Before we answer that, let’s take a look at what’s under the hood:

•    1.2 GHz dual-core processor with a 1 GB of RAM
•    Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread O/S
•    4.5 inch qHD touchscreen display with a 540 x 960 resolution
•    HTC Sense 3.0
•    8 MP camera with 1080p HD video recording with a 1.3 MP front facing camera
•    Internal memory: 13 GB, Expandable memory: up to 32 GB (microSD)
•    Wi-Fi/ mobile Wi-Fi hotspot up to 5 devices/DLNA
•    Talk time: 5.1 hours
•    Standby time: 10.3 days
•    Networks: LTE AWS: 1700/700 MHz, HSPA/UMTS: 850/1900/2100 MHz, GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Who will be carrying the HTC Raider in Canada?

The HTC Raider will be available on both the BELL and Rogers networks (BELL in a matter of days, Rogers via pre-order). The price of the device will depend on contract or no-contract:

• BELL: $169.95 on a 3 year term, $499.95 if you purchase it outright
• Rogers: $149.99 on a 3 year term, $574.99 if you purchase it out

The pricing is what I expected and has more or less become the standard pricing ballpark for HTC, Apple and Blackberry alike. Once thing for sure is people will be looking to get the best deal they can on the HTC Raider.

Let’s face it, Nokia and the North American market are like oil and water – they don’t go well together. In fact, Nokia has lost significant market share over the last 2 years largely to Apple and Android devices. But can its partnership with Windows turn these fortunes around?

Nokia, currently the largest handset maker by volume, is set to debut its latest devices from its new partnership with Microsoft. Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS hasn’t done too well either, losing significant market share in the US from 20% market share in Sep’09 to about 6% in Jul’11.

Windows recently released their new OS “Mango” which will debut in Europe and Asia before making its way to North America. Two phones are likely to be debuted by Nokia include the Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 both look impressive on first view (see specs below).

Nokia Lumia 800 – Quick Specs

1. 1.4GHz process with graphics processor
2. OS Windows Phone Mango
3. 16GB of internal memory and 25GB of free SkyDrive storage
4. 720 HD Video Playback
5. 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera
6. 3.7″ 800 x 480 AMOLED ClearBlack curved display
7. One-touch social network access, integrated communication threads and IE 9.0

Nokia Lumia 710 – Quick Specs

1. A lower end version of the Lumia 800
2. 1.4GHz process with graphics processor (same processor)
3. 8GB of internal memory and 8GB expandable microSD storage
4. HD Video Playback with a Carl Zeiss Camera not  8MP
5. 3.7″ 480 x 800 WVGA AMOLED ClearBlack curved display
6. One-touch social network access, integrated communication threads and IE 9.0

In order for Nokia to regain its market share here in North America, they will have win over the carriers and that includes Verizon. Given that Nokia is a GSM main stay, it will have to launch LTE devices in order to get Verizon interested. Added to that it has to come out with a major marketing campaign along with Microsoft to get people interested in Windows again and Nokia. To seal the deal they will have to ensure that there is a healthy stream of apps available to Nokia Mango users to keep their interest alive.

Do you think Nokia can regain its market share given its new relationship with Microsoft?

Let’s list some of the specs for the HTC Amaze 4G:

• 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor
• Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread
• HTC Sense 3.0 user interface w/ 1 GB RAM
• 4.3 inch HD Super LCD display
• 16GB of storage with microSD card slot
• 8 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash; 2 megapixel front facing camera; (Smart Shot feature is a must have for picture takers)
• 1080p video recording
• Proximity sensor, light sensor and digital compass
• Integrated A-GPS
• Wi-Fi; ;Bluetooth 3.0;DLNA support; HDMI support via MHL adaptor
• NFC-enabled; FM radio

What Do I like about the HTC Amaze?

1.      1.5GHz dual core processor with 1GB RAM means a fast user experience.

2.      There is a camera and video capture button on the bottom right side for quick access. Also, taking pictures uses the Smart Shot feature. Smart shot takes 5 pictures in succession and takes the best traits from each picture.

3.      Although a little but heavier than most smartphones, the Amaze has a cool looking soft touch material and aluminum that makes it feel good in your hands.

4.      4.3 inch HD display means a superior viewing experience.

5.      Just take a look at the features listed above.  The Amaze is fully loaded with top-notch specs

This is one of the most impressive smartphones to be released in 2011. Android users will be pleased to say the least. In Canada, the device will be available with TELUS by the end of October.  In the USA, T-Mobile carries the HTC Amaze. Its retails from $199-$249.

Given that Google bought Motorola this can be considered the new Google made phone. It is the thinnest smartphone in market today at a slender 7.1 mm – by comparison the iPhone 4S is 9.3 mm. This cell phone comes stacked with a powerful dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, an 8 MP Camera, a front facing HD camera, and will have Android 2.3.5 (ginerbread) installed. The Droid Razr ships with 16GB of memory, that’s 16GB on board and it also comes with a microSD card slot for expansion. Don’t let us forget its 4.3 inch Super AMOLED advanced display with qHD resolution which makes it capable to stream Netflix content in HD (first cell phone to do that).

Some of the cool additions to the phone which stood out for me was the Smart Actions app which automates certain tasks like turn off certain apps when you get home and there is a guide for using Smart Apps which could save 30% of your battery life. The phone also comes with a Splash guard against water, so if you spill water on your phone it won’t get damaged. It’s not water proof so don’t go diving with your phone! The Droid comes with 12.5 hrs of talk time, includes a 4G LTE mobile hotspot (yes it supports LTE),  Quickoffice for documents and a cool Webtop app which turns the phone into a portable PC through a Lapdock or HD Station ala Motorola Atrix style. No pricing on the Lapdoc just yet but I would expect this to be pricey.

Rogers is selling the Droid Razr for $149.99 on 3 year term and will be available in mid November, so get the right plan on your terms if this is the phone for you.

Let’s take a look at the features:

• 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 dual-core Cortex A9 processor
• 1GB RAM with 32GB of built-in storage
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
• 4.65-inch (1280 x 720-pixel) Super AMOLED HD with curved glass
• 1080p HD video cameria, facial recognition, voice recognition to text
• 5-megapixel camera on the back, 1.3-megapixel in the front
• GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 3.0, MicroUSB  2.0, WiFi, Tethering
• 1,750 mAh battery
• Supported Networks:  W-CDMA; GSM; LTE, CDMA2000; HSPA; EDGE, GPRS; LTE; EV-DO

By looking at the features listed, we can see that the Nexus Prime is loaded with features with top-notch functionality. A dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM will give you all the speed you are looking for. The Android 4.O OS promises a great user experience such as “Face unlock” which uses facial recognition to unlock the device and Android beam which uses NFC. This will allow the user to share apps, web pages, videos, etc by tapping similar devices together. There is also voice recognition to text for emails, tweets and texts. I love the fact that, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S2, it comes with a SUPER AMOLED HD screen. The high resolution and 1080p HD video capture means a superior viewing experience. Those with the Galaxy 2 can testify to that. The one thing I was hoping to see would be an 8MP camera as opposed to a 5MP camera.

So when will the device be available in Canada? Rumors are swirling that it should be available in the next few weeks. One thing is for certain, this is the most anticipated Android phone to date.

One of the latest “superphones” will be launched this August on Rogers’ network, the HTC EVO 3D. What makes this cell phone one of the best Android phones to hit the market this season is it unique 3D enabled display (no glasses required). Even the HTC Sense 3.0 interface has a 3D feel to it.  Here are 5 key features of the HTC EVO 3D:

1. It’s “superphone” tag comes from the horsepower it carries, 1.2GHz dual core processor, 1GB of processor RAM – wow, this phone has more processor power than my notebook
2. Amazing display, the HTC EVO 3D comes with 4.3 in LCD screen and 540 x 960 pixel resolution. This cell phone is slightly bigger than its cousin the HTC EVO 4G but packs a more impressive multimedia experience.
3. Experience 3D with this phone. The 3D experience relates to special content like videos and photos and the cell phone comes with a 2D to 3D selector which allows you to take photos and record videos in 3D or 2D depending on the setting. The 3D experience looks like 2 overlapping images  superimposed on each other to present that 3D experience without the need for any special eye where. This device allows you to play 3D games, watch and record 3D videos. Quite cool and to top it off you can use an HDMI cable (purchased separately) to output 3D videos on a 3D enabled HDTV
4. The camera experience is pretty good, there is a 5 MP dual camera for capturing photos in either 2D or 3D modes and there is a 1.3 MP front facing camera as well for video conferencing. The camera captures videos in studding 720p HD.
5. The phone has an upgraded user experience with Android 2.3.3 and includes the HTC sense version 3.0 which provides a smooth user experience transitioning between menus, apps and options.

The HTC EVO 3D comes with 4GB of shared memory and includes an 8GB micro-SD card to store games, videos and pictures. It also ships with 7.5 hrs of talk time with its 1,730 mAh battery designed specifically to handle the power of this cell phone over a longer period of time. And to top it off this cell phone has Wi-Fi calling for Android, so that you can make and receive voice calls over a Wi-Fi connection.

This phone is available to be preordered from Rogers for a promotional $149.99 on a 3 year term but ensure that you get the best cell phone plan available when purchasing this cell phone.

Both the Samsung Galaxy S II  4G and Samsung Infuse  4G are now available in Canada so the wait is over for the Samsung enthusiasts who have had to endure hearing about  launch Dates in the US and Europe since May. The Galaxy S II is available on Bell and listed under their SuperPhone category at $169.95 while the Samsung Infuse 4G is recently available (July 26 ,2011) on Rogers for $149.99 on a 3 year contract, noting that a data plan is required to access web based applications on both of these phones. Also, both phones are capable of up to 21Mbps 4G download speeds which will definitely take your browsing experience to the next level.

Samsung Infuse 4G vs Galaxy S II (S2) – Main Differences

The screens on both phones are insanely bright and crisp better than any other phone in the market even the iPhone 4, though the Infuse has the upper edge with slightly larger size screen of 4.5 inch. However, the super charged dual core processor of the Galaxy S II is by far superior to the 1.2 Ghz processor of the Infuse and definitely a match for Motorola Atrix. But don’t discount the Infuse, it’s still a few notches up from any of its predecessor phones like Vibrant, Captivate or Fascinate. Read on to see the main differences in these cell phones:-

Processor:

Samsung Galaxy S II has a 1.2 GHz dual core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with Mali-400MP GPU, Orion chipset which is the fastest chipset around in the smart phone arena, while the Infuse 4G has ARM Cortex A8 1.2 GHz processor, so in this category, the Samsung Galaxy S II is the winner.

Memory:

Samsung Galaxy S II has 1 GB RAM, which complements the 1 GHz dual core processor quite nicely. While the Infuse has 512 MB RAM, which is not so impressive.

Dimensions:

Both the phones have Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen, the Galaxy S II has 4.3 inch screen which offers 480 x 800 pixel resolution while the Infuse 4G has slightly larger screen of 4.5 inches but offers same resolution.

Battery Life:

Infuse 4G sports a huge 1750 mAh battery as compared to that of the Samsung Galaxy S II which has 1650 mAh battery, but the later give much more talk time then the Infuse 4G when operating on 2G. Galaxy S II gives 18 and half hours while the Infuse 4G gives only about 8 hours of talk time.

Camera:

Samsung Galaxy S II wins the camera category having 8 MP camera, with LED flash light, and can record at 1080p at 30 fps, while the Infuse 4G has a 8 mega pixel camera with LED flash light, and can record at 720p at 30 fps. The secondary camera of Galaxy S2 is 2 MP, better than 1.3 MP camera of Infuse 4G

Choose or Not to Choose:

So you have the load down,now the decision is yours.  Price shouldn’t play a part, as these 2 Android 4G Cell phones are priced within $20 of each other.They both run on 4G Networks with similar download speeds, however the difference in the screen size and processor power is probably going to sway you to choose the Samsung Galaxy S II as its clearly one of the top android devices in the market today. Check  the list of cell phones coming out this summer and match these to the best in-market plans for the winning combination.

For a more in-depth look at these two latest Android cell phones, check out the full feature comparison below.

Samsung Infuse 4G vs Galaxy S2 – Full Specification

Apple’s next iPhone 5 is expected in Canada in October this year. It is likely to be released in the US in September with Canada following shortly there after. Many Apple enthusiasts were disappointed with the fact that Apple didn’t release its next generation iPhone in June this year as it typically does, but instead it released a brand new operating system iOS5 which we can expect as part of the new iPhone series.

What can we expect from the new iPhone 5?

Here are the key features and design changes we can expect in the new release:

Key Features
Sleaker Design Expect the iPhone 5 to resemble the iPhone 4 but slightly thinner. I certainly expect that iPhone’s antenna problems will be eliminated in this model..
Large Screen A 4 inch screen is a likely minimum probably slightly larger, with an edge to edge design which maximizes the most of the device for a wider screen.iOS 5 The iPHone 5 will have all the features of iOS 5 right out of the box. iMessage (ie BBM for Apple products), reminders (a to do list app which sync’s with Outlook, iCal and iCloud), iTunes Cloud and other great features like Wi-Fi Sync, Video Mirroring (stream from your phone to your TV) and so on.
Speed The market standard now for Apple competitors is a Dual Core A5 processor so we can expect this is the new iPhones. This new process is expected to have the processing power to handle high powered multimedia applications. Expect better RAM as well, likely 1GB and upgrade from the 512MB in the iPHone 4.
8 MP Camera Almost a must, the iPHone 5′s specs will match competitors in this space like Nokia, Samsung and LG in fact this brands have newer devices with 12 megapixel sensors.  Full 1080p HD recording and video capture as well as front and rear facing cameras for its facetime app.
Multiple Models A CDMA and an HSPA model to begin with along with different configurations for each, 16GB, 32GB and a 64GB model.
NFC Technology This is the rave these days, and NFC (Near Field Communications) technology is likely to be common place in new cell phone models in the coming years.

No one besides Apple knows for sure when the iPhone 5 will be launched, but based on industry reports, October is a safe best to expect its availability here in Canada. Given the popularity of the iPhone and the expected demand, at a minimum the phone will be available on 5 networks, TELUS, Bell, Rogers, Fido and Koodo, so ensure that you research the best cell phone deal available between these cell phone companies before choosing your cell phone plan.

The 9900 builds slightly on devices of the past with a few juiced up features.

• 1.2 GHz ARM processor with 768MB of RAM
• Thinnest BB device to date
• Backlit trackpad allows for easy navigation in low lit environments
• 2.8 inch display with touch screen interface
• The device has been slightly redesigned to accommodate a slightly bigger screen and a full size QWERTY.
• New BB OS 7.0, which supports NFC (Near Field Communications) for mobile payments technology, along with voice-activated searches
• 8GB of on-board memory which supports microSD memory cards up to 32GB
• 720p HD video recording and 3.1 megapixel camera
• Additional hardware features such as digital compass, accelerometer and proximity sensor

What I don’t like about the 9900?

There is no sizzle to this new device.  It is too familiar. For those looking to be suprised, you won’t. For those looking for the reliability and efficiency of a blackberry, you will be pleased.   

 The 9900 is also not 4G capable, which means it could have a short shelf life. At present, no WIFI hot spot application but I can’t see this being the case come launch. With a such a small display screen , I don’t see this being a media friendly device but in  all fairness, I don’t think this was vision of Blackberry with the 9900. They are looking to provide the same experience that the Bold gives with slightly amped up features and functionality. In all, a safe choice for select set of users.

We are assuming that the BB 9900 will be available in the next few months with Rogers and TELUS but no official announcement has been made.