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.

Android Handsets continue to dominate the market with 10 of 11 phones listed  below all having the green robot against their name. The one category missing from this line-up is Window Phone (Mango) devices which Nokia is expected to release early 2012 with Lumia 800 and Lumia 710. As you recall BlackBerry released 4 new handsets – BB Bold 9900, BB Torch 9810, BB Torch 9860, BB Curve back in the summer and is rumoured to release new Bold 9790 which encompasses 9900, 9780 and the 9860 and is expected to be widely available in Canada on multiple carriers later this year. Still yet to see the new line up of BBX devices but don’t hold your breath as we probably won’t see them before Q2, 2012.

What to expect in 2012?

In 2011 the trend in handset design was to have Dual Core Processors, high resolutions and big, above 4 inch displays. Next year the trend will build on this but the display will be flexible. Samsung was the first to announce that it will release a flexible AMOLED device in 2012. Will keep you posted on all that is to come. See below details of new devices coming out just in time for the holiday season.

No.	Phone	Specifications	Release Date & Price
1.	iPhone 4S	OS: IOS 5Dimensions:4.5 inches , 2.31 inches width,0.37 inch depth,4.9 ounces weight  Display:Retina display -3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display ,960-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi,800:1 contrast ratio Camera:8-megapixel camera ,Autofocus ,Tap to focus ,Face detection in still images,LED flash Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio	Date:14 Oct,2011 Carrier:Rogers,Telus,Bell Price:$159 – 16GB 3 Yr$269 – 32GB 3Yr$369 – 64GB 3yr
2.	Samsung Galaxy S II X (Hercules)	OS :Android 2.3 Skype CapableDisplay: 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus  Processor :1.5Ghz dual-core processor,  Camera : 8 megapixel that captures 1080p videos, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera	Date: 28 Oct ,2011 Carrier:TelusPrice:$ 99.99 on 3yr contract
3.	Samsung Galaxy Nexus	OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream SandwichProcessor: 1.2GHz dual-core Processor, 1GB of RAM Display:4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen with 720 x 1280 pixels, or 316 ppi (pixel density). Camera: 5-megapixel primary camera that supports up to 1080p video recording, and also supports video chat applications with front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera.NFC capability	Date:Nov. 2011Carrier: TBD Price: Unconfirmed at $199 on 3 year contract
4.	HTC Raider 4G	OS: Android 2.3.4Processor:Dual Core 1200 mhz,1024 RAM Display: 4.5 inch ,touchscreen, 540 x 960 pixels Camera: 8 megapixel Camera that captures 1080p videos, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera	Date:Nov 1. 2011Carrier:Bell Price: Unconfirmed at $199 on 3 year contract
5.	HTC Amaze 4 G (Ruby)	OS : Android 2.3 Skype CapableDisplay:4.3” qHD Super LCD Processor:, dual core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S3 processor 16GB of internal memory, NFC and 42Mbps HSPA+ data all wrapped up under HTC’s Sense 3.0 Camera: 8MP camera with 1080p recording	Date:Nov. 2011 Carrier:TelusPrice : TBD
6.	Motorola Droid Razr	OS:Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread)Dimensions: Thinnest  phone 7.1 mm Display: 4.3 inch Super AMOLED advanced display with qHD resolution Processor: dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM; 16GB of memory with a microSD card slot for expansion Camera: 8 MP front facing Camera & HD camera	Date: Nov 4. 2011Carrier:Rogers Price :$149.99 on 3 year contract
7.	Motorola Pro + 4G	OS:Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread)Dimensions: 62×119.50×11.65 mm; 130g Display: 3.1`VGA, 640×480 pixels, scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass Processor: 1.0GHz processor; 4 GB of memory Camera: 5 MP front facing Camera auto focus with LED flash	Date: 7 Nov. 2011Carrier:Bell Price :$349.95 outright
8.	LG Optimus Net	OS:Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread)Dimensions:113.5 x 59 x 11.7 mm; 122g Display: TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors320 x 480 pixels, 3.2 inches (~180 ppi pixel density) Processor: 800 MHz processor, Qualcomm MSM7227T chipset Camera: 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus	Date: Nov. 2011Carrier:Telus Price : TBD
9.	Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray	OS:Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)Dimensions:111 x 53 x 9.4 mm; 100g Display: 3.3 inch touchscreen with resolution of 480 x 854. Processor: 1GHz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM and just over 300MB of available space for apps Camera: 8.1-megapixel Exmor-R camera with LED flash that shoots 720p HD videos. There’s also a VGA front-facing camera for video calling	Date:  4 Nov. 2011Carrier:Telus Price : TBD
10.	Samsung Galaxy S II LTE	OS:Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)Dimensions:129.8 x 68.8 x 9.5 mm ;130.5 g Display: Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors , 480 x 800 pixels, 4.5 inches (~207 ppi pixel density) , Gorilla Glass display Processor: 1.5GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM Camera: 8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, Geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization; video- 1080p@30fps, 2MPs rear camera	Date:  Nov. 2011Carrier:Rogers Price : $199 on 3 yr contract
11.	LG Optimus LTE Eye	OS:Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)Dimensions:10.4 mm thin Display: 4.5–inch “True HD IPS” display that has a resolution of 1280 x 720 Processor: 1.5GHz dual-core processor Camera: 8 megapixel camera that shoots 1080p HD videos  also quipped with 1080p rear camera	Date:  Nov. 2011Carrier:Bell Price : TBD

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.

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.

Specifications

• Dual-Core Processor of 1.5 GHz Power
• 1 GB of RAM
• 4.3-inch QHD Touchscreen display with 960 x 540 resolution
• 16 GB of internal storage
• 2 megapixel front and 8 megapixels rear camera with dual-LED flash
• HSPA + connection
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread with latest Sense 3.5 UI
• Wi-Fi and HD capabilities

One more exciting spec for this phone is that it will be NFC equipped, so perhaps it will be able to take advantage of some Google Wallet action. Also, the Ruby gets its “4G” mark from its HSPA+ connectivity, which is rumored to go as fast as 42Mbps downlink. For comparison, LTE speeds reach 100Mbps downlink which in real-world usage is not achievable. With both Rogers and BELL set to expand their LTE Networks we will be also be seeing  some LTE enabled phones coming to market soon.

HTC Ruby, also known as the HTC Amaze, will be exclusively released by TELUS sometime in October. Pricing is not yet known but you can bet this Android  handset will be a hot seller  and will challenge the other 4G Superphones such as Samsung Galaxy S II, Motorola Atrix and HTC Sensation. Stay tuned for pricing and release dates.

So just when you thought you’ve seem it all with Samsung Galaxy S II, the rumour mill is churning with the latest news that Samsung is working on Galaxy S III, a 2GHz quad-core processor smartphone, which if is more powerful than some computer CPUs out there today. With the Samsung Galaxy S ll out already on Bell and coming soon to Telus, chances are Canada will get this new flagship cell phone as soon as it’s released, so check back to get the best deals on this device.

Purported Spec’s Include:-

• Quad-core 2.0GHz  Processor
• 1.5GB RAM, expandable memory with 32GB built-in.
• 4.65-inch Super AMOLED III display developed specially for this phone with an odd 1280 x 1024 resolution, which will give it a pixel density of 352-PPI, the highest on a smartphone so far.
• 10 megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p videos at 60fps.
• Metal body with 9mm thickness and a 2,250mAh battery.
• Built-in NFC.

As far as the OS, the device will be running on Ice Cream Sandwich (Google’s universal OS that runs on everything from teeny tiny Android phones to 10-inch tablets ) with latest TouchWiz 5. This new version of TouchWiz  however, will be less of a change to Android and will feature only minor changes to the OS so Samsung can release updates quicker.

Stay Tuned!

Chances are we won’t be getting confirmed reports out of Samsung before Mobile World Congress slated for February 27 th to March 1, 2012 in Barcelona Spain. Will keep you posted on confirmed specs, pricing and release dates here.

The latest variant of Samsung Galaxy S II, the Samsung Hercules is said to be released here in Canada as early as September. With over 5 M Samsung Galaxy S II Units sold worldwide in first 3 months of sale it is expected the Hercules will certainly add to these numbers, as its one of Samsung’s most impressive handsets yet. If Telus is the slated carrier as widely speculated, the Hercules will be the 1st Dual Core smartphone for this carrier and welcome news for those looking to get their hands on one of Samsung’s latest dual core handsets.

Hercules at a Glance:

The Hercules is said to be similar in looks to the already available Galaxy S II and  Infuse 4G but sporting a 4.5-inch display like that of the Infuse 4G with some added bonus features like NetFlix pre-installed.

• Runs on Gingerbread Android 2.3
• Dual-core 1.2-GHZ processor with 16 GB of internal storage
• TeleNav GPS Navigator and Netflix pre-installed
• 4.5″  Super AMOLED Plus display
• HDMI functionality will come through the device’s USB port thanks to MHL technology
• 8 megapixel camera on the back capable of recording 1080p videos and 2 megapixel front facing camera
• TouchWiz 4.0

No Real Difference

Apart from the 4.5″ display on the Infuse and Hercules vs the 4.3 ” display on the Galaxy S II the differences between these handsets are marginal. Even the pricing of these cell phones don’t vary much, with the Samsung S II selling at $169.99 on Bell and Infuse at $149.99 on Rogers. Also with the carriers putting out competitive pricing on their plans it really comes down to negotiating the best deal and that’s where we can do the work for you.

With one week to go before the launch of BlackBerry Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and 9860 on most of the major carrier here in Canada, we are all relieved to see that RIM is trying to keep pace with its competitors by introducing a whole new line of its popular phones.

It’s a tall order to fulfill however, as we all know dual core processors and 3D handsets are already on the market and 8 Mps front/rear facing camera are becoming the norm, so one begs the question are these devices already outdated. Also, we are well aware that RIM is working on the release of its QNX platform hopefully early rather than late 2012, (maybe RIM will surprise us here) so is this new suite of phones just a stop gap measure? You will recall the last major release for RIM in the smartphone space was the Torch 9800 back in September 2010 and of course there was the BB Style in November 2010 which never really went anywhere, so they are at risk of being swept away by the Android tide and the iPhone tidal wave unless the BB fraternity remains faithful.

What’s coming?

All three of these phones are touch screen devices powered by a 1.2GHz processor with 768MB of onboard RAM and will be running on the new and improved BB OS 7.0. It also supports RIM’s Liquid Graphics technology, which uses a dedicated graphics processor for smoother scrolling, zooming and panning. What this all means is that you will have a faster and better user experience.

The Bold 9900 set to be the flagship device and is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet, at only 2.6 inch width and a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen with the highest DPI of the trio, HSPA+, NFC (embedded in the battery cover).It also has a large QWERTY keyboard with clunky keys aimed at the heavy typists.The Torch 9860 is first full All-touch phone (no pull out QWERTY keyboard) with an 3.7-inch screen while the Torch 9810 aka Torch 2 has a 3.2-inch touchscreen which slides up to reveal a keyboard.

Side by Side Comparison:

Device Type	BlackBerry Bold 9900	BlackBerry Torch 9810	BlackBerry Torch 9860
Image
Display	640x480Pixels	640x480pixels	800x480pixels
Battery Time	Up to6.3 (GSM), 5.9 (UMTS)hours of talk time	Up to6.5 (GSM), 5.9 (UMTS)hours of talk time	Up to4.7 (GSM), 6.8 (UMTS)hours of talk time
	Up to12.8days of standby	Up to12.8 (GSM), 12.3 (UMTS)days of standby	Up to13.9 (GSM) 13.5 (UMTS)days of standby
	Up to50hours of music playback	Up to54hours of music playback	Up to44hours of music playback
Dimensions	4.53 inheight	Closed: 4.37 in, Open: 5.83 inheight	4.72 inheight
	2.60 inwidth	2.44 inwidth	2.44 inwidth
	0.41 indepth	0.57 indepth	0.45 indepth
Weight	4.59 ouncesweight	5.68 ouncesweight	4.76 ouncesweight
Camera	5.0 MPcamera	5.0 MPcamera	5.0 MPcamera
	4Xdigital zoom	4Xdigital zoom	4Xdigital zoom
	Flash	Flash	Flash
Video	HD video recording	HD video recording	HD video recording
Memory	8 GB eMMConboard memory	8 GB eMMC 768 MBonboard memory	4 GM eMMC 768 MBonboard memory
Keyboard	Full QWERTY keyboard	Slide-out QWERTY keyboard + on-screen keyboard: portrait SureType®, QWERTY and multi-tap, landscape QWERTY	On-screen keyboardPortrait: SureType, QWERTY and Multi-tapLandscape: QWERTY
	Optical trackpad + touch screen	Optical trackpad + touch screen	Optical trackpad + touch screen

Pricing & Dates

The pricing for the Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and 9860 are set at $249.99 for the Bold and $199.99 for both Torch handsets. Most of the major carriers already have the phones as “Coming soon” and set for August 15^th launch. If you are looking to upgrade your existing BlackBerry and want a competitive quote check us out, you won’t be disappointed.

The iPhone 5 is not out as yet and won’t be in Canada until fall. So if you are about to purchase an iPhone and you want to know whether to wait until the iPhone 5 comes out, well Apple gave you another reason NOT to wait….with AirPlay.

What is AirPlay?

AirPlay allows iOS devices like the iPhone 4 and the iPad to wirelessly share your pictures, your video files, your music with your HDTV, or an audio system or speaker. This gives Apple one edge up on Android as there is nothing equivalent on their platform or any other at this point. Google however, is expected to introduce Android@Home which allows your Android device to speak to any appliance including audio systems, refrigerators, TVs etc, but we are not there as yet.

How does it work?

In order to make AirPlay work however, ensure you have iOS 4.2 installed on your iPhone (reboot after installation) and you will need AppleTV connected to your HDTV or AirPort Express, a Wi-FI router which allows you to print and stream music. It is important to note that both  your Apple TV or your AirPort Express need to be on the same wireless network as your iPhone or iPad for it to work. And the great thing is, Apple makes it simple and easy to use, simply play your video and click on the AirPlay icon and stream. You will have to purchase AppleTV or AirPort Express both retail around $100 each.

What’s missing?

AirPlay is cool to begin with, but it would be great if I can turn other iOS devices, like other iPhones or iPads into audio or video streaming devices. Can you imagine the possibilities? I’ve heard that someone found a hack to do just this, but I haven’t tested this myself. In addition, it would be nice to use FaceTime on a large HDTV with the family, but I’ve heard that will be available on iOS 5 to be released with the next iPhone.

Have you tried AirPlay? What was your experience like?