What's new for Q4?

It's that time of year again where the race is on to get the hottest devices into the hands of our valued customers, and with the recent launch of the LTE network for Rogers, there is a whole host of great new phones for you to choose from.


All of these smartphone devices are the latest in Android technology and software, all featuring the 2.3 Gingerbread operating system (the Jetstream has Android 3.1 for tablets loaded), a dual core processor for lightning-speed browsing and applications, 8MP cameras with 1080p video capture, and access to Android Market for apps and HD movie rentals.

HTC Raider $149.99*

HTC Raider

Target Market
Tech enthusiasts who want the latest in smartphone technology and features

Features & Benefits4.5" qHD touchscreen
HTC Sense user interface for almost limitless customization
DLNA compatible so you can wirelessly stream your photos, videos and music from your smartphone to a compatible HDTV

Samsung Galaxy SII $199.99*

Samsung Galaxy SII

Target Market

Tech enthusiasts looking for the latest in smartphone technology and features; Samsung Galaxy Captivate customers looking to update their device to the latest model

Features & Benefits

4.5" Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen with 50% more subpixels than the original technology

DLNA compatible so you can wirelessly stream your photos, videos and music from your smartphone to a compatible HDTV
Up to 21Mbps 4G HSPA+ downloads

Motorola RAZR $149.99*

Motorola RAZR

Target Market

Media Moguls who need a powerful smartphone to do everything mobile and are motivated by smartphone design

Features & Benefits
Remotely access the pictures, music, videos, and documents on your PC and instantly stream them to your RAZR while on the go with MotoCast

4.3" Super AMOLED Advanced screen for hyper vibrant colours and incredibly vivid images

Up to 14.4Mbps 4G HSPA+ download speeds

Webtop App to view your phone's content on the big screen

Surf the internet with a full-featured Firefox browser, and multitask like a champ with multiple windows, all while your phone charges

HTC Jetstream $499.99*

HTC Jetstream

Target Market

Tech and creative enthusiasts seeking a premium Android tablet offering the fastest connectivity, top hardware specs, and support for innovative, intuitive digital pen technology

Features & Benefits

Download speeds up to 100Mbps; upload speeds up to 50Mbps

Up to 32GB of expandable micro-SD memory

Rich web browsing with Flash on a vivid 10" touchscreen

*Pricing based on a three year contract (minimum $45 monthly service fee for smartphones and minimum $30 monthly service fee for tablet). Pricing subject to change.

Devices To Watch Out For In 2011

With CES 2011 having taken place recently, there is much talk about all the new devices coming to market this year. At this time it is hard to determine which carrier will be responsible for which device, but here are a few to keep your eyes open for as we move into 2011:


Motorola Atrix

This much-hyped device is set to directly compete with the iPhone, with its 4G connectivity and dual-core processor. 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 5MP camera and a super wide screen, as well as the latest Android software make this a phone to watch out for. The only sad thing for us at Rogers....this is going to be exclusively available to Bell Canada customers.


Samsung Infuse 

Another Android submission as a follow-through from the current Samsung Galaxy S - it's hard to believe that a device could get even more impressive, but it appears that Samsung has done so! A single core processor and 512MB RAM seem at first glance to make this inferior to the existing Galaxy, but take note - 8MP camera and a 4.5" Super AMOLED screen. Not only is the camera comparable (if not better) to most standard digital cameras, but the high resolution, top quality screen will make your pictures crystal clear.


This device is listed as 4G so might not be around until Rogers has fully implemented its LTE network, but definitely one to watch out for. Telus is also likely to carry this model.


LG Optimus 2X

This device is a close competitor for the entire Samsung Galaxy line-up across all carriers, but with a smaller processor. On the plus side, the screen is high quality (800 x 480) and shoots 1080p video - now that beats most digital cameras to the punch. Finally, for those who want a face-to-face experience using applications like Skye, or Qik, there is a front facing camera standard on the device. This is set to be released on all Canadian carriers.


With thanks to The Cellular Guru for the review tips


BlackBerry Playbook

This is the highly anticipated BlackBerry response to the iPad. There are almost too many awesome features to describe, but here are just a few to wet your appetite - 3MP forward-facing camera, 5MP rear-facing camera, 1080p HD video recording, 7" LCD display, 1Ghz dual-core processor, and....get this....micro USB and HDMI ports - a first for any tablet device currently on the market. This will be carried by Rogers, but no word yet on whether the other Canadian carriers will have it also. Rumors have it that this will first be available in WiFi only, with the possibility of a 3G+ version later in the year. 

Top Ten Smartphone Companies for 2010

Originally posted June 4, 2010

iSuppli has ranked the world's Top 10 mobile phone companies (for Smartphones and feature phones) for the first quarter of 2010.
iSuppli states that smartphones are having a revolutionary impact on the wireless business as more people are moving to those compared to the standard feature phones.

iSuppli lists these Top 10 companies based on market share, and sequential growth:

iSuppli Rankings (Q1 market share): Nokia (37.4%) Samsung (22.3%) LG (9.4%) Sony Ericsson (3.6%) RIM (3.6%) Apple (3.0%) ZTE (3.0%) Motorola (3.0%) Huawei (2.1%) TCL-Alcatel (1.8%) Other (10.7%)

iSuppli Rankings (sequential growth) RIM (3.6%) Apple (0.2%) Samsung (-6.5%) TCL-Alcatel (-9.3%) Nokia (-15.1%) LG (-20.1%) Sony Ericsson (-28.1%) Motorola (-29.2%) ZTE (-35.6%) Huawei (-44.7%) Other (4.5%)

With Smartphone usage growing all the time, they are being hailed as the "hottest segment of the cell phone market" with anticipated growth this year to increase by another 35%.

This complements earlier blog posts that global smartphone shipments jumped 65% in the first quarter, and could well be the reason behind so many manufacturers including Smartphones in their handset line up. 

For more details, take a look at the entire article, from IQMetrix.