In order to qualify for the current unlocking program, iPhone owners have to meet certain requirements that are revealed by the leaked memos. For starters, the iPhone must be owned outright, and cannot be on a contract plan. The iPhone owner must be a post-paid Bell or Virgin customer as well. Those who don’t meet all three requirements are out of luck.

Information that the two companies planned to offer an iPhone unlocking service first appeared over at iPhone In Canada, but was lacking in details. With this leaked memo, we get a nice glimpse into the stipulations and fee, but also a notice that additional information will be available in the near future. Says the leaked memo, the eligibility guidelines will be expanded during the “next Phase in 2013.”

Reads the Virgin Mobile leaked image: “Hey Peeps! Virgin Mobile is getting into the Holiday spirit by supporting our Members with unlocking their sweet iPhone! Starting Monday, November 26th, you’ll play the role of Santa’s little helper and assist in their request to unlock their iPhone.” Customers can take advantage of this service via Bell’s Credit and Prevention line, or via Virgin Care for Virgin Mobile customers.

[via Mobile Syrup]

Alternatively, you can grab the HSPA+ Nexus for CA$649.99, if you want to use a SIM you already have. It’s a pentaband model – supporting the 850/900/1700/1900/2100 UMTS/WCDMA bands – so if you decide to take a quick trip up from the US to grab one in Canada, you’ll then be able to use it on T-Mobile USA or AT&T when you get home.

Fellow Canadian carrier Rogers Wireless has already confirmed it will be offering the Galaxy Nexus from January 2012, meanwhile. That leaves us waiting on the LTE model for Verizon in the US, which earlier rumors tipped as arriving tomorrow, December 9, but more recent leaks indicate has been pushed back perhaps into next week.

More on the Galaxy Nexus in our full review.

[via Android Community]

The big feature though is that big and bright 4.5-inch screen that has a 1280 x 720 IPS LCD screen. That makes the screen better than the iPhone 4S packs in. The Eye also has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and will run Android Gingerbread. It will support 4G LTE networks as well. There are key facts that are lacking at this point.

The lacking points include the facts that Bell has offered up no pricing or availability details. So far, Canada is as close to the US as this nice smartphone has landed. I would wager the phone will come to the US. It could show up at multiple carriers under different names.

[via Android Community]

One woman was found in or around the crashed vehicle having passed some time in or near the initial crash, while two female passengers were taken to a nearby hospital, one in cardiac arrest, the other in respiratory arrest, while one other man was taken to another nearby hospital with unknown conditions. I must comment at this point that normally SlashGear wouldn’t report on subject matter such as this, but in this case there may be friends or relatives of those in the vehicle that could be helped by this information – or at least your humble narrator feels this way, anyway.

The type of helicopter that hit the river and sunk was a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, one of the world’s most popular helicopter models at the moment, first flown in January of 1966. These helicopters are known for their lightness and their maneuverability and are often used by Air Taxi services as well as television stations. The river is currently closed to commercial boating traffic.

[via CBS News]

The handset itself will be identical to the AT&T version, which means a dual-core 1GHz processor, qHD resolution display, Android 2.2 Froyo, a biometric fingerprint scanner and both front and rear cameras. There’s also Citrix Receiver support, together with two optional docks: the Motorola HD Multimedia Dock, with three USB ports and an HDMI port, and the Motorola Laptop Dock, with an 11.6-inch screen, full keyboard, stereo speakers and 36Wh three-cell battery that delivers up to seven hours of battery life, all in just 2.4 pounds.

No word on pricing but we’re expecting this behemoth to be carry a flagship tag when it arrives in Canada. More information on the ATRIX 4G here.

Press Release:

Motorola Mobility Canada and Bell Announce ATRIX™ Coming Soon to Canada

The world’s most powerful smartphone transforms into a laptop, desktop or home entertainment center through Motorola’s revolutionary webtop application

Jan. 05, 2011

LAS VEGAS (CES ) and TORONTO – Jan. 5, 2011 – Motorola Mobility Canada and Bell today unveiled Motorola ATRIX, the only smartphone with the Motorola webtop application that puts a true desktop browser in the user’s pocket. The ATRIX will be available to Canadians exclusively from Bell Mobility on Canada’s Best Network.

Designed to bring unprecedented computing to a smartphone, Motorola’s webtop application brings a PC browsing experience with a full Mozilla Firefox 3.6 browser to a mobile environment. Motorola ATRIX supports Adobe® Flash® Player to open up all the rich graphics, animations and video on the web. Featuring a dual-core processor –with each core running at 1 GHz, delivering up to two GHz of processing power – 1 GB of RAM, coupled with webtop and a unique docking system, the Motorola ATRIX is, simply put, the world’s most powerful smartphone.

“Motorola ATRIX ushers in a new era in mobile computing and converged electronics experiences, and we’re thrilled to offer it to Canadians on Bell’s state-of-the-art network,” said Sanjay Jha, chairman and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility. “The Motorola ATRIX is a symbol of the innovation consumers can expect from the new company that is Motorola Mobility. ATRIX is a revolutionary tool for staying connected, informed and entertained at home, on the job and anywhere in between.”

“Motorola ATRIX is a ground-breaking product and offering it exclusively to Canadians fits with Bell’s commitment to deliver products and services that lets business and consumer clients say ‘today just got better,’” said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility & Residential Services, and Bell’s Chief Brand Officer. “ATRIX and its mobile computing capabilities are ready to leverage the speed, coverage and quality of Bell’s world-leading wireless network.”

Motorola ATRIX delivers unprecedented mobile computing capabilities in a package less than 11mm thin, including:

A dual-core processor – which outputs up to two GHz of processing speed – for opening web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones, rendering games faster and displaying HD quality video on big-screen TVs.
A full 1 GB of RAM is twice that offered in most other smartphones and delivers effortless multi-tasking, such as watching a movie while receiving and responding to email.
The world’s first qHD smartphone display, offering high resolution and 24-bit colour, making it easier to read indoors and outdoors
Facilitated by Motorola’s webtop application and optional docking system that offer a larger screen, full-size keyboard and trackpad for an enhanced and more interactive experience, Motorola ATRIX can be used as a primary digital hub to create, edit and enjoy documents, media and content.

Motorola is introducing two industry-leading companion docks for the ATRIX:

The Motorola HD Multimedia Dock has three USB ports and an HDMI port, enabling connections to a keyboard, monitor, mouse, speakers or HDMI monitor for working on traditional PC tasks, and connects to an HDMI-enabled television and home theater audio system for enjoying video, music, games and more.
The Motorola Laptop Dock has an incredibly thin design with an 11.6-inch screen, full keyboard, stereo speakers, 36Wh three-cell battery that delivers up to seven hours of battery life and weighs just 2.4 pounds. Users simply dock their Motorola ATRIX 4G into the back of the Laptop Dock to experience true mobility at work, home and playing on-the-go in a form factor that’s lighter and smaller than most laptops on the market.
While using the webtop application, business users with an existing Citrix account will benefit from the integrated Citrix Receiver application that provides secure, high performance access to virtual desktops as well as Windows®, web and office applications hosted on Citrix XenDesktop. In addition to the full suite of office productivity and email applications, users can also access a number of web applications such as Salesforce.com, Google Docs, and any HTML application or service from a full desktop browser.

Motorola ATRIX runs Android™ 2.2 with access to more than 100,000 apps and games in Android Market™.

Key features and specifications:

A dual-core processor capable of opening web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones, rendering games faster and displaying HD video on big-screen TVs
Front- and rear-facing cameras for video chat and the ability to record and output in HD
Biometric fingerprint reader for easily unlocking your phone while providing extra security
Under 11mm thin, with an extra large 1930 mAh battery for extended standby and talk time
Keep up to date on social networks with automatic delivery of messages through MOTOBLUR™, including the ability to locate, wipe and restore data if the device is lost or stolen
Up to 48GB of storage (16GB internal and optional 32GB MicroSD card) – enough to store thousands of songs, photos and as many as 15 full-length movies
Mobile Hotspot service for connecting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices
Availability

Motorola ATRIX will be available exclusively to Bell Mobility clients in the coming months. For more information, go to Motorola.ca or to pre-register please visit www.bell.ca/atrix

SlashNEUTRALITY
You know that pesky little thing called Net Neutrality – aka the principal that service providers and governments should not be allowed to restrict content, sites, platforms, equipment and modes of communication through the internet? Well the UK Communications Minister Ed Vaizey is against that, saying today at a London telecommunications conference organized by the Financial Times: “the market should decide the extent to which service providers can charge for preferential content delivery and slow down other traffic.”

Enough said?

[Via Reddit]

R3 Media Network

SlashPhone
Sam’s Club Now Offering iPad With Minor Discount
HTC DROID Merge Heading To Verion On Thursday
Twitter Update iOS app, Provides Push Notifications For Mention And Direct Message

Android Community
Hamilton CapTel offers Android app for hearing impaired
Nexus S concave touchscreen originally intended for Sprint?
Sony Ericsson ANZU/XPERIA X12 previewed
Samsung Galaxy Tab: Five Carriers, Three Cases – Which Feels Best?
Dropbox for Android Updated
HTC Knight is actually HTC EVO Shift 4G?
Mobclix survey reveals demographics of Android users
Samsung and Cellular South agree to LTE network launch plan
Samsung Galaxy Tab for Bell Now Available, Costs $599.95 [ANOTHER TAB]
Android Market’s Publishing Interface Gets Updated, More Signs of Gingerbread [GINGERBREAD]
Cooliris Liveshare Application for Android Deployed Today, Special Events Around the Globe This Week
Conceptual Design for Porsche Smartphone is Sleek, Hot, Amazing [CONCEPT]
Honeycomb equipped Motorola MOTOPAD expected February/March 2011 [HONEYCOMB]
Giorgio Armani Samsung Galaxy S Announced from Seoul [REAL DEAL]
HTC and Samsung believe Android will dominate future smartphone market
PocketBook IQ EBookReader Hands-On and Video Review
Verizon Galaxy Tab Hitting COSTCO for $589.99 [ANOTHER TAB]
LG Apex Announced by US Cellular, to be Released on November 19 [NEW PHONE]
Cooliris Liveshare App Review [REVIEW]

SlashGear
Low-temp ceramic micro fuel-cells promise affordable methane power
Fluid Dress is incredible labor of fluid-filled love [Video] [MPLS YAY]
Color e-paper drawing tablet gets Berlin outing
White iPhone 4 conversion kit seller gets legal threat after $130k sales
Motorola MOTOPAD Honeycomb tablet due Feb/Mar 2011 with Tegra 2 tip insiders
PeeWee Pivot 2.0 tablet laptop launches
Fujitsu multitouch resistive touchscreens bring cheap pinch-zooming to Windows 7 notebooks
Hulu Plus officially launches at $7.99 per month; hits Roku today
BYD Alice Tegra 2 Froyo tablet wants a chance at the market
Palm to reclaim smartphone “birthright” with phones & “a great tablet” tips Rubinstein
Sharp 3D smartphone launches for US, India & China tipped for 2011
VUDU 2.0 UI teased; HD PS3 streaming due later this month
A Week with the HTC HD7: the Apps [FEATURED]
Why my next HDTV will be a Vizio [COLUMN]
How Microsoft Got 1,000 Plus Apps Developed for the Launch of Windows Phone 7
Conceptual Hybrid Display Phone Works with Both AMOLED and EInk [CONCEPT]
Sony PSP2 Supposedly Breaks Cover, Shows Off Twin Thumbsticks
Day Shade Night Light Solar Powered Patio Umbrella Conceptualized [CONCEPT]
Mercedes-Benz Biome Concept Car is Grown Inside a Nursery [CONCEPT]
Bose Bluetooth Headset unboxing & hands-on [FEATURED]
Google Docs Now Let You Edit Documents on the Go
Assistant Professor Wants to Install a Camera Into the Back of His Head
The Social Tide Receding [COLUMN]

To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]

It’s unclear whether this is the state of play for all carriers or simply Bell Mobility.  RIM themselves did warn that upgrades would be subject to carrier certification and other testing, and as such be released “in the months ahead” rather than immediately, but with the Torch 9800 already running BlackBerry 6 the hope had been for an update program kicking in before the end of the year.

[via CrackBerry]

The netbook uses the 1.66GHz N450 CPU and has a 10.1-inch LCD. The screen can be had in 1024 x 600 or 1366 x 768 resolutions. A built-in TV tuner and GPS system are coming soon, and the machine will be bundled with Broadcom Crystal HD for HD video playback in Q1 2010.

The machine has WiFi, Bluetooth and mobile broadband. System memory is 1GB and the machine can have either a 160GB or 250GB HDD. The battery is a 3 or 6-cell unit with up to 9.5 hours of run time. Pricing starts at $299 and the machines will be available starting in January.

Both online and in-store orders are possible, and Bell will be showcasing the Pre at the Eaton Centre in Toronto through September 5th, complete with running daily giveaways.  Meanwhile voice/message/data plans start from CA$45 per month (with a 500MB allowance), though you’ll need to step up to at least CA$60 per month if you want unlimited data.

The launch coincides with the addition of several new webOS applications to the Palm App Catalog, including the Yelp restaurant guide, a language update for Twitter app Tweed, and a Canadian news app.  There are also some new games, including Tetris Mania and Yahtzee.

[via Official Palm Blog]

This is definitely a mid-range handset and it features GPS, a 2-megapixel camera, EVDO 3G and a QWERTY keyboard. Social networking is a big focus here and you can even customize this phone with many decal options.

You can get the Samsung Vice in two versions, either blue-silver or white-red. It’s nothing much but it’s a good handset for those that don’t need a whole lot of extra features. You can buy it today for $50 with a three-year plan.

That means the same WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and 3.1-inch capacitive 320 x 480 touchscreen, and Palm’s new webOS platform complete with Synergy wireless synchronization.   Bell Mobility claims to have the largest 3G network in Canada, which is useful considering so much of what the Pre does is underscored by high-speed network connectivity.

Pricing and a specific launch date are, unsurprisingly, still unconfirmed at present.  Those interested in knowing more can sign up for updates at www.palm.com/ca or Bell.ca/pre; meanwhile there’s more Pre news and information over at our sibling site, My Pre.

[via My Pre] 

Press Release:

Palm Pre to Arrive in Canada on Bell Mobility Network

TORONTO, May 06, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ:PALM) today announced that Palm Pre(TM), the first phone based on the new Palm(R) webOS(TM) mobile platform, will debut in Canada exclusively on Bell Mobility’s 3G high-speed mobile network in the second half of 2009.(1)

“We’re excited to bring Pre to Canada with Bell Mobility,” said Brodie Keast, senior vice president of marketing for Palm, Inc. “We’ve seen enormous interest from mobile operators worldwide and fully expect to continue to expand distribution for Pre, putting it within reach of more and more customers.”

Palm webOS is invented exclusively for mobile use. It’s the first mobile platform to automatically bring your information from the many places it resides – on your phone, at work or on the web – into one simple, integrated view.(1) The new Palm Pre and webOS are designed to be so in sync with your needs that it feels like Pre is thinking ahead for you.

Pre has a breakthrough user interface and hardware design that makes it the most integrated and user-friendly mobile phone. Featuring a smooth, rounded ergonomic design and a physical keyboard that slides out only when needed, Pre is engineered to feel natural in your hand and comfortably small in your pocket. When closed, Pre is ideal for phone calls, web browsing, music, photos and videos; when open, Pre is optimized for email and text messaging. It provides an exceptional experience for phone calls, whether held to your ear, over speakerphone or via Bluetooth. With its curved slider and gesture-controlled touch interface, Pre fuses exquisite design with the revolutionary webOS software for fast access to content on the device or web. It’s an instinctive user experience that seems to anticipate your needs.

“Bell is excited to be only the second carrier in the world to announce the 3G Pre,” said Adel Bazerghi, senior vice president of Products for Bell Mobility. “With the unique user experience of the world’s first webOS phone, running on the country’s largest 3G network, we’re confident that Canadians will embrace Pre as the phone for their lives today.”

Your Life, Brought Together

Palm webOS introduces Palm Synergy(TM), a key feature of the new platform that brings your information from all the places it resides into one logical view. You don’t have to worry about tracking multiple calendars, contacts and messaging applications – Synergy seems to think ahead to bring you a more comprehensive and truly representative view of your life.

Linked contacts – With Synergy, you have a single view that links your contacts from a variety of sources, so accessing them is easier than ever. For example, if you have the same contact listed in your Outlook(2), Google and Facebook accounts, Synergy recognizes that they’re the same person and links the information, presenting it to you as one listing.
Layered calendars – Your calendars can be seen on their own or layered together in a single view, combining work, family, friends, sports teams, or other interests. You can toggle to look at one calendar at a time, or see them all at a glance.
Combined messaging – Synergy lets you see all your conversations with the same person in a chat-style view, even if it started in IM and you want to reply with text messaging. You can also see who’s active in a buddy list right from contacts or email, and start a new conversation with just one touch.

Your Information, Effortlessly

By smartly integrating your information, webOS is designed to think ahead for you and keep you on top of the things that happen in your life, but that’s just the first step. The platform’s unique interface brings your information to you with the ease that only Palm can offer.

Run multiple applications at the same time – Palm’s revolutionary webOS lets you manage multiple activities more effectively than any other mobile platform today. It lets you keep multiple activities open and move easily between them like flipping through a deck of cards. You can rearrange items simply by dragging them; when you are done with something, just throw it away by flicking it off the top of the screen. (3)
Web-connected applications – Applications are seamlessly connected to the web and always active(3), ensuring you have the most up-to-date information.
Universal search – Finding what you need is easy with universal search – as you type what you’re looking for, webOS narrows your search and offers results from both your device and the web.(4)
Intuitive and unobtrusive notifications – When important things come up or new updates arrive, you’ll receive notifications with a diplomacy that’s a radical departure from other mobile platforms. For example, if you receive a text message or email, a scrolling notifications bar at the bottom of your screen lets you address it right away or leave until later. webOS alerts are one step ahead, ensuring that you never miss a thing, but never lose your place or train of thought.

Palm Pre Features

3G EVDO Rev. A high-speed connectivity
Integrated GPS(5)
Large 3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320×480 resolution HVGA display
Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
Email, including Outlook EAS (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers), as well as personal email support (POP3, IMAP)
Robust messaging support (IM, SMS and MMS capabilities) (3)
High-performance, desktop-class web browser
Great multimedia experience and performance (pictures, video playback, music), featuring a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack
Bluetooth(R) 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
8GB internal memory (~7GB user available)(6)
USB mass storage mode
MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touch screen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone up to your ear
Light sensor, which dims the display if the ambient light is dark, such as at night or in a movie theater, to reduce power usage
Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g(7)
Ringer switch, which easily silences the device with one touch
Removable, rechargeable battery
Dimensions: 59.57mm (W) x 100.53mm (L, closed) x 16.95mm (D)
Weight: ~135 grams

An array of compelling accessories also will be available for Pre, including the first inductive charging solution for phones (sold separately). Simply set Pre down on top of the elegantly designed Palm Touchstone(TM) charging dock without worrying about connection, orientation or fit. Pre is active while charging, so you can access the touch screen, watch movies or video, or use the speakerphone.

Availability and Pricing

Palm Pre is scheduled to be available in Canada exclusively from Bell Mobility in the second half of 2009. Bell Mobility’s pricing for the phone has not yet been determined.

Customers who would like to register to receive additional information about Pre and be notified when it’s available can register at www.palm.com/ca or Bell.ca/pre.

About Bell

Bell is Canada’s largest communications company, providing consumers with solutions to all their communications needs including Bell Home Phone local and long distance services, Bell Mobility and Solo Mobile wireless, high-speed Bell Internet access, Bell TV direct-to-home satellite and VDSL television, and IP-broadband and information and communications technology (ICT) services. Bell is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For information on Bell’s products and services, please visit www.bell.ca. For corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc. is a leading mobile products company, creating instinctive yet powerful mobile products that enable people to better manage their lives on the go. The company’s products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm(R) Treo(TM), Pre(TM) and Centro(TM) phones, as well as software, services and accessories.

Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store).

More information about Palm Canada, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com/ca.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Multimedia materials, including photos and video, are available at www.palm.com/MeetPre or from Laura Butcher (lbutcher@environicspr.com) at Environics Communications for Palm Canada.

Please add the tag #Palm#Pre to your tweets or “PalmPre” to your blog posts about the Palm Pre phone, and follow Palm on Twitter at www.twitter.com/palm_inc.

(1) Use of this device requires providing a valid email address, mobile phone number, and related information for account setup and activation. Unlimited usage data plan strongly recommended; additional data charges may apply. Within wireless coverage area only. Number of applications and actual performance will vary depending on applications used and actions performed.

(2) Within wireless coverage area only. Requires data services at additional cost. Microsoft Direct Push Technology requires Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with SP2 or Exchange Server 2007. Additional fees may apply.

(3) Within wireless coverage area only. Use of some third-party web applications may impact performance.

(4) Searches web and user’s applications, contacts, and dialing information. Web search within wireless coverage area only, requires data services at additional cost.

(5) GPS requires data services at additional cost. Coverage not available in all areas at all times.

(6) Storage estimate subject to change based on system software and application usage.

(7) Within range of 802.11b/g Wi-Fi network. Some Wi-Fi hotspots require fee for usage.

Palm, webOS, Pre, Synergy, Touchstone, Treo and Centro are among the trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Palm, Inc. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of, their respective owners.

On Cincinnati Bell, the smartphone will cost $149 with a two-year contract and a $100 mail-in rebate. But besides the lower price, this device remains the same as it is in other countries and as it’s unsubsidized counterpart.

Standard features include GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, a 3.2-inch 360 x 640 touchscreen, a web browser and more. We don’t know if the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will make it to other U.S. carriers, but for now, at least you have one option.

[via Softpedia]

If you live in Canada and can’t get enough of smartphone, touchscreen goodness, you’re in luck. You will soon be able to get your hands on the Samsung Omnia on Bell. Yes, this does provide you with another option in a sea of options, but there can never be too much variety, right?

The rumored release date is between April 9th and the 12th at the moment. This release should actually go rather well, especially considering how popular the Omnia is in the U.S. on Verizon.

And just in case you’ve forgotten, the Samsung Omnia is a touchscreen smartphone that runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro. It features a 240 x 400 rez 3.2″ touchscreen, EV-DO Rev. 0/Rev. A, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera with features like auto focus and face stabilization and video playback. Pricing hasn’t been revealed as of yet, but if current Bell handsets are any indicator, the Omnia should go for about $200.