Rekindled: Amazon's eBook Reader comes to Canada

Amazon's Kindle eBook reader went global to 100 countries a month ago but for reasons unexplained, Canada wasn't included in the roll out. Better late than never, it is now.

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Telus launches HSPA+ service with new smartphones, Motorola Milestone imminent

Updated on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 7:53AM by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Telus offered a media sneak peek earlier this week, showing off some new handsets to go along with a new and improved network. Gadjo Sevilla was there.

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Android G1 coming to Canada via Rogers

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla Currently the only smartphone running Google's Android OS, the G1 (AKA HTC Dream) is finally being made available in Canada on June 2nd. The Google smartphone, which is considered a viable rival to Apple's iPhone 3G - offers users both a touch-enabled smartphone and a full QWERTY keyboard as well as access to an online store for free applications as well as quick-reach connectivity to Google's GMail, Calendar, Maps and other cloud based services. It willbe interesting to see how the G1 fares in the land of BlackBerry and against the popular iPhone. Another Market One of Google's advantages as a mobile platform is the accompanying Android Marketplace which is similar to Apple's iTunes App store and enables users a means to access applications through the smartphone using Roger's 3G service or Wi-Fi. Most of the applications are currently free, the majority may not be that great but the point is this can evolve to the point where it can provide programmers a venue for selling their Android apps. Will the G1 find its way into your hands come June 2? The good news is that we now have some competition in terms of handsets and platforms. Hopefully all the kinks associated with the early G1 models (namely non responsive touch screens, glitchy software and freezing) would have been addressed prior to the Canadian launch. Early impressions We had the opportunity of taking the G1 for a spin a few months after it was released in the US. We found the build quality very good. The keyboard could use more tactile feedback but is nevertheless is way easier to use than any software keyboard. The sliding form factor is well implemented and the scroll-ball helps in navigating the launch screen. We liked that the Android OS is able to do over-the-air software downloads and updates and were able to experience this first hand. The experience beats having to download the update on a PC and transfer to the device. We are interested in seeing a new mobile OS compete in the Canadian market and will be watching developments very closely. In the meantime,here a few features users can expect from the Android G1: -3.2-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with HVGA (320 X 480 pixel) resolution. -Full 5-row QWERTY keyboard. -One-Touch Google Search™. -Customizable Home screen with instant Email, text message and IM notifications. -Instant access to mobile Internet services (Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™, Google Talk™, Google Calendar™). -High-speed 3.5G network connection. -Wi-Fi technology with seamless transition to open networks. -Android Market™ with access to variety of software and media downloads. (some fees may apply) -3-.2 megapixel color camera with auto focus. -microSD™ (SD 2.0 compatible) expansion slot for all your storage needs.

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Apple's iPhone 3.0 OS coming in June, features revealed

3.0 brings cutting, copying, pasting and much more With the looming release of Palm's Pre and corresponding new WebOS, Apple Inc. has hedged its bets by offering a slew of new features to appear in its iPhone (2G and 3G) and iPod Touch ($10.00 for update). Aside from features that users have long been clamoring for, iPhone OS 3.0, which will be released in June, has an abundance of new applications well waiting for. Here are the announced new features: Developers get the SDK today, the world gets the OS in June In App Purchase - Enables the buying of content or services from within applications. For example, in a virtual pet type game - users can purchase clothes and accessories for their pet from within the game but using established iPhone App store linkages. Multiplayer Shoot Em Push notification service- Long promised feature enables ways and means to notify users of new information even if the application isn't running. For example you can still receive messages from an instant messaging application even if it isn't on. This integrates some cloud computing features. Accessories- A new framework that allows extended use from "Made for iPod" devices through the dock connector or via Bluetooth. Peer to peer connectivity- This is a biggie, enable multi-player or interactive gaming between devices using bluetooth and no pairing is required. This means you can, in theory, beam messages or photos or even apps and content (songs, short videos) to nearby iPhones and iPod touch devices that have their Bluetooth enabled. Universal search- A response to a feature on the upcoming Palm Pre, this uses Apple's Spotlight technology to allow you to search your entire iPhone or iPod Touch. Cut, Copy and Paste- The big Kahuna feature which users have been begging for since the iPhone first came out. Text can now be selected and moved between applications and this will enhance the usefulness of these devices making them, in essence, handheld computers capable of doing so much more. Cut, copy, paste on the horizon MMS- Multi Media Messaging, the ability to send photos, video and other media via text, has long been available on networks but has not made an appearance in the iPhone until now. Personally we already have email so why MMS is such a key feature escapes us, but it is good to have nonetheless. Landscape mode on keyboard-Thank goodness, you can now type email, text and other applications in landscape mode, making full use of the screen real estate for the keyboard Stereo Bluetooth- Now we're talking! The iPhone 3G will be able to use stereo Bluetooth headsets and eliminate the need for wires. This can only be a good thing although I wonder how much this will affect battery life. Over 100 features are expected on the iPhone 3.0 OS, which will be released in June. If all these features work half as decently as the demo suggests, this is a monster upgrade for every iPhone owner and a major salvo against competing OS's. The 3.0 improvements don't just make a more useful and better smartphone, they clearly give the iPhone some of the features that can well propel it in the corporate space and even allow it to encroach the netbook space. I for one, am looking forward to the new release and I am happy that Apple seems to be focused on improving the iPhone ecosystem as well as bolstering its feature set so that developers can churn out more awesome applications. Now, will 3.0 be accompanied by a new iPhone model. You can pretty much bet on it. We're hoping that aside from a new 3G iPhone we'll see the return of the Newton - a 10-inch screen with full wireless and network connectivity, storage and all the features needed to bridge the gap between smartphone and sub-notebook. By Gadjo C. Sevilla

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