LG G3 officially arriving in Canada on August 1st

After LG announced its latest flagship handset last month there was little doubt in our mind that it would make its way to Canadian shelves. Yesterday, we got confirmation from our friends at LG that the G3 will in fact be headed to Bell, MTS, Rogers, Sasktel and Videotron on August 1st.

We are a bit surprised to see TELUS not on the list of launch carriers given that the G2 was available to its customers. Here's a refresher of the specs:

• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 801 (up to 2.5GHz Quad-Core)
• Display: 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS (2560 x 1440, 538ppi)
• Memory: 16/32MB eMMC ROM / 2/3GB DDR3 RAM / microSD slot (128GB max)
• Camera: Rear 13.0MP with OIS+ and Laser Auto Focus / Front 2.1MP
• Battery: 3,000mAh (removable)
• Operating System: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• Size: 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm
• Weight: 149g
• Network: 4G / LTE / HSPA+ 21 Mbps (3G)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth Smart Ready (Apt-X), NFC, SlimPort, A-GPS/Glonass, USB 2.0
• Colour: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Moon Violet, Burgundy Red
• Other: Smart Keyboard, Smart Notice, Knock CodeTM , Guest Mode, etc.

Check out the Press release after the break.

Android 4.4 KitKat rolling out to Canadian Sony Xperia Z/ZL today

While the Xperia Z and ZL aren't exactly "spring chickens" of the smartphone world, that doesn't mean they should get the same upgrade treatment as other former flagships. With it's 5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB of RAM, there is no reason for the either the Z or ZL to be left out of the upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat and Sony has rectified that situation by finally pushing out an update to the latest version of Android.

If you're an Xperia Z or ZL user on Bell, Rogers, MTS, Mobilicity, Videotron and WIND you should be getting the update starting today. Use the PC companion app to get your update.

The Samsung Galaxy Note III, Galaxy Gear, Galaxy S4 Mini and Galaxy S III Mini are now available in Canada

The day is now upon us, Samsung's latest "phablet" is now available to Canadians from Rogers, Bell, TELUS, WIND, Mobilicity, Videotron, Sasktel and MTS. In addition, Samsung has made available the Galaxy Gear, the smartwatch designed to pair with the Galaxy Note 3 as well as older Samsung flagship devices, once they receive their update to Android 4.3.

Also launching tomorrow will be the diminutive Galaxy S III Mini and Galaxy S4 Mini. We are still a bit confused as to why someone would chose the Galaxy S III Mini over the S4 Mini especially given the rumors of both being free on contract.

Check out the specs after the break.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Gear, Galaxy S III Mini and Galaxy S4 Mini to hit Canadian shelves on October 4th

Looks like we have a street date for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Gear, Galaxy S III Mini and Galaxy S4 Mini. October 4th will mark the availability of these four devices. The Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) will be made available shortly after in November.

We already know that the Galaxy Note 3 was headed to Rogers, Bell, TELUS, WIND, Mobilicity, Videotron, Sasktel and MTS and that the Galaxy S4 Mini is probably headed to Bell.

But what is most surprising is that Samsung will make the Galaxy S III Mini available almost a full year after its been available abroad. We aren't sure why the S III mini is being released as it will be competing or canalizing for sales in the lower tier where Samsung already dominates with phones like the Galaxy Ace line as well as the fact that the Galaxy S4 Mini is a far better mid-range device.

Also worth noting, the Galaxy Gear will be discounted $100, from the $299 pricetag, if bought with a Galaxy Note 3 between October 4th and October 6th.

Check out a refresher of the specs and the official press release after the break.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 coming to Rogers, Bell, TELUS, WIND, Mobilicity, Videotron, Sasktel and MTS - Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Note 10.1 WiFi to come to Canada later this year

Great news for people looking to pickup a Galaxy Note 3 in Canada from a carrier. We've got official word from our contacts at Samsung that the Galaxy Note 3 will be made available to just about every major carrier in Canada by making its way to Rogers, Bell, TELUS, WIND, Mobilicity, Videotron, Sasktel and MTS. The 5.7-inch "phablet" will also be made available at brick and mortar retailers including Best Buy, Futureshop, Target Mobile, Tbooth wireless, The Mobile Shop, The Source, WIRELESSWAVE and WIRELESS etc.

As for the Galaxy Gear and 2014 Galaxy Note 10.1 WiFi we have word that they will be headed to Canadian shelves later this year.

Sony Xperia ZL review

With their less than stellar effort in the Xperia Ion and their pretty good, but late, effort in the Xperia T, Sony’s renewed commitment to the smartphone wars seemed halfhearted. All of this was before CES 2013 rolled around. After a couple of pre-CES leaked photos, the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL were unveiled to the world. With a relatively short turnaround after the Xperia T which was supposed to be Sony’s flagship for the balance of 2012, the Xperia Z/ZL falls in line to go head to head with the flagship devices of other Android manufacturers. We will see if this adjustment in flagship scheduling can turn the fortunes for Sony in our review of the Sony Xperia ZL.

Sony's Xperia ZL is now available to Canadians

When Sony unveiled the Xperia Z and ZL at CES 2013, they clearly showed that they were going to have a renewed dedication to the smartphone market. As expected by the April release schedule, the Xperia ZL has finally been made available to Canadians.

The Xperia ZL is a flagship phone packed with killer hardware including a 1.5GHz Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor, 2GB of RAM, Adreno 320 GPU, 13MP Exmor RS cameras, 5-inch 1080p display and are running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

According to MobileSyrup Videotron has the ZL currently listed for $199.95 on a ‘Reduced price’.  Rogers, has the Xperia ZL available on their site for $124.99 on a 3-year and Bell’s version is up for grabs for $99.95 on a 3-year contract.

No word on pricing at WIND, Mobilicity or MTS

Sony Xperia ZL coming to Rogers, Bell, Mobilicity, WIND, Videotron and MTS beginning in April 2013

Looks like Bell won't be the only carrier to bring the Xperia ZL to Canadians. According to an official Sony Press release via CNW the Xperia ZL is headed to Rogers, Bell, Mobilicity, WIND, Videotron and MTS beginning in April 2013. This is about as close to full carrier availability as it gets and increases the prospects of success for the Xperia ZL.

As a reminder here are the Xperia ZL's specs: 1.5GHz Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor, 2GB of RAM, Adreno 320 GPU, 13MP Exmor RS camera, 5-inch 1080p display and is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Sony Xperia T hitting Canadian shelves this November via Bell, Mobilicity, MTS, Rogers and Videotron

After seeing the Xperia T unveiled in August and our love/hate time with the Xperia Ion, we were excited to see it hit Canadian shelve. Today we get more information as to which carriers will carry the "James Bond" phone. According to an official Sony press release, the Xperia T will be headed to Bell, MTS, Rogers, Vidéotron and Mobilicity.