HTC's US Touch Diamond now shipping from Best Buy

It's no shock to see a US 3G-enabled Touch Diamond showing up at Best Buy (unlike the hamstrung sibling over at CompUSA) -- though we can't say we were expecting the big box retailer to start shipping this soon. If its website is to be believed (read: don't book it just yet), the unlocked Touch Diamond 3G you're about to order for $699.99 will leave Best Buy's warehouse within one business day. If that's not cool with you, you can also pick it up "at most stores." Shame there's no white option listed...

[Via MobileTechReview]

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 19th 2008 4:25PM]

So tempting. Must resist and wait for the Xperia, Touch HD, or Touch Pro... maybe even Nokia E75.

[Techie @ Sep 19th 2008 6:52PM]

I met someone with a Sony X1 and he loves it. The only bad part is the 3G network, the reason for that it's half of the speed of the HTC Touch Diamond/Pro. Honestly I can't wait for the X1 although I have tried the HTC Touch Diamond and it's also a great PDA. You will love the weather Widget =D and also the Pinball thingy.

[lame @ Sep 19th 2008 9:40PM]

Sorry to comment here, but this post just very lame
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/switched-on-the-mo-hardware-experiment/#comments

they switched off the comment system for some reason

[allislost @ Sep 19th 2008 9:51PM]

@lame

Ross Rubin doesn't like people commenting on his columns... what a pussy...

[m4xn00b @ Sep 20th 2008 12:40AM]

Yea, i guess he doesn't like people telling him that he's an apple fanboy.

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:31AM]

That's pretty butt-sex of him.

[Lowest Ranked @ Sep 19th 2008 4:28PM]

I accidentally my whole Touch Diamond. THE WHOLE THING!

[cboy007 @ Sep 19th 2008 4:40PM]

you ACCIDENTALLY your whole touch diamond? interesting.

[Lowest Ranked @ Sep 19th 2008 5:05PM]

Its the new internet meme that is here to retire the blender, crysis, doom memes.


http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS294&q=i+accidentally+the+whole

http://forums.joerogan.net/showthread.php?t=74612

[fh @ Sep 19th 2008 5:21PM]

I think that might be dangerous.

[a ham sandwich @ Sep 19th 2008 6:03PM]

@cboy:

for example, http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/667/1221756086791fg6.jpg

[o rly @ Sep 19th 2008 8:12PM]

more like a forced meme.

[Steven @ Sep 20th 2008 9:33AM]

Ate? Used? Measured? Circumcised? I bet it's circumcised.

[JOSE @ Sep 19th 2008 4:29PM]

why does it have to be so expensive? 700$ OUCH

[Homeboy @ Sep 19th 2008 4:38PM]

Almost every single high end phone is this expensive when they come out. You think an iPhone 3G for $199 is cheaper? It actually isn't, add up the monthly costs you'll be paying for two years and you'll not be too far away from $700. Not only that but the benefit of networks trapping people up into contracts is that they run the risk of using their phone a little too much resulting in sky high bills earning the network even more money.

What you see here is the true cost of the phone which is close to what networks buy them for to then sell them subsidized to you if you sign a 2 year contract.

[phongsta @ Sep 19th 2008 6:04PM]

the iPhone's unsubsidized price for the 8GB is $499 and the 16GB is $599. with the two year contract, it is $199 and $299 respectively. the HTC Touch Diamond isn't being picked up by either at&t nor T-mobile (GSM carriers), so that's the price as is for an unlocked phone ($700) with no contracts. there are trade offs. so if you fork out $700 now, you have the freedom to go to either at&t or T-Mobile here in the states (or whoever the other small GSM carriers are out there) without a contract of any kind; plus, you can cancel your account anytime you wish.

[Sisyphus @ Sep 19th 2008 5:08PM]

Got it as a $249.99 upgrade on my SERO plan.

24 mo Sprint plan + Phone = $1089.75

Woo-hoo!

[Dave @ Sep 19th 2008 5:30PM]

Got mine for FREE on my plan that is way better than any SERO plan.

[fuzzy @ Sep 19th 2008 4:32PM]

at that price...not even worth it..

[guojenman @ Sep 19th 2008 4:33PM]

this doesn't work on T-Mobile's 3G right? I'm assuming not.

[TJ @ Sep 19th 2008 6:35PM]

The Diamond will work on T-Mobiles GSM/EDGE network, but not the new 3.5G network which runs on the 1700/2100 bands. But it will work on AT&Ts 3G network (if you get the US version or the ROM upgrade that adds the 850 band support). The US always gets the cool phone 6-12 after Europe & Asia...

www.phonearena.com has good info on what phone is coming to what network. Just click on the carrier on the left menu and select "upcoming phones" tab. They have the diamond coming to Verizon and AT&T. Sprint just announced it. Once again T-Mobile fails to provide. I love T-Mobile's service, but am really tired of the lack of higher end phones. I end up buying unlocked phones and not having 3G. TMo's 3.5G is supposed to launch in Seattle on the 23rd...

TJ

[Sean @ Sep 19th 2008 4:34PM]

When's it going to be at the Verizon store? : (

[james @ Sep 19th 2008 4:37PM]

Isn't that rather pricey? and how do we know it's US 3g????

[vic @ Sep 19th 2008 4:51PM]

Maybe because it says it's the US 3G version of the phone? Better said, the 3G of the carriers using the frequencies supported by the Touch: 850/900/1800/1900MHz, also listed on the Best Buy's product description.

[james @ Sep 19th 2008 6:28PM]

i am confused...the site says its: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 does that mean its HSDPA 850 / 1900 as well? Is the gsm and hsdpa bands the same?

[vic @ Sep 19th 2008 4:38PM]

I ordered mine on wednesday from smart-mobile-gadgets.com and will get it on Monday.

[Alex @ Sep 19th 2008 4:38PM]

Lol, love it how they rushed it out to beat the T-Mobile G1. Why would anyone invest this much money on this phone when the T-Mobile G1 is coming out next week? I mean, The price I'd pay for this phone would cover the superior G1 and the data/phone plan for the whole year.

[Freakin Ijit @ Sep 19th 2008 4:50PM]

HTC doesn't care - they made BOTH phones.

[diulei @ Sep 19th 2008 4:54PM]

What I don't understand is why HTC is still releasing phones as a white label manufacturer, especially for something as potentially big as the first Android phone. Name recognition = sales, but how many people outside the tech geek world even know what HTC is (as opposed to the other big names in this industry, Blackberry, Samsung, Motorola, etc. etc.)?

[fh @ Sep 19th 2008 5:31PM]

@diulei
Studies say a lot of people know the HTC label, considering it ranked 3rd in 2Q08 smartphone sales (behind Nokia and RIM) with 120% growth from 2Q07. And that's not even counting the ODM units you mention (eg: Xperia X1 et al). It may not be a household name, but it's definitely out there.

[a ham sandwich @ Sep 19th 2008 6:12PM]

18-1

[HalfJoey @ Sep 19th 2008 4:48PM]

What the hell is taking Verizon so long to announce the HTC Touch Pro release date?

[Michael @ Sep 19th 2008 4:50PM]

i have a question maybe someone can answer... how does the way the iphone, experia/htc or blackberry email systems differ? are all apart from the blackberry simple pop3 meaning you do not get the option of 'delete on handheld or both option'?

[willyboy @ Sep 19th 2008 9:41PM]

imap

[willyboy @ Sep 19th 2008 9:43PM]

imap

[willyboy @ Sep 19th 2008 9:47PM]

crap dicks! A double post........

[Brian @ Sep 19th 2008 4:52PM]

dont get verizons version of the touch pro or the diamond they crapped the hell out of them and took out so much stuff just get the sprint version and use that on verizon

[crashcarstar @ Sep 19th 2008 4:55PM]

@Brian

Good luck using the Spring version on VZW

[crashcarstar @ Sep 19th 2008 4:55PM]

I meant Sprint.

[Joe G @ Sep 19th 2008 5:19PM]

Sigh... another phone with Windows Mobile. Yawn....

[Deimos @ Sep 19th 2008 5:30PM]

I got over the glossy diamond back so long ago, now its all about that silver Touch Pro backing with its elegant silver lining. T-mobiles G1 goes public Sept 23rd and I'm not on any kind of contract yet I've retained service with Sprint. They should have gotten exclusivity on the Touch Pro as opposed to the Touch Diamond, with ATT getting their Fuze supposedly Oct 23rd it just makes for an unwanted situation... Oh the choices

[Adam @ Sep 19th 2008 5:55PM]

The phone is only $449 without a contract from Telus in Canada. How can it be so expensive down in the US?

[Malikye @ Sep 19th 2008 6:43PM]

@Adam,

i checked out their website: http://www.telusmobility.com/

i like how the back of it is "smooth". i would order it without a contract but i don't think it come unlocked and i don't think they'll ship it to the USA.

[Malikye @ Sep 19th 2008 6:47PM]

it's $625.00 @ http://www.myworldphone.com

[more bad asser @ Sep 19th 2008 7:17PM]

Praying to Odin and my various other heathen devil pagan bagel gods that the Google Dream thing is T-Mobile and cheap as the rumors suggest. These expensive phones and plans are driving me toward the hideously unhip sidekick and/or generic green screen nokias.

[CJ @ Sep 21st 2008 9:46AM]

I want in on this pagan bagel worshopping action!

[JL @ Sep 19th 2008 8:17PM]

I got my US Touch Diamond yesterday and for $70 cheaper.

[Graham @ Sep 19th 2008 11:23PM]

Just wanted to give you all a tip if you're planning on purchasing from Best Buy and to point out a problem with the US version... I got them to knock off $50 today by having them price-match MobileCityOnline with overnight shipping.

Then came the serious problem... I currently own an EU Diamond so I had a reference, the screen on the US version has SERIOUS problems. Colors are washed out, deep blacks are gone, the screen has lost its vibrancy! Head over to HoFo to see some pics that I took regarding the issue. There are a few others with this same issue as well so it could be a bad batch, or a serious defect. Buyer beware!

[Richie @ Sep 20th 2008 4:03AM]

This price is just too high. If it had a spectrum of features then maybe. If it had 3G that works on t-mo, 32gb, and a 5-8mp camera with Android running on it; the htc touch would be a day one buy.

[bryan @ Sep 20th 2008 9:24AM]

Is this HTC US Diamond outfitted with the HTC Touch Diamond 3G/HSDPA/GPS 4GB PDA - Gold Kit? I saw the HTC Touch Diamond Gold Kit from http://www.pressdigital.com.au/ and was impressed about what’s included in the kit. Aside from the one year C1 warranty and an international stock HTC Diamond PDA you also get an Australian ROM support plus Australian Power Supply that consist of insulated pins and not merely an adaptor supplied by others seller. Anybody tried this already? Well. The HTC is already a beauty to behold but the additional Gold kit is way too goog to resist.