HoFo Blog

Just got a tip that Bell's HSPA is launching in Manitoba August 1st.

The roll-out will happen in 2 phases: Phase 1 will include Winnipeg, Oakbank, Stonewall, Selkirk, Steinbach and cover 69% of the Manitoba market while phase 2 will include Brandon and Portage La Prairie and increase the coverage to 74%.



The coverage will be different from what you get on CDMA plus you can't fall back onto CDMA if you're on HSPA so you won't be able to get any calls/data/SMS when you leave the coverage area.

Thanks tipster!

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If you’re looking for an mid-range, entry level Android phone there is no shortage of choices. HTC has the aluminum bodied One V, Sony has the dual core Xperia U, Motorola has MOTOLUX and now we have the LG Optimus L7. What sets the L7 apart is its large 4.3” display and it’s larger-than-average 1700mAh battery.

When I first saw the L7 I was surprised because it doesn’t look like an entry level phone. Last year’s Optimus LTE was a very high-spec phone that didn’t look very special. The L7 has a very detailed power button plus there’s a nice metallic finish around the camera. The back has an interesting dimpled pattern while the sides has a stylish chromed look. ...

Now Windows Phone has been around for about 2 years now but in that time it hasn’t done very well. One of reasons why it hasn’t been successful is because Microsoft’s hardware specifications don’t allow for entry level phones.

Recently, Microsoft made some changes to Windows Phone code named Tango and relaxed their specifications. Now we have the Nokia 610.

The first thing that struck me about the 610 is that it’s kind of thick and heavy. In my hand it’s a pretty solid phone. ...

While Android tablets have been around for 2 years now, none has really been able to capture consumer’s interest. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets a lot of media coverage but it’s usually for the wrong reasons. The Asus Transformer Prime was an anticipated device but it was priced too high to generate much interest outside of early adopters. Really, while people are buying Android tablets, it often feels like the platform has no momentum. It feels like the only reason a regular person would buy an Android tablet is because it’s cheaper than an iPad.

It’s quite different from the phone side where Samsung’s Galaxy line has become a poster child for Android’s success.

What Android really needs is tablet to help it stand out. Android needs a hero device that’s cheap, and has wide appeal, to help give the Android tablet ecosystem a much needed, kick-in-the-pants.

The most interesting thing about the Nexus 7 is that the 8GB model is $199 (the 16GB model is $259 CAN) which includes a $25 credit to the Google Play store. While $199 tablets are nothing new (Blackberry Playbook, Kindle Fire, etc) what makes the Nexus 7 special is its hardware. It’s a substantial step-up. Not only does it ship with a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, but it also has a higher resolution 7” 1280x800 IPS display, 1GB of RAM, 4325mAh battery and either 8 or 16GB of storage. Aside from the lack of a rear facing camera, missing microSDHC slot, and maybe an IR blaster, on paper, the Nexus 7 doesn’t make any hardware compromises. ...

Just got word that a new LTE Playbook is launching on July 31st for $549.99 on Bell (no discount on a 3yr).

It has 1.5Ghz dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 32GB of storage and a 7" 1024x600 display.

Here are the specs:

• 1.5Ghz dual core processor
• 1GB RAM
• LTE, HSPA+
• 32GB storage
• 5MP rear camera, 3MP front
• 7" 1024x600 display
• Bluetooth 2.1
• WiFi 802.11abgn
• 130x193x9.7mm
• 425g
• 4800mAh
• micro HDMI

Size-wise the LTE Playbook has the same dimensions and weight as the original Playbook but the battery is slightly smaller (4800mAh vs 5400).

Anyone thinking of getting one? The specs look good but I'd like to see a 1280x800 display like the Nexus 7 has.

Thanks Tipster! ...

HoFo user awwong just dropped me a note that the OTA Jellybean update for the Nexus S was just pushed out.

Did you get yours yet?

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Ouch! Seems a British judge has just ordered Apple to run ads on their website saying that Samsung did not copy the iPad for at least six months.

Seems the judge just got them by the Apples.
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Just got back from BestBuy with my new Nexus 7. I got there about 5 minutes after the store opened. They said they had 20 when they opened and there were 11 left when I was done. I actually work up earlier today, ordered it online for in-store pickup. ...