Posted on June 19, 2009, at 1:32 pm .
New Canadian legislation is forcing Internet service providers to make it possible for police and intelligence officers to intercept online communications and get personal information about subscribers, in a “timely” manner without a warrant. This personal information includes names, address and internet addresses.
The bill will allow law enforcement officials to obtain transmission data that is sent or received via telephone and require telecommunications companies to keep data related to specific communications or subscribers if that information is needed in an investigation and requested via a preservation order.
While it is important for police and government officials to prevent the spread of illegal materials such as child pornography and arrest those involved in serious illegal activities, one must wonder how technically viable this bill actually is.
Regardless of whether the carrier allows the interception of voice and data coming from your BlackBerry, your device can be very easily encrypted, making it impossible to listen in. One such product that will do this, is G&D’s mobile security card. With this security card you can save data and have it encrypted in case of theft. The card also provides you with secure email, device protection and even voice encryption. With companies such as G&D, this legislation is quickly rendered obsolete.
[Via]
Posted on June 2, 2009, at 1:30 pm .
BayStreet.ca is a great resource for Canadian financial news. With a new partnership with Viigo, BayStreet.ca content, ranging from breaking news to analysis of penny stocks, from global market roundups to economic commentary, will be available on the Viigo application. This makes the news effortless for people to access, easy to read and always up-to-date.
Get Viigo for your BlackBerry for free.
Posted on May 20, 2009, at 1:19 pm .
Rogers has done some research regarding Canadian habits with respect to smartphone application consumption. The survey was conducted by Canadian research firm Ipsos-Reid and found a couple interesting stats regarding smartphone user downloading habits.
The data found that the average smartphone user has downloaded 19 apps in the past year. One of the first questions I would like to know is, “how many of those apps were free?” Users are downloading more apps than ever, but we still have a ways to go to convince the average smartphone user that apps are worth what developers are asking. Try convincing a first time smartphone user to pay $39.95 for IM+ All-in-One Messenger.
The survey also found that one in four of Canadian smartphone users, downloaded an app from an app store. This data brings to light an obvious fact that when the content is placed in front of the user’s eyes, they are very likely to try something out. As smartphone users get more comfortable with the purchasing process, we’ll see a greater adoption of smartphone content.
Although this data is only a glimpse at a host of theories and discussion surrounding smartphone user habits, we can see that things are moving in the right direction.
Posted on April 15, 2009, at 10:42 am .
TELUS, Canada’s 2nd largest carrier said it will be investing $700 million in wireless and wireline systems, part of a 10 per cent boost in overall spending from last year.
The move is expected to help boost customer spending and increase new sign-ups which have been a little lower than expected this year. The upgrades will help launch high-speed packet access technology by 2010. That will allow for faster data transmission and video service on handset devices including smartphones such as Research In Motion’s BlackBerry.
TELUS is fortunate in that it is in a better financial position debt-wise than most carriers. It doesn’t have a lot of debt that is due in the next couple years, and it is therefore taking this opportunity to spend, while most carriers are cutting back.
So if you’re in the Alberta region, expect some better service coming from TELUS.
Posted on March 26, 2009, at 7:43 am .
A recent article about BlackBerry security has highlighted a bill proposed by Liberal MP Marlene Jennings has me concerned for both RIM and other smartphone manufacturers in Canada. The bill will force internet and wireless providers to use technology that can be tapped.
This past winter, Jennings re-tabled a 2005 Liberal bill that would force wireless service providers to make their devices intercept-ready. The bill, the Modernization of Investigative Techniques Act (MITA), had died when the 2006 election was called, but Jennings had re-introduced it as a private member’s bill once before, in 2007.
Univeristy of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist explains exactly why this bill frightens me. Legitimate customers might be reluctant to use mobile email devices if they knew their communications could be intercepted. Enterprise relies on secure data in order to protect their intellectual property and Marlene Jannings’ bill threatens this security.
“There’s obviously many businesses that are willing to use these devices because they’re comfortable with the security attached to them,” said Geist, who holds a Canada Research Chair of internet and e-commerce law.
If this bill also concerns you, you can contact Liberal MP Marlene Jennings through her site here.
[Via]
Posted on February 13, 2009, at 10:40 am .
Telus posted their Q4 2008 financial results today, reporting a drop in profit, but growth in revenue. Telus’ Fourth-quarter earnings fell to C$285 million (US$231.7 million), or 89 Canadian cents a share, from C$400 million, or C$1.22 a share, a year earlier. Telus blamed the loss in profit on fewer tax-related gains and increased spending on restructuring. Telus recorded favorable tax-related adjustments of C$32 million, compared with C$143 million a year earlier. It also said restructuring costs increased by C$32 million.
On the positive side, revenue rose 5.3% to C$2.45 billion on growth in wireless revenue, as wireless subscribers spent more on text messaging and social networking. Telus stated that more subscribers were picking up feature-rich smartphones, like the BlackBerry, and using services like messaging and Facebook, which boosts data revenue.
|via Reuters|
Posted on February 10, 2009, at 11:07 am .
It appears as though RIM’s persistence has paid off. Little more than a week after RIM doubled their offer for Certicom, the security software maker has received a notice from its other main suitor VeriSign that it will make no attempt to match RIM’s offer.
Certicom’s board of directors will be meeting today, and are expected to approve RIM’s C$131 million bid. For their troubles, VeriSign will receive a C$4 million termination fee if RIM’s takeover goes through. I’m still interested in learning if VeriSign ever seriously thought they would obtain Certicom, or saw the whole situation as a potential cash grab. Let’s hope there’s not another OSC investigation.
|via Reuters|
Posted on February 9, 2009, at 5:11 pm .
Those that know me know I’m a huge fan of music and particularly a connoisseur of Canadian music. The big story of the Canadian music scene recently has been all the great bands coming out of Quebec, and Montreal in particular (sorry Toronto and Vancouver, but you know it’s true). That’s why I was immediately excited when my friends at Telus tipped me off that their Mobile Music service now has 25,000 tracks by home-grown artists, making it the largest collection of Quebec songs for mobile phones.
TELUS will continue to expand its musical library by adding new productions from Quebec-based record companies, such as TACCA Musique, Audiogram, Indica Records, Déjà Musique, Sphere Musique, Vega Musique, Dare to Care, Grosse Boîte, K.Pone.Inc Music Group, Iro Productions, Tandem.mu and Abuzive Muzik, as soon as they are released. The most avid music lovers will be able to enjoy new releases in real time, without having to wait to buy their favourite artist’s latest album.
25,000 tracks is a lot. I was strolling through the list and found composer Coeur de pirate (shown above), which I recommend because I think her name translates to “Heart of a Pirate” or potentially “Heart Pirate”. Telus customers can find their own favorite artist at www.telus.com/music. Tracks start at $0.99 each, or for $20.00 per month, music fans can also download an unlimited number of tracks from a catalogue of over one million songs. The full press release is after the jump.
Continue reading ‘Telus Mobile Music now has 25,000 tracks from Quebec artists’
Posted on February 9, 2009, at 11:35 am .
After a few months of speculation, Fido has relaunched BlackBerry service with the BlackBerry Pearl 8100. That’s right, not the BlackBerry 8120 or even the 8110, but the BlackBerry 8100. However, Fido is Rogers’ low-end consumer brand, so there must be some sort of deal involved, correct? Well, the promo image above shows that the Pearl 8100 can be purchased for $25 with a 3 year Fido agreement/data plan. Hmm, three years is a long time, so what about some sort of month to month option? $400 freaking dollars? What about the data plans?
* $15 – Unlimited personal email and IM
* $25 – 500MB
* $30 – 1GB
* $60 – 3GB
Ok, at least that’s pretty sane. For the youth demographic, though, $15 a month for email and IM (what they want the BlackBerry for anyways) and another $15 for phone service (based upon their cheapest rate) isn’t that bad. But instead of paying $400 or signing a three year contract, swing by the BBCool HQ first: we have a box of old 8100s that we’d be willing to give away, guaranteed (guarantee void in Tennessee).
Fido BlackBerry Pearl Promo
Posted on February 5, 2009, at 5:31 pm .
Woah. It looks like the Ontario Securities Commission has made their decision on a possible settlement with RIM over their backdating scandal. The news is fresh as of an hour ago, so I’m just going to quote straight from Reuters:
Research In Motion Co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie will step down from the board and, along with other executives of the company that makes the BlackBerry smartphone, will repay tens of millions of dollars to settle stock-option allegations dating back to 1996.
Under the pact reached with the Ontario Securities Commission and approved on Thursday, Balsillie will pay a penalty of C$5 million ($4.1 million), while Co-Chief Executive Mike Lazaridis will pay a C$1.5 million penalty. The two men also must pay investigation costs to the regulator.
The agreement also stipulates that the two co-CEOs and RIM’s former CFO, Dennis Kavelman, will repay C$38.3 million to the company. They must also repay about C$30 million to cover the costs of a voluntary internal probe into the matter undertaken by RIM earlier.
Balsillie and Lazaridis had already paid C$15 million to offset the costs of the Waterloo, Ontario-based company’s internal review. Balsillie may not serve on RIM’s board for at least 12 months as part of the settlement, and Kavelman must pay a C$1.5 million penalty.
The OSC alleged the executives backdated and repriced stock options using dates on which the market price of RIM’s shares was relatively low. Handing out options at the lower prices had the effect of improperly enriching the recipients and, the OSC alleged, could have deprived RIM of about C$66 million.
It’s a huge chunk of change, but at least RIM can now put this whole affair behind them. You can see statements from Balsillie and the OSC after the jump.
|via Reuters|
Continue reading ‘BREAKING: RIM settles with OSC for $76 million, Balsillie to step down from board’
