By Canadians have been waiting a long, long time for any type of Android phone to hit their cell signals, eh? Well the wait is almost over – Canadian carrier Rogers Wireless has announced that it will launch both the HTC Dream and HTC Magic on June 2nd!
And so the countdown begins, quite literally, on RogersWireless.com:
So, Canadians… which phone – the Dream or the Magic – suits your fancy more? Assuming of course that they both come with Android 1.5 Cupcake. No need to answer now… you’ve got 25 days to think about it.
Here is the full Press Release issued by Rogers:
May 07, 2009 – Canadians to Get Android-Powered Smartphones: Rogers Wireless prepares for the Mobile Revolution with the exclusive Canadian launch of the HTC Dream and HTC Magic
TORONTO, May 7 /CNW/ – Rogers Wireless today announced the exclusive Canadian launch in June 2009 of the HTC Dream(TM) and HTC Magic(TM)
smartphones, the first cellphones in Canada powered by the Android platform, allowing for fast and easy access to a wide range of Google(TM) mobile
services, including Google Search(TM), Google Maps(TM), Gmail(TM) and more.“Who else but Rogers would be the first carrier to offer Canadians the first chance to join the mobile revolution with a choice of not one, but two,
handsets powered by the Android platform?”, said John Boynton, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Wireless. “The HTC Magic offers
a responsive touch screen and the HTC Dream delivers both a touch screen and a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Both devices offer outstanding wireless internet
search capabilities and a full suite of applications that run two times faster on Canada’s fastest mobile network.”Rogers will release details of the launch soon. In the meantime, customers can sign up for more information at rogers.com/revolution.About Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless provides wireless voice and data communications services across Canada to more than 8 million customers under both the Rogers Wireless
and Fido brands. Proven to operate Canada’s most reliable wireless voice and data communications network, Rogers Wireless is Canada’s largest wireless
provider and the only carrier operating on the global standard GSM and highly advanced HSPA technology platforms. In addition to providing seamless roaming
in more than 200 countries/areas with its GSM based services, Rogers Wireless also provides wireless broadband services across Canada utilizing its 2.5GHz
fixed wireless spectrum. Rogers Wireless is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RCI), a diversified Canadian
communications and media company. For further information, please visit www.rogers.com.Google, Google Search, Google Maps, and Gmail are trademarks of Google Inc.
HTC Dream(TM) and HTC Magic(TM) are trade names of HTC Corporation in Canada and other countries.
Rogers and the Rogers logo are trademarks of Rogers Communications Inc., used under licence.
BOOO YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(fwi: called it with my comment about the androide markit yesterday)
Im so happy i may have pee-ed my self a bit!
Oh yah I was so exited I forgot to state my HTC preference, I will be buying the Magic as I like the smaller frame and larger battery.
As for Rogers VS Rogers sub-brand Fido…. I don’t know, can anyone recommended the best carrier?
Will this me a modified G1? Since Rogers 3G is on another frequency than T-Mobile. Or will Rogers adapt their towers to the new frequency?
What is the difference, they will charge an ARM and LEG for the Phones. I will wait for Globalive assuming they will launch their network this year as promised.
I am on Fido so I am hoping that Fido carries it on the June 2 launch.
I am also concerned about the 3G. From what I understand, Rogers/Fido use 850 MHz for HSDPA but here are the specs on the Magic from the HTC website:
HSDPA/WCDMA:
* 900/2100 MHz
* Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
* 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
The Dream also has similar band specs … which suggests that neither will be able to do 3G (I know currently that unlocked T-Mobile G1s can’t do 3G on Rogers/Fido – only Edge).
I’m not going to spend this kind of money to only get Edge :(. So here’s hoping they changed the radio chips for the Canadian version.
AFAIK the G1 supports: EDGE, GPRS, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, GSM 850, GSM 900, HSDPA 2100, WCDMA. One would hope Rogers is on one of those frequencies.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
I am getting it the day it comes out.
It’s entirely possible HTC is providing them with modified Dreams and Magics that work on their bands, could explain the hold of for an Android phone.
I thought that “Globalive” was a mith, along with the mith that “Shaw” will be coming out with there own cell phone carrier. However I just google’ed “Globalive” and they seam to be active. Looks like I might swap carriers once they go live!
fwi: Android with no G3 is a deal breaker, Rogers should know this.
I’m confused, Rogers uses ONLY the 850Mhz band for HSPA.
…and neither of those phones have 850Mhz HSPA…
what gives? I’m excited, I honestly thought it would never happen, but at the same time wary…
…and to be honest I havn’t been impressed by HTC’s android offerings. The design sucks. Let’s see the design sense of the touch HD on an android device!!
I. will. buy. that.
Hey I noticed something wierd in the G1 in the countdown pic… I really believe that Rogers will have an exclusive Dream(look at the keys and the earpiece)… You guys tell me… oh and BTW im from Puerto Rico(T-MoUSA)…
In this day in age it would seem like a waste to not adapt these phones to run on Rogers’ 3G network.
If they didn’t I would stick with my plan of buying an unlocked Samsung I7500 for day to day use. With local availability AND 3G I would give the edge to the Magic over Samasung.
So obviously I fancy the Magic more (provided Rogers carries the black version).
to the author: its rogers.com, not rogerswireless.com. rogerswireless.com is just a parked domain some jerk owns.
wow guys this phones run 3G on rogers bands, the have different radios…
can GSM 850/900/1800/1900 work on a 3g network