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January 7, 2008 9:38 AM PST

Talk cheap with Samsung BlackJack II smartphone, free with activation

by Rick Broida
(Credit: Samsung)

It's a new year, so why not start it with a new phone? Buy.com has the Samsung BlackJack II smartphone for free, zilch, zip, nada with a two-year AT&T activation. Free shipping, even.

Like its popular predecessor, the BlackJack II runs the Windows Mobile OS (version 6, in this case). I'm not a fan, but if you can live with the abysmal navigation and sluggish performance, you'll find a lot of power under the BlackJack's slim hood. It features GPS, a 2-megapixel camera, and HSDPA support (which helps make up for the lack of Wi-Fi). CNET liked the phone quite well, rating it 7.7 out of 10.

Service plans start at $34.99 per month, and you need to be a new AT&T customer to get the BlackJack II (which is available in black or burgundy) as a freebie. I didn't see anything about when this deal ends, so if you're interested, jump on it quick.

Rick Broida, a technology writer for nearly 20 years, is the author of more than a dozen books. In addition to writing CNET's The Cheapskate blog, he oversees BNET's Business Hacks. Rick is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. Disclosure. Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers. Follow Rick on Twitter at cheapskateblog.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register)
by GadgetConsumer April 19, 2008 8:41 AM PDT
BEWARE of BUY.COM promos. They are currently taking $50 off on a $51 purchase when signing up for a RevolutionCard account. They don't mention that all sales are final when using a coupon. They gave me a return authorization for an unopened product. Buy.com confirmed that they received the product back, and promised a refund to my credit card within 7 business days. 3 weeks later, they said "no refunds" and won't even send the unopened product back to me.

If they aren't going to follow their own refund policy, they need to give the merchandise back to the buyer. BUY.com is obviously getting some kind of financial benefit from RevolutionCard. At the very least, they should send back the item to me, and not just keep it, re-sell it, and double their profit. As of this writing, there are over 600 consumer complaints logged with the Better Business Bureau regarding Buy.com?s handling of refunds. Buyers beware!
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About The Cheapskate

The best things in tech are cheap. "The Cheapskate" scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets, and all the other tech stuff that makes life worth living. Send your own cheapskate tips to thecheapskate@gmail.com. Rick is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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