Phone Tweaks

iPhone 3G Unlock Almost Here

iPhone dev team has released a video showing they have been able to break into the baseband processor which gives them access to the core of the system. This means the unlock should not be too far away.

From Gizmodo:

Get ready, because the iPhone 3G unlock is coming to an iPhone 3G near you. The iPhone Dev Team have been able to break in the baseband processor. As you may remember from the first-generation iPhone unlock, this is big news because it means they have access to the core of the system, which gives them the ability to fully manipulate the iPhone 3G hardware and, therefore, unlock it.

This also means Canadians, when travelling will be able to drop in a sim from a different country. Just make sure to check the data rates!

Posted in iPhone |

Blackberry Bold $279 at Futureshop

Futureshop is offering the Rogers Blackberry bold for $279 on a 3-year contract.

This offer is good until October 30, 2008. So you better hurry up. Personally it may be worth waiting to check out the Blackberry Storm.

Posted in Rogers, blackberry |

Telus offers LG Dare for $99

Anyone remember the LG Dare? Well Telus is offering it for as low as $99.99.

$349.99 off contract, $299.99 with a 1-year agreement, $199.99 with a 2-year nod and $99.99 for 3-year contract.

The LG Dare has a 3.2 Megapixel Camera which includes a LED Flash. Some features of the camera include 5 different resolutions, five white balance presets, five color effects, four ISO settings (Auto ISO, ISO 100, ISO 200, and ISO 400) and six preset scenes. Other options include multishot, shutter sounds (three of them), auto focus, self timer, and four different shot types (Normal, Panorama, Split and Frame). The newest innovation called SmartPic technology offers face detection and enhances images with face color compensation.

Posted in Telus |

Bell and Telus Going GSM!

Looks like and Telus are Bell are going to be swapping CDMA for GSM/3G and eventually LTE launching around 2010.

From Engadget:

Capping months of speculation, Canadian CDMA carriers Bell and Telus have both announced that they’ll be moving to HSPA to power portions their 3G networks as a stop-gap on their way to an eventual LTE rollout. While both networks will be investing heavily to build out the necessary infrastructure, they’ll be sharing the fruits of their collective labor to extend roaming agreements that are already in place between the two — a logical move, considering they’ll be going up against the Rogers juggernaut which has the distinct advantage of already being on the GSM technology roadmap. The carriers are looking at 2010 to flip the switch on HSPA, but don’t worry, owners of EV-DO handsets: the CDMA goods will continue to be supported for the forseeable future while GSM is getting layered on top. Odds are, anyone using a CDMA handset will be due for new hardware long before the lights finally go out.

Posted in Telus |

Blackjack II aka Samsung Jack gets WM 6.1

Samsung Jack on Rogers has received the Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade. The US version of the update came out a little while ago but better let then never for us Canadians.

Get it now at the official Samsung website

Posted in Rogers |

Beejive for iPhone Released

Beejive for the iPhone/iPod Touch has just been released.

Basically BeeJive does what mobilechat tried to do. The cost of the app is a bit on the pricey side at $15.99 but the value the application brings is well worth it.

I have played around with the app for about an hour or so and have tested out MSN Messenger and gTalk. It has been kept me online when I closed the app and have not been disconnected once so far.

Another great feature of Beejive is the ability to to send email notifications when you have received messages when the app is closed. Set that up to email an address that supports push and you get instantly notified when new messages arrive.

After using this for a short period of time, I believe it will probably be one my most used application.

I will post another update on how I like this app after a week or two.

Posted in iPhone |

Telus HTC S720 Gets Windows Mobile 6.1

Looks like Telus HTC S720 is getting an upgrade, to Windows Mobile 6.1

This is said to add EVDO Rev A support and an improvement in “overall device functionality and stability” Let us know how it goes!

Posted in Telus |

How to get US iTunes apps in Canada

*This can also apply to wherever you live if you don’t get access to all the goodies that are available to the US.

So you live in Canada and want access to all the app available to our friends in the US? You can follow these simple steps.

1. Go to http://www.tunecore.com/freealbum Click the link for the code.

2. In iTunes, click on the iTunes store, scroll to the bottom and switch to the US store.

3. Click the redeem link under ‘Quick Links’ and enter in that code you got in step 1.

4. iTunes will want you to either enter in your login details or create a new account. You should create a new account and enter in a US address. It can be pretty much any address as long as address/zip codes match.

5. For payment method you should select none.

6. Now that you have a US iTunes account, you can now download all the free apps you want that are available in the US. If that is all you want you are done.

7. If you want to purchase apps, you will need to go to ebay or craigslist and purchase a US iTunes gift card and enter the code in the redeem box like we did earlier.

There you go, iTunes access to the US store wherever you live. You also get access to movies/shows/rentals etc.

Feel free to discuss this in the forum @ http://www.phonetweaks.com

Posted in iPhone |

Fido’s Killer Offer

Fido is advertising a new plan on its website.

200 Weekday Minutes

Unlimited Evenings and Weekends

Unlimited Incoming Texts

Unlimited Evenings Start at 5pm.

$17.50/month.

It’s a decent plan, but when you add in:

Voicemail, CallerID, Texts Bundle $15

6GB Data plan $30

System access fee $6.95

That comes to $70 plus taxes.

Posted in Fido |

BlackBerry Kickstart 8220 on Rogers

Crackberry.com has reported some leaked marketing material that shows the BlackBerry Kickstart 8220 on Rogers for $149.99 on a 3-year contract on a minimum $35 plan. Between the Bold and the upcoming BlackBerry Thunder i’m not so sure this is a such a great choice, but that is just my opinion.

Posted in Rogers, blackberry |