December 27, 2008 10:24 AM PST
The $99 iPhone 3G finally, kinda
Speculation that Wal-Mart Stores would sell a $99 iPhone was put to rest on Friday when the official announcement came out sans the double digits.
However, all hope is not lost.
AT&T is selling a refurbished 8GB iPhone 3G in black for $99 with a two-year service contract through Wednesday, New Year's Eve. That beats AT&T's previous price tag of $149.
OK, OK, it's not new. But refurbished is close enough.
The refurbished 16GB model in black or white is also being sold for a $50 discount with a $199 price tag. But that doesn't have the magical ring to it of $99.
(Credit:
AT&T)
Natalie Weinstein is an associate editor who works out of Austin, Texas. She spent a decade as a reporter and editor in the newspaper industry before joining the CNET News staff in 2000. E-mail Natalie. 
Both have to have separate accounts. After the first billing period (month) Call and transfer one phone to the other's account. There'll be a small fee of about $25-$30.
AT&T SOMETIMES lets you do this without forcing you to pay a early termination end fee, other times they won't. It all depends on your service rep. I've done it three times. Worked flawlessly twice, The third time I was forced to pay an early termination fee. My advice cross your fingers and hope you find a service rep who's having a good day and is helpful, and be extremely nice to them, and again cross your fingers.
And it doesnt matter if anything from Apple makes economic sense to you. They make wonderfully helpful products that are of very high quality. So that is priceless to not some people, but LOTS of people. I'd rather pay more for something and get something that has worth instead of buying cheap garbage and having to replace it in a year because viruses destroyed it.
That's funny: an iPhone user calling someone else a drone. Pot, meet kettle.
In order to have a Blackberry, don't you have to buy the special Blackberry data plan? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it cost the same as the iPhone's, if not more?
I agree with pauldb for the most part. Why does the price of the phone matter by a hundred dollars when the plan for it is going to cost you an additional couple of thousand of dollars on top of your voice plan over a couple of years? Steve Jobs said in his WWDC 2008 keynote that he wanted to make the iPhone more affordable, and then cut the price down $100. People cheered. But then phone ends up being more expensive, with a price increase of $10 a month to the data plan. And bctexas, just stop. You are embarrassing yourself. If you paid $4000 more a year, you would be beyond idiotic. Your Apple fanboy-ness is just disgusting. And yes, I own an iPod touch, and I agree with you that the iPhone/iPod touch is one of the best, most helpful electronics I have ever owned in my life. But not priceless, and not priceless to a LOT of people. Don't be ridiculous. Please, stop.
Also, LOL @ tomws.
i think pauldb's comment is saying this... does it matter so much what the iphone's price is considering a service plan costs more in a few months than the phone itself?
this article is concerning price. that is what paludb is debating. its ok to talk about price here.
I paid $20 for my Tracfone and pay $20 every 3 months for "service". No contracts or early termination fees for me. Of course, I use it solely as a personal communication device and not as an ear decoration. Sorry, I just don't get this whole techno-bauble thing. They are just pricey trinkets that lose their lustre after a few months and become obsolete shortly thereafter.
I'd rather watch a bird on the wing, or Venus and Jupiter emerge as the glow in the Western sky fades in the evening, than stupid commercials in HD on a widescreen TV. If I need entertainment I read a book or listen to NPR. Sometimes, I even put CD's in the microwave. My favorite music is birdsong or the sound of water flowing and falling. I can sit for an hour or more, mimicking bird calls, as I carry on a conversation in a language that has no words. Alas, I don't really understand what we are saying, but it doesn't really matter anyway.
The only apple products I own are sitting on the kitchen counter. There are two red ones and a green one. One or more may be gone by the end of the day. I did have the unfortunate experience of having to sit in front of a Mac Classic for a few years. I felt positively liberated when I started using Windows 3.11 on a second hand PC I bought for next to nothing.
Nowadays, I care more about apps than OS's or hardware. Linux distros are free and not that hard to learn. I picked up a used book cheap and taught myself. There are also lots of free Linux apps that run just fine on my six year old Dell. I do my typing in a simple text editor and my spellchecker is a well worn copy of Webster's Dictionary that sits prominently next to my CRT monitor. The two things I truly can't live without are virgin olive oil and dark beer. I don't scrimp on either.
Some of you probably think I'm out of touch with reality but au contraire mon ami. I'm fully immersed in it. Even in my dreams. Seems strange that my alternate reality is just simply the real thing. And no, it doesn't come in a can.
All i can say is good post.
And... That some people seem to forget that these things are just that.. things.
Sure my ipod broke, my computer fell apart, truck died, and im low on cash, but im happy to be alive. Id rather sit and play guitar, read or write than any of then. While i do enjoy playing my xbox, or on my phone, not an iphone. Id rather be back home in the country, going hunting or something like that. Hell some of those memories got me through boot camp, not thoughts of being able to game again. Those aren't memories, and thats not living.
Living is going for a run in the cool morning, in the country and breathing FRESH air.
am i happy with the life i have now? Sure im happy to be fortunate that i can have what i do, could i be happier without my computer? without my phone? sure... i can write my short stories with a pen and paper, i can hunt, and camp. Id much rather go back to the country, and i will when i get out of college.
I'm more then happy with my $50 phone and $25 a month service plan.
iphone service is $30 a month, the same as the blackberry.
The only thing that would make it more than $100 would be the 1350 w/roll over plan ($79.99), or the National Unlimited plan ($99.99)
Ditto for other brands of smartphones.
- by firstlovelastkiss January 11, 2009 2:24 PM PST
- and what is the price of the iphone 3g without contract
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