BB Bold 9900, Torch 9810, Torch 9860 On Best Buy Canada Pre-Order

Earlier this week Research in Motion finally announced three phones in five variants: the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, Torch 9850/9860 and the Torch 9810. They are all running RIM OS 7, have similar specs and if you live in Canada, you can pre-order yours from Best Buy.

Word is that the BlackBerry Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and Torch 9860 will see their Canadian launch within the next two weeks but if you want to make sure you'll be among the first to grab one, Best Buy got you covered. You can now pre-order one by placing a $50 deposit with a Best Buy Mobile store and they'll let you know as soon as the phones arrive so you can pick one up. Not sure which one to go for? Check them and their specs out
Read More

Google+ Application Gets Unofficial Black Redesign

Maybe you have an AMOLED powered Android smartphone and you know the importance of dark colors and the magic they do to maintaining battery life; maybe you just like dark themes and just like the new Android Market, the Google+ application has been skinned, adding a black version.

If you want to have it on your phone, head over to the source link and download the APK. You need to first uninstall your copy of Google+ and then install the black version you've downloaded. According to the author, the work is almost complete but expect a fully blacked out version soon. Until then, head over to the link below and get your black on! 
Read More

Sprint Motorola Photon 4G SBF File Available

Looks like it's that time for Motorola phones! Yesterday we've seen the Motorola Droid X2 SBFfile and today we've got the Photon 4G SystemBoot File for all you hardcore tweakers and ROM flashers out there.

If something goes wrong when you try to root or flash your phone, an SBF file can help you recover your phone. It will revert it to its factory defaultstate and thus you'll lose your root access but it's always easier to root again than to buy a new phone to replace your bricked one. Head over to the source link where you can download the SBF and also read instructions on how to use it. 
Read More

Samsung Continuum FINALLY Gets Froyo ROM

Last time we told you anything about the SamsungContinuum, it was back in January when the phone received a bugfix update. After being tipped-off that an update was on the way, we were getting optimistic that it might just be Froyo, but saw our hopes dashed. While some other Galaxy S models have seen official Froyo updates, the Continuum has remained stuck on Eclair. That's a shame, because it's got some interesting hardware, like its 480 x 96 sub-display. For those of you who haven't given up on the phone yet, we've got great news, as a developer on XDA has released a leaked Froyo ROM for the Continuum.

This ROM updates your phone from the last-released DL17 software to EC03 with Froyo. Installation requires ClockWork Mod and Samsung's Odin tool, but looks relatively straightforward. While there are supposedly some bugs remaining, users who have flashed the ROM largely report that it's behaving. There's still some bloat on here, though a clean ROM may be coming in the near future.

Don't expect to ever see Gingerbread on the Continuum, but this release is still a nice shot-in-the-arm for an otherwise-neglected smartphone. Check out the thread on XDA-Developers for full details on how to download and install. 
Read More

Samsung Galaxy Gio Hitting Canada Next Week For $150 Off-Contract

When we first heard of Samsung’s budget-priced Galaxy Gio, it didn't seem likely that we'd ever get a chance to check out the handset ourselves, with its planned launch largely relegated to Asia. That was no huge let-down, since the hardware looked pretty similar to other Android models in this niche that we'd seen before. But then, we were surprised to learn that the Gio would be coming to North America after all, and had been selected for release in Canada. We had heard that an August launch was likely, and sure enough, the SamsungGio is scheduled for release this coming Monday.

Both Bell and Virgin will be carrying the Gio upon release. The smartphone's hardware consists of a lowly 528MHz processor (we've also heard 800MHz mentioned, which would far preferable), 384MB of RAM, 512MB of internal flash storage, and a 3-megapixel camera. The handset has a 3.2-inch HVGA display, and the phone runs Android Gingerbread with Samsung's TouchWiz UI.

All told, those are some decidedly low-end specs, but that's also what lets the Gio be offered for the very low prices it's set to fetch. With a service agreement, you'll pick up the Gio totally free. If you'd rather forgo any contracts and just pay full-price, the Gio will still only set you back about $150.

For now, we haven't heard of any US carriers showing interest in the Gio, so expect it to say up north. 
Read More