Nokia Lumia 710 Windows Phone free at Wal-Mart with contract
One of Nokia's first Windows Phones, the Lumia 710 can already be had for free from Wal-Mart, albeit with the standard two-year contract.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)
Windows Phone buyers eyeing the Nokia Lumia 710 can now pick one up for free at Wal-Mart, with the usual two-year contract thrown in, of course.
The only Nokia Windows Phone currently available in the U.S., the 710 is being carried by T-Mobile, which has been selling it directly for $49.99. T-Mobile customers can choose from an assortment of plans with a variety of data options, ranging from 200 megabytes to 10 gigabytes per month.
Equipped with a 1.4-gigahertz Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera, and 8GB of storage, the 710 offers a 3.7-inch LED display. But the 710 is being marketed as a more basic, no-frills smartphone, at least when compared to its beefier cousins, the Lumia 800 and 900.
As such, Windows Phone buyers who don't need a high-end phone might do well with the 710. But those looking for a top-of-the-line Windows Phone handset will probably want to resist Wal-Mart's tempting offer in favor of what's around the corner.
Currently available only in Europe, the Lumia 800 will be hitting the U.S. as an unlocked version over the coming months, according to Microsoft.
But the high-end Lumia 900 is the phone that's creating a buzz.
Garnering several awards at CES, the 900 will be Nokia's first LTE Windows Phone and will be carried by AT&T sometime in the first quarter. Powered by at 1.4 GHz processor, the 900 will offer a 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack glass touch screen and Carl Zeiss lenses for high-quality photos. With poor battery life an issue for LTE phones, Nokia's new model will also reportedly provide an all-day battery charge.
