T-Mobile HD2 can be had for $100 from Amazon, others

In the wireless industry, $100 is a rather magical psychological barrier -- a price point below which consumers generally have a much easier time pulling the trigger on a sweet upgrade. So when you offer a phone for $200, a percentage of your target demographic is generally going to drop out of the race with cries of "too rich for my blood." No worries with this new HTC HD2 for T-Mobile, though, because it turns out that a number of resellers are already discounting the phone right down into that $99.99 sweet spot despite the fact that it was just launched this very week. Most notably, anyone agreeing to a two-year contract through Amazon can get the phone for less than a Benjamin, and that's upfront -- no mail-in rebate craziness to contend with. Certainly makes the phone -- arguably WinMo 6.5's last real hurrah -- a more appealing buy, doesn't it?

[Bellzebub Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:02PM]

Buy one America - tis the mutts nuts with 1.66 ROM

[angermeans Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:03PM]

@Bellzebub Damn, I wonder if it can be unlocked to run on ATT. I would like to just have one to mess round on til I can get my greedy little hands on the EVO

[matthewf01 Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:25PM]

@angermeans It wont support AT&T 3G.
I imported mine from Australia, the Telstra network version, which supports 850 3G. Then all you need to do is install HardSPL and flash the custom ROM of your choice to blow away the Telstra crap. Works great.

[PMJ Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:30PM]

@angermeans Unlocked yes, but won't get 3G on ATT. Just slEDGE.

[NuShrike Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:47PM]

@PMJ Not like 3G on AT&T is that great to begin with.

Waiting for unlock instructions from T-Mobile, and then I'll live on AT&T until contracts runs out.

[Palomino Posted Mar 25th 2010 2:34PM]

@NuShrike Do you live in a fallout shelter?? I get about 2.1mbps on average throughout Texas, and in Baltimore/ DC when I visit family.

fail troll is fail

[Taylor Yes Taylor Posted Mar 25th 2010 3:15PM]

@NuShrike
All joking aside, an unlocked phone with just EDGE is *horrible* compared to a 3G phone, even on AT&T. I had an unlocked G1 for a year with AT&T, and EDGE only was terrible. I just got an AT&T nexus one, and its *awesome*. I have 3G at home and at work, and that's mostly where I need it. Its not too bad elsewhere either, though its nothing like the 3G coverage I had when I was with verizon, even though that was 3 years ago! I can't imagine how good their 3G is now!
-Taylor

[NuShrike Posted Mar 25th 2010 3:26PM]

@Palomino I live near hills that form a slight cup which also block HD tv signals also. AT&T cel-towers have degraded over the last 3 years here (2G && 3G) even though I've been continuously bugging them about it by voice, email etc.

Then there's the drive home from work (in Socal) either through the 101 or somewhere in Lake Forest, and AT&T will either drop my call, or block me from hearing the other side. I can live on 2G and WiFi for a few more months, since I've been already doing that with the FUZE (and Kaiser).

Troll yourself since you got nothing.

[abedinthehouse Posted Mar 25th 2010 3:50PM]

Must but this legendary beast before it is over powered by the EVO 4G and future Win7 Phones
=[
The HD2 will forever be in history...

[ober Posted Mar 25th 2010 4:23PM]

@angermeans yes it can. my lead imported his a few months ago and it is running on ATT's network.

[bhagiratha Posted Mar 25th 2010 4:46PM]

@matthewf01
Is there a way you can link me up to a site where I can also import one. I am presently suck with an iphone on Att and still have some ways to go on my contract.

Then again I have been looking at the EVO 4G from sprint, and wondering if I can get un unlocked version and use it on Verizon.

any views?

[majorhunadadun Posted Mar 25th 2010 8:20PM]

@Taylor Yes Taylor If I may chime in here and say that Sprint's 3g is fucking awesome! Really.

[first name Greatest Posted Mar 26th 2010 2:45AM]

@bhagiratha

why would unlock the EVO 4G and use it on Verizon!? Sprints plans are way cheaper and some come with free roaming..so its like you have Verizons network at Sprints prices.
Sprints Coverage + Free Roaming = 3G everywhere

side note -- i highly doubt you'll be able to use 4G with the EVO unlocked on Verizon

[ACER Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:04PM]

No, not really.

[bolezhinkov Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:45PM]

@ACER

agreed. $100 off is so little in the scheme of a two year plan. it is a sad testament to our brains foresight to be lured into purchasing something that is in reality only about 2% off.

[DeekoVB5 Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:57PM]

@bolezhinkov Its a one time purchase though. People like to tout "total cost of ownership" vs cost of the device...me personally, I've had roughly the same price plan + unlimited data for 5 or 6 years now. What phone I get is not changing that. So I only look at the price of the actual device...and, well, $100 is 1/2 of $200. And $100 is 1/3 of $300 (where a lot of smart phones used to sell with contract). So it does matter.

[PQ Posted Mar 25th 2010 3:40PM]

@bolezhinkov I agree completely. This is one of the things I loved most about the N1. You could buy the phone outright and not be locked into overpriced and expensive plans that cost more in the long run. Then again, we're a society that loves things now... even if we can't afford them in the long run. The current housing debacle shows that perfectly.

[Kerensky97 Posted Mar 25th 2010 7:43PM]

@PQ Like DeekoVB5 said you have to have a plan from somewhere. A completely unlocked phone with no plan is an expensive paperweight (ok WiFi works but what's the point).

However it would suck if Verizon forces a certain plan on you with this phone. I've never had to deal with that but then again I don't use Verizon or have an iPhone.

So long as you can have the plan of your choosing you're going to be paying for a plan either way, might as well get the best deal on hardware.

[One Love Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:08PM]

I would bend over for that deal. (but EVO is my first love)

[Hugoneus Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:20PM]

@One Love

Well let us know when you can actually buy one. Enjoy waiting for 6-months. I wonder what other phone will be out at that time...

[senormatt Posted Mar 25th 2010 2:18PM]

@Hugoneus

more like 3 months, and I doubt anything much better will be out in 3 months, especially on a 4G network.

[Winbot Williams Posted Mar 25th 2010 2:45PM]

@senormatt

iBEGTODIFFER

[MegaJapan Posted Mar 25th 2010 6:27PM]

@Winbot Williams

And iBEGTODIFFER that any iNONSENSE will be able to outshine the power of the EVO 4G. iMJUSTSAYING.

[routb3d Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:09PM]

I bought one yesterday at 10 and returned it by 5.. Win Mo SUX imo.. I started having flashbacks when I realized that the system was going to be a nightmare to get working with Gmail contacts, email addresses and phone numbers.. Such a mash-up of software.. Nice hardware though!

[bjsguess Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:18PM]

@routb3d

Hmmm ... it takes about 3 minutes to get Gmail and your Google calendar set-up on a WinMo device. There are instructions right on Gmail's help section. Literally about 4 screens.

[Bandigolo Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:19PM]

@routb3d

Oh yeah, it's just like quantum physics trying to set up Gmail on a WinMo phone. Those unbelievably convoluted 2 or 3 steps in the ActiveSync setup process are just unbearable!

sarcasm, dripping.

[taintbad Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:20PM]

@routb3d
with gmail supporting exchange, its very easy and painless to sync your contacts and calendar with any winmo phone. simply setup your exchange settings to m.google.com and you are off to the races.

[Hugoneus Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:22PM]

@routb3d

You didn't need to return the phone. You need some education. A blind monkey with no hands could setup Gmail on this phone.

[invicta Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:27PM]

@routb3d I bought one yesterday too. I would return it if the HTC Desire was available now. As far as the contacts and e-mail config, did you even try? I had mine working withing 5 minutes with Gmail and Exchange syncing OTA...

[routb3d Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:32PM]

@routb3d

Well.. Thanks for the tips guys.. I actually did get Gmail set up.. I'm talking more about how well it was integrated and what it would take to have the ease of use of an Android or Iphone device.. I'm sure there are those who have well organized contacts but I'm not one of them.. I found that I was going to have to dig for email addresses rather than type the first few letters. I know its an easy / (time consuming) fix but I was just not down to do it. That piled with several other turn-offs about the phone led to my decision to return. Good luck to all of you who are more patient and knowledgeable than I..

[Delmont Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:41PM]

@Hugoneus

A blind monkey with no hands! LOL

[routb3d Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:45PM]

@Hugoneus

No it couldn't..

[mpv Posted Mar 25th 2010 2:02PM]

Can anyone confirm whether it would be possible to sync Google contacts and calendar on the phone (using ActiveSync and m.google.com), but set up the mail so it's linked with Outlook Exchange (work e-mail) instead -- and access Gmail through a separate Gmail app? Or can you not "split up" 2 accounts on ActiveSync that way? Thx

[Maxwell Posted Mar 25th 2010 2:35PM]

@mpv I know that you can do this on the iPhone, so I would absolutely think it was possible.

[flexte Posted Mar 25th 2010 2:47PM]

@routb3d just got home from returning mine as well. it was painful but had to be done. the fact that the led didn't blink when a new email arrived was enough plus the fact that on my android i get almost instant gmail and instant exchange. last but not least the main reason i left winmo is because i wanted multiple calendars. the hardware will be missed. and i still miss winmo but they should have nailed it since it is the last 6.5 device.

[TechBlogger Posted Mar 25th 2010 3:53PM]

@Hugoneus ROTFLMAO@Blind Monkey

[essmithsd Posted Mar 25th 2010 7:16PM]

@routb3d I'm returning mine tonight. It's the most beautiful piece of hardware I have ever seen, but dealing with WinMo has been a nightmare so far. Not worth it.

[bhagiratha Posted Mar 25th 2010 8:26PM]

@Delmont
lol ... now that's a good one!!! funny as hell

[flexte Posted Mar 25th 2010 8:48PM]

@mpv nope only one active sync account. i would have probable kept the phone if i could have 2 push accounts. i was thinking maybe using roadsync and active sync set up Google on one and my exchange email on the other.did a search and didn't find anything on it so i didn't even attempt it. i was just sick and tired at that point.

[c w j Posted Mar 25th 2010 9:33PM]

@Hugoneus

(sets up non-profit for donating HD2s to monkeys with no hands)

[tekdemon Posted Mar 26th 2010 12:21AM]

@routb3d Wow yeah it's totally hard to set up active sync...what with having to type your e-mail address and password and m.google.com into the active sync setup. Oh wait, no that's not complicated at all you moron.

[Johnny Tremaine Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:09PM]

Hey, that isn't bad. Too bad about T-Mobile though.

Do they have the equivalent of the Verizon plans, where you have the option of paying a bit more for a one year lock in? I'd pay say $199 for this, but I'd hate to be locked in to T-Mobile for more than a year.

[techlord Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:10PM]

You could get Droid for only $25 in amazon with contract.

[Paullll Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:16PM]

@techlord
So Droid has also a 4,3" screen?

[jkgrosh Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:22PM]

@techlord its actually $19.99

[ranhalt Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:46PM]

@techlord actually it's down to $20 now

[CJ100570 Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:14PM]

I smell a lie in 1 of the previous comments. I'll give you 10/5 odds you can't figure out which 1 it is....

[JimJam707 Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:41PM]

@CJ100570 Go on, spill the beans.

[fernpointoh Posted Mar 25th 2010 1:16PM]

Bitchin. As soon as my contracts up and I can renew (which should be in about a month) I'm jumping on this.

Android's great and all, but the hardware on this beast is just too much to just look at.

[sn0skier Posted Mar 25th 2010 4:28PM]

@fernpointoh
just root it and put android on it... I'm sure it won't be that hard in a month or two