Despite originally being thought to be hitting Rogers on October 26th, the carrier has just come around now to offer the BlackBerry Bold 9700 for $299.99 with a 3-year contract. Of course, if you want to pick it up with no plan you have the option to shell out $599.99.

Now we just have to wait until TELUS and Bell put the device up for sale and we’ll be good.

The Motorola Droid is the next number one Android phone which is already very well known to consumers. And the fact that the Motorola Droid is coming in the very near future is again, very well known. But Motorola still seems confused about actual arrival dates.

How else could one explain the mysterious appearance of the Droid on Motorola’s website? Everything looks official enough but it’s way too early. Shouldn’t we at least wait for Verizon to make the phone official? It appears not and we can only assume that both Verizon Wireless and Motorola officials will be really annoyed to see the screenshots all over the Internet.

So what do you say, Verizon, aren’t you going to launch the device already? Everyone knows it’s coming! And while you’re at it you could also consider unveiling the Storm 2!

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to unveil proposals Monday for ensuring Web traffic is not slowed or blocked based on its content, sources familiar with the contents of the speech said on Friday. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski will announce plans to ask his fellow commissioners to adopt as a rule net neutrality and four existing principles on Internet access issued by the agency in 2005, one of the sources said. Net neutrality pits open Internet companies like Google Inc against broadband service providers like AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications Inc and Comcast Corp, which oppose new rules governing network management. Advocates of net neutrality say Internet service providers must be barred from blocking or slowing traffic based on its content.But service providers say the increasing volume of bandwidth-hogging services, like video sharing, requires active management of their networks and some argue that net neutrality could stifle innovation.

The rule proposal will also try to seek greater clarity into what constitutes “reasonable” network management by Internet providers. The FCC could formally propose the rule aimed at both wireless and landline Internet platforms at an open meeting in October. Because of the implications for applications such as Internet phone calling services, like those provided by eBay Inc’s Skype and Google, agency staff are expected to propose setting a lengthy public comment period before any final action. The Monday speech coincides with a deadline for the FCC to file a court brief in a case against Comcast, which is challenging whether the agency has the authority to regulate actions involving the Internet.

The FCC is expected to defend its position by arguing that the agency has broad authority under the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Public interest groups praised Genachowski for moving forward with a rule that would protect speech and commerce, predicting the policy move would be a big win for consumers.

Trigcom AS and Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the new BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone for customers in Norway. The handset, a new addition to the BlackBerry Curve series of smartphones, is now available from Trigcom AS.

The slim new BlackBerry Curve 8520 is an incredibly approachable smartphone that will come to the Norweigan market in black and frost blue. For people who like to be connected, it provides easy mobile access to email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and popular social networking sites (including Facebook and MySpace) and features a highly tactile full-QWERTY keyboard for comfortable, accurate typing. It also features rich multimedia capabilities and easy access to music, games and other mobile apps for entertainment on the go.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone is a world phone, and is also Wi-Fi-enabled to give customers faster Web browsing and extended data coverage. In addition to providing customers with the industry’s leading mobile email and messaging solution, the BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone is designed to be efficient and convenient. It introduces an innovative touch-sensitive optical trackpad, which makes scrolling and selection smooth and easy for a great navigation experience. It is also the first BlackBerry smartphone to feature dedicated media keys, smoothly integrated along the top of the handset, giving customers an easy, convenient way to control their music and videos.

Key features of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone include:

* Easy-to-use full-QWERTY keyboard and touch-sensitive optical trackpad for reliable, responsive typing and navigation

* 256MB Flash memory and a 512Mhz next generation processor for enhanced performance

* Premium phone features including voice activated dialing, and Bluetooth (2.0) support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, stereo headsets and other Bluetooth peripherals

* 2 MP digital camera with zoom and video recording

* Advanced media player for music, pictures and videos, with dedicated media keys and a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, plus BlackBerry Media Sync, which makes it easy to quickly sync music from iTunes or Windows Media Player with the smartphone

* BlackBerry Internet Service support for access to up to 10 supported email accounts, including most popular ISP email accounts such as Yahoo!, Windows Live Hotmail, AOL and Gmail; and  BlackBerry Enterprise Server support, which provides advanced security and IT administration features for corporate deployments

* Expandable memory via hot swappable microSD/SDHC memory card slot, supporting up to 16 GB cards today and expected to support next generation 32GB cards when available; a 2GB card is included

* Built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)

Quad-band world phone: EGDE/GPRS/GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)

NEC Corporation, Casio Computer Co., Ltd. and Hitachi, Ltd. today announced an agreement to integrate their mobile terminal businesses in April 2010 through the establishment of a joint venture company named NEC Casio Mobile Communications. Shares will be: NEC: 66%, Casio: 17.34%, Hitachi: 16.66%.

1. About the Business Integration

NEC develops and manufactures mobile terminals for NTT DOCOMO, INC. and SoftBank Mobile Corp. that capitalize on the company’s core competencies and incorporate wireless communications technologies such as W-CDMA and LTE, Linux platform development, low power consumption innovations and ultra-thin technologies.

In 2004, Casio and Hitachi jointly established Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. (CHMC) as a mobile terminal business company. CHMC capitalizes on image technologies from Casio’s digital camera business, water/shock resistance technologies from Casio’s wristwatch development and Hitachi’s image processing technologies in order to provide mainly CDMA focused mobile handsets for KDDI Corporation and SoftBank Mobile Corp. in Japan as well as Verizon Wireless in the USA and LG Telecom in the Republic of Korea.

The new company will boast a competitive portfolio of products that draws strength from the complete integration of business functions between NEC’s Mobile Terminal Operations Unit and CHMC, as well as merges the advanced technologies and product development experience of each company. Furthermore, NEC’s IT/Network technology supported product development capabilities linked to service business for enterprises and consumers, combined with CHMC’s consumer product technologies and planning strength, is expected to result in the creation of innovative synergies and the development of appealing new products, in addition to future growth that is anticipated from a range of new areas.

NEC, Casio and Hitachi will integrate their mobile terminal business in order to strengthen both domestic and international business while increasing competitive strength and capitalizing on each company’s brand recognition through (1) achieving synergies in a variety of fields, including sales expansion, procurement and customer service, and (2) reinforcing product development by unifying technological assets, know-how and resources.

2. About the New Joint Venture Company

Overview of the new joint venture company formed through the integration of NEC’s Mobile Terminal Operations Unit with CHMC

* Company Name: NEC CASIO Mobile Communications, Ltd.

* Head Office: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (NEC Tamagawa plant)

* Capital: 1 billion JPY (at start of the joint venture)

* Share: NEC: 66%, Casio: 17.34%, Hitachi: 16.66%

* Capital increase planned to take place by the end of June 2010

* Capital after increase: 5 billion JPY

* Share after capital increase: NEC: 70.74%, Casio: 20%, Hitachi: 9.26%

* Number of Board Members: 8 (NEC: 6, Casio: 2, representative director selected by NEC)

* Consolidated Number of Employees: 2,200 including NEC Saitama (non-consolidated: 1,300)

* Established: April 2010 (planned)

* Accounting Period: April to March

* Business Summary: Mobile terminal product planning, development, production, sales and maintenance

3. Business Integration Procedure

* By the end of December 2009: NEC establishes a 100% subsidiary company

* April 2010: The newly established subsidiary takes over NEC’s mobile handset business through company split

* Same day as (2): The newly established company merges with CHMC

Other terms and conditions relating to the merger of the newly established subsidiary with CHMC are currently under discussion. The details will be announced upon their conclusion.

Overview of CHMC (The to-be-transferred Casio subsidiary company)

* Company Name: Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.

* Established: April 1, 2004

* Business Summary: Cellular phone product development, design, production, procurement, quality control, sales and maintenance

* Head Office: Higashiyamato City, Tokyo, Japan

* CEO: Tateki Ohishi

* Capital: 3 billion JPY (share: Casio: 51%, Hitachi: 49%)

* Number of Employees: 506 (as of March 2009)

* Accounting Period: April to March

* Number of Shares Issued: 60,000

* Three-Year Summary of Business Performance and Financial Condition: (millions of yen)

CHMC, presently a consolidated subsidiary of Casio, will become an equity-method affiliate with Casio holding a 20% stake in the new joint venture company as a result of its merger with the newly established NEC subsidiary and capital increase.