Bell gets 1st Android, Symbian HSPA phones

As expected, Bell this morning added two major smartphones to its fledgling line of HSPA-capable devices. The Samsung Galaxy is not just Bell's first Android phone but also the first North America-ready version of the handset, with 850MHz and 1,900MHz 3G both onboard. It remains a Google-branded device with a stock Android 1.5 and the full suite of apps, including Android Market.

The phone centers on its 480x320 AMOLED touchscreen and carries features that reflect the upper end of Android devices, such as its 5-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi. It carries 8GB of storage built-in with a microSDHC card as an option. Bell puts its price at a relatively low $100 on a three-year contract and supplies it contract-free for $450.

Claiming an additional novelty, Bell also became the first major North American carrier to adopt the Nokia N97. Its version is the familiar N97 NAM model with North American 3G and holds the relatively high specs of the original design. A 5-megapixel camera, a 640x360 touchscreen, GPS, Wi-Fi and 32GB of internal storage define the device along with its signature tilting QWERTY keyboard.

Bell notably prices the N97 below the iPhone in its lineup and asks $200 on a three-year contract. Off-contract, the Symbian S60 phone sells for $600.

By Electronista Staff