Nokia Lumia 610 is now available also at Telus!

After the launch of the 610 at Koodo Mobile, Telus is also carrying this budget WP7 phone.  Only black is available so far and it can be yours for $29.99 over 3 years on any plan or $229.99 outright.

Still, if I am in the market for a budget WP7 phone, my choice is still the Nokia Lumia 710 for a mere $25 more outright from Rogers as it packs a way bettter processor, and more RAM.

Doubt that Koodo or Telus are getting any budget takers at these prices in comparison to Lumia 710 over at Rogers,Wind, Mobilicity.

Source: Telus

Nokia Lumia 610 is now available at.. Koodo!

Another day, another Nokia Lumia device unleashed on the Canadian market (whatever happened to HTC - guess they have the Radar, and Samsung??)

Anyhow, the Lumia device that is targeted at the low cost market is now available at KoodoMobile (probably soon to Telus as well)

Only black is available at this time but the white version is coming soon.

This has the 800Mhz processor and it is priced at $200 outright or $50 on tab.

Frankly, at $200, I'd get the Lumia 710 outright for $50 more.  It would be a decent deal at $150 but Telus continues to price Lumia phones at funny price points (i.e. 800 is more expensive that the 900???)

Note that due to the lower processor speed and lower RAM built in, there are some apps (games most likely) that you will not be able to install on the Lumia 610.

If you still insists on this phone, there's currently a $25 VISA gift card if you order online from koodomobile.ca

Source: koodo mobile

Cyan Lumia 900 is finally available @ Rogers!

Rogers has finally unleash the Lumia 900 in Cyan.

Some pricing as the black one:

3 yr: $29.99
mtm: $474.99

Interesting time to upgrade as most of you should know by now that the current generation hardware will not get the goodness of Windows Phone 8.  Current generation WP7 phones will only get upgrades to WP7.8 and at this time, we know WP7.8 is only getting the brand new start screen.

Will you get this nice looking phone given that you will not get WP8?

Source: Rogers

Tango is rolling out!

The latest WP7.5 update is currently being rolled out around the globe.  All Nokia Lumias are getting the update and there are news that some first gen WP7 devices are also feeling the love (LG Optimus 7 on Telus apparently is getting an update).

If you happen to be using a Nokia Lumia phone, you are in luck as Nokia provides the information as to the whereabouts your Tango update is.  (Check your Nokia Lumia Update status here)

For the rest of the WP crowd, it's time to plug it into Zune Desktop or the WP7 Connector on the Mac and see if you have an update waiting for you (or you can just wait for the you have update prompt on your phone)

Among the bug fixes, the biggest feature Tango will bring is enhanced MMS and the long awaited WiFi Tethering or hotspot.

As of this moment, my factory unlocked Nokia Lumia 800 still have not received any update notifications yet.

... Yes, more on Windows Phone 7.8 a bit later.

MS Surface(TM) Tablet Unveiled

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you probably know that Windows 8 is coming this fall sporting our favourite UI in the world - the Metro UI.

What weren't clear was that what kind of hardware (especially tablet side of things) we will be seeing from the Microsoft Partners.  All we know is that with the Android tablet platform struggling, the none-apple hardware manufacturer are definitely readying their horses to get onboard the Win8 tablet train.

What is surprising is that Microsoft has just announced their own brand of tablet hardware.  It will be using the name Microsoft Surface (TM) - for us bigger geek types, we know that MS Surface is a rarely known Microsoft Tablet top type interface you will find most often in Science/Technology exhibits where you (or your kids) interacts with a table top UI for learning amongst other things.

There will be 2 flavours of the MS Surface Tablets.

• Windows RT -
•  ARM processor 
• 576g with a magnesium body
• 10.6" ClearType Gorilla glass display screen
• 9.3mm thick
• microSD slot
• USB 2.0 slots
• 32GB or 64GB configurations
• Windows 8 Pro
• Intel i5 processor
• 903g with a magnesium body
• 10.6" ClearType Gorila glass display screen
• 13.5mm thick
• microSDXC slot
• USB 3.0 slot
• 64GB or 128GB configurations

Both tablets will come with VaporMg to protect the tablet from scratches

There will be covers that are available for your tablet as well.  At first glance it looks very similar to the Apple iPad's smart cover.  However, if you look closely, you will see keyboard layouts as well as a touch pad that is full functional with your Microsoft Surface Tablet.  

Both tablets will also be able to stand up a an angle (like the picture above) and can be connected to this very thin keyboard cover and used with the tablet when connected (not via bluetooth) but via connectors at the bottom of the tablet.

This is indeed exciting news.  Microsoft claims it will launch at the same time as Windows 8 this coming fall.  I hope that the Canadian retailers are getting some or else it will be a good visit down to the MS Stores this fall.

Check out more galleries and info here

Source: Microsoft

Cyan Lumia 900 + White Lumia 710 are coming to Rogers!

Looks like the long awaited launch of the Cyan Lumia 900 in Canada is about to be over.  Nokia Canada has announced that both the Cyan Lumia 900 and a white Lumia 710 about about to be launched over at Rogers.  

It will likely keep the same prices as their black counterparts.  

Currently, the Lumia 900 can be had over at Rogers for $29.99 on a 3 year contract (with data) and the Lumia 710 can be had for $0.01 on a 3 year contract (likely on any plan as the 710 is categorized as a smartphone lite)

No launch date just yet but probably sometime this summer.

Source: Nokia Canada Facebook Page

Smoked By Windows Phone Coming to Toronto!

Over at WPCentral.com, they are reporting that the Windows Phone campaign known as Smoked By Windows is making its way to Canada.  It's landing in Toronto for the next 3 days

• May 25: Yonge and Eglington - 12pm-8pm
• May 26: The Danforth - 10am-6pm
• May 27: Yonge and Dundas - 11am-5pm

Unfortunately, since I am not in Toronto or anywhere close to the Toronto area, but for the rest of you who are, make sure to check out the action (or bring your iPhone/Android friends down to the challenge so they can be humiliated, if not, hey, they get $100 for winning the challenge and given what the track record is, it can happen).

Finally some love for us Canadians!  Hopefully it will be coming to more cities in the future!

Thanks WPCentral!