Telus just sent me a note saying that they’ll be launching the HTC 7 Surround and LG Optimus 7 next week on November 8, each for $99 on a three-year plan. Telus promises that their remote TV recording service will be available on these devices “soon”. An Xbox 360 seems almost necessary if you’re using Telus’ TV service, since Windows Phone ties in tightly with Live, and you can use the gaming system as the set-up TV box.
Just as a refresher, the HTC Surround is a media-centric device with pop-up stereo speakers, 3.8″ WVGA touchscreen, 1GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with 720p video capture, Wi-Fi b/g/n, 3G, and 16 Gb of internal storage. The LG Optimus 7 is comparable, also packing a 3.8″ WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, 16 GB of on-board storage, GPS, Wi-Fi, and 3G.
Things are heating up with the Canadian carriers now that the holidays are approaching. The Desire Z just went live on Bell today, and Rogers has shipped the Samsung Captivate, and is promising to get the Dell Streak. Both will no doubt be getting their own Windows Phones too, we’ll just have to wait to see how they compare.
If you fancy either of these handsets, check out our review of the HTC 7 Surround or the LG Optimus 7. For an especially in-depth look at the new platform, check out 7 things to love and hate about Windows Phone.