefinitely with outdated equipment, especially since that game plan cuts into economies of scale on the 3GS' chipset and superior camera hardware. The solution? Let iPhone 3G inventory cool down for a few months -- $99 is a nice, round number after all that's plenty low enough to move units -- and when the carnage is over, phase it out in favor of a new lower-cost 3GS. That's sure to leave new 3G owners fuming, but newly leaked screens out of Rogers seem to indicate that's exactly how this is likely going to go down: add a black 8GB 3GS into the mix that can serve as the company's new entry-level device below the 3GS in two colors, likely for $100 less than the 16GB model. There's no word on when this might happen, but Apple's likely to host its usual Fall event to roll out new iPods (and more?), so this could serve as an interesting -- if not ultimately predictable -- footnote.

Rogers Wireless begins 21Mbps HSPA+ rollout, a first in North America

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 28th 2009 @ 11:38AM

It may not have beaten the likes of Australia's Telstra to the 21Mbps mark, but Rogers Wireless has still earned some pretty impressive bragging rights as the first carrier in North America to move on up to HSPA+, which (theoretically) more than doubles the maximum speeds of the current 7.2 Mbps network. According to Rogers, it'll begin to "progressively increase" download speeds starting in August, with the Greater Toronto Area expectedly first on deck to get a taste of all that bandwidth -- although Rogers does say that it'll "expand quickly over the coming months" in other cities across Canada and eventually cover the entire country. Those south of the border shouldn't feel too glum about the situation however, as last we had heard, AT&T was "likely" to bypass HSPA+ altogether and move straight from 7.2Mbps to LTE and the ludicrous speeds it promises.

Novatel Wireless launches MiFi 2372 with North American-loving, 3G WiFi goodness

by Laura June posted Jul 28th 2009 @ 10:25AM

Novatel's just announced its North American-friendly MiFi 2372 router with GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA. The Mifi 2372 will offer 7.2Mbps HSDPA sharing for up to five connections via WiFi. If you recall, the European, 900/1900/2100MHz version launched back in June, so we're happy to see it make its way to our shores at long last. The 2372 also boasts a GPS receiver and microSD card slot, and while there's no word on pricing or definite date of availability, we can assume it'll be offered on subsidy from AT&T and Rogers, and we hope that happens soon. The full PR is after the break.

Continue reading Novatel Wireless launches MiFi 2372 with North American-loving, 3G WiFi goodness

Sony Ericsson brings MD400G USB data card to Rogers

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 24th 2009 @ 3:09PM

It's not every day that you see a USB data card launch that can accept Memory Stick Micro M2 cards, so we wanted to call out this little puppy on Rogers. As you might imagine from the unusual memory card support, it comes to us from our good friends at Sony Ericsson -- and not to fret, because the MD400g takes plain ol' microSD cards, too, all the way up to 8GB. It's got integrated GPS, supports up to 7.2Mbps down, and can roam globally on 2G and 3G networks; add in that wild red and white paintjob, and you've got a winner on your hands -- especially when you consider that it's free on a three-year contract.

[Via MobileSyrup]