Rogers goes Android - HTC Dream and Magic for $649

[CraigB]

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.

Pretty excited about this myself as I was looking at getting an Android phone eventually. Of course, we'll all be locked into 3 year plans :/

[nathan]

I've been sort of hoping for the Omnia HD...but the more I think about it this phone gives me pretty much everything I want except:
- 3.5mm audio jack (not a big deal since I use Bluetooth's A2DP for everything, and the Cupcake update includes that)
- 3G speeds...unless this has changed since the last time I read about a Dev phone up here.

I'll have to see what the plans and costs are like. If the phone is $200 on-contract, I'll just get a Dev G1 from the states.

But yes, very, very happy about this. And surprised...Rogers doesn't seem like an 'android'ish company.

[GSMfan]

I'm just wondering if it would be a good idea to get locked in to a 3-year contract as an "early adoptor". The OS will no doubt go thru a maturation process, and hardware choices will improve, from Rogers, as well as other carriers. The HTC Dream and Magic have fairly unspectacular specs, and aesthetically somewhat generic-looking. I find myself looking forward more to Rogers' long awaited announcement on the Sony Ericsson C905.

[nathan]

I believe the term you're looking for is freakin' ugly. It's definitely not a looker.

I'm not too concerned about the software...the 1.5 update to Android (being rolled out in the states right now) adds a lot of features that bring it in line with a lot of other higher-end phones.

I think the specs on the Dream could be considered pretty high-end. 3.2" HVGA screen, Capacitaive Touch Screen, Qwerty, 16Gb+MicroSD capability, 3.2M camera (admittedly, no flash), Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP), WIfi b/g.

Plus the way things have been going recently, it really looks like App development is starting to go iPhone -> Android -> Blackberry -> WinMo. I have no desire to own an iPhone (well, no, it's a really, really nice phone, but way too restrictive for my tastes)...I love my Blackberry 8800...but I think this suits me better. Also, probably a NES/SNES emulator at some point.

I haven't played with either Android 1.0, or Android 1.5, but from the reviews of the G1 with Android 1.0, I think a lot of the shortcomings have been fixed in 1.5.

...other than, of course, the ugliness.

(Also, My wife and I are on staggered contracts, so the most I'll have to wait is a year before I can replace this phone since she gets the hand-me-downs where phones are concerned

[GSMfan]

"Also, My wife and I are on staggered contracts, so the most I'll have to wait is a year before I can replace this phone since she gets the hand-me-downs where phones are concerned"

Hmm...I thought I was the only one benefitting from this arrangement!
But then again, the amount of use she gets out of her cell phone, she would be happy even if she were still using her Nokia 8310!

[g011um]

I dunno, I kinda like the looks of the HTC Magic. Yes, not as sexy as other some other phones perhaps, but decent enough. And the feature set seem pretty good -- Camera, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi (which soooo many phones lack!). The G1/Dream is hideous, with that bulky sliding display.

I'd love an iPhone but they're priced too high, especially with the data plans. This phone, if priced well, could fill a nice niche in the market; people who want a keyboardless, touch-screen phone, with a decent amount of bells-and-whistles, that isn't the iPhone. I see the Palm Pre fitting in here as well.

[polaris]

Good news. What ever gets people off of WinMo is good for the phone market competition. Also cant wait for the Palm Pre and see its new OS. Looks great.

[nathan]

My only issue with WinMo is that it's stayed the same for so long it's just old and seriously needs a refresh. Hopefully WinMo 7 is a significant change.
The more competition the better.

[hubick]

I'm a big Linux and Free Software/Open Source fan, and I signed up to be an Android developer (I do Java by day), and thus really want an Android phone!

I'm not a big fan of the G1 slider hardware though. I _was_ looking forward to getting a Magic when they were announced elsewhere, until I heard about the Samsung i7500, which I absolutely lust after, and will be shipping in Europe in June, but isn't rumored for even a US appearance until November To make matters worse, apparently T-Mobile USA is getting a "special" Magic with a 5 MP camera, rather than the 3.2 MP everyone else (us) gets.

So, I think I might skip the Rogers Magic offering and see if I can get setup with a SIM card and an imported and unlocked+rooted i7500.

[lexcyn]

I am so sick of my iPhone, I am selling it and grabbing the G1. Google's OS seems better overall for what I need, while the iPhone's isn't great.

[rarewolf]

... Of course, we'll all be locked into 3 year plans :/

Of course, you can always purchase an unlocked version of either phone ... but I have to admit this is a strange announcement ... that is, HTC hasn't yet announced a NAm versions of these phones that would work with Rogers 3G (ie, UMTS 850/1900).

I'll also admit this announcement might've made me think twice about my purchasing a SE Xperia X1a ... but then again, I don't think I'll be looking back until sometime early next year when NAm versions of many of the smartphones announced this spring will come to market with Winmo7. The Xperia is a sweet phone with the Spb shell.

Cheerios from the Avalon Peninsula (where there's still only a single 3G tower)

[name777]

I've been waiting for this for more than a year. In fact, I even sent WTF email to Rogers just a week before this news came up, and said Bell has been offering HTC Touch Pro for 6 months already. Can't wait to get my hands on it, though HTC Touch Pro 2 is much better device. But with Rogers' approach, I don't think we'll get it in Canada within the next three years. I'm currentyly on HTC S620 and an official hater of anit-open source Apple.

[g011um]

Anyone hear rumours about pricing for these phones yet?

[nathan]

Haven't heard anything. Though best Buy says you can pre-order now in-store, so I would assume they'd have to have some sort of price to give you. Perhaps not though.

99 and 149 on contract I would think?

[hugh]

$549 to buy either the Dream or Magic outright according to Boy Genius Report