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Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 hits stores today
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 fans, the day is here. The phone hits stores today after breaking series pre-order records in the US and abroad. Samsung announced earlier this week that it sold over 650,000 phones in the first five days of its presale, outselling the Note 7 over the same time period.
All the places you can buy the Galaxy S8 and S8+
If you're looking to make sure you're among the first to own Samsung's swanky new Galaxy S8 but don't want to line up outside a store on April 21st, you're in luck. Major and minor carriers alike have announced that they're running pre-order campaigns (with some hefty incentives) starting as early as tomorrow. Here's what each has planned:
Straight Talk gives customers who bring their own phones more data
Straight Talk has a nice weekend surprise for both old and new Bring Your Own Phone customers. The prepaid carrier has just upped its $45-per-month plan's data allowance from 3GB to 5GB for anyone who didn't purchase their phone straight from the company. New customers only need to register a compatible device and order a SIM to take advantage of the promo, while old faithfuls won't have to do anything at all: they'll get access to 5GB their next refill. Hopefully, the virtual network operator has cleaned up its act since the FTC fined it for throttling customers' connections too much, so people can actually enjoy the higher data cap. [Image credit: Mike Mozart]
FTC says Straight Talk's promises of unlimited data were crooked
If you were seduced by offers of "unlimited" phone data on prepaid carriers like Straight Talk or Simple Mobile only to find your service unbearably slow after a certain point, the Federal Trade Commission has your back. The carriers' owner, TracFone, has agreed to pay the FTC $40 million to settle charges that it misled customers by advertising unlimited data that was really throttled into oblivion. In other words, Straight Talk was being... less than straight. Beyond the payout, TracFone has to avoid making sketchy claims in its ads and provide refunds to anyone who's been burned. The settlement won't affect a huge number of people, but it could serve as a warning sign to AT&T and other big carriers trying to avoid penalties for similarly shady throttling practices.
iPhone 5s and 5c come to Straight Talk and Net10 on December 13th
Cost-conscious iPhone 5s or 5c buyers will soon have a pair of fresh choices for prepaid service. Tracfone has announced that both Straight Talk and Net10 will sell Apple's latest smartphones through Walmart on December 13th. As with unlocked devices, you'll be paying at least $549 for an iPhone 5c or $649 for its 5s counterpart; the real savings come from the plans, which start at $45 per month for unlimited calls, (throttled) data and text. You'll still want to visit carriers like T-Mobile or Virgin for the cheapest possible rates, but the new Tracfone options may be ideal for iPhone fans who want full service without a full price.
Straight Talk now accepts AT&T-compatible LTE devices
To date, Straight Talk's LTE support has been limited to a warmed-over Sprint version of the Galaxy S III. Now there's a much better option: the prepaid carrier has started selling SIM cards that support unlocked devices with AT&T-compatible LTE. The upgrade potentially offers a better bargain than AT&T's own Aio Wireless, giving customers unlimited LTE data, voice and text for $45 per month versus Aio's $55. It's not quite paradise, however. Straight Talk is known to throttle data, which could prove all the more frustrating at 4G speeds.
Walmart to sell iPhone 5c for $79, iPhone 5s for $189
If you think that the iPhone 5c and 5s are a little too pricey, we've got good news: Walmart plans to sell both Apple smartphones at a discount from the very start. The 16GB iPhone 5c will sell for $79 on contract, or $20 less than the official price, while the 16GB iPhone 5s will be available for $189. As elsewhere, pre-orders for the 5c will start on September 13th; both of the new iPhones will ship on the 20th. Don't like contracts? You're not left out of the bargains -- Walmart plans to slash $100 off the prices of Straight Talk's iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 variants, which will respectively cost $349 and $549 as of September 14th. The savings are small when compared to the service fees you'll pay over a few years, but it's hard to object to having a little more money left in your pocket.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 12th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought leaks of a smartphone that tips the scales with a 6-inch screen, an alternate ego to the oft-leaked Sony 'Honami' and the return of unlimited data to a certain AT&T MVNO. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 12th, 2013.
Samsung Galaxy Discover coming to the US through Net10 and Straight Talk
Just weeks ago, Samsung slipped the entry-level Galaxy Discover into Canadian shops, with no word on whether or not it would ever cross the border. It has -- or rather, it will. The company has listed the Galaxy Discover as coming to the US through contract-free carriers Net10 and Straight Talk. Hardware-wise, the US version is the familiar starter smartphone with a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, an 800MHz processor and a 3-megapixel camera. The American model touts a slightly curvier frame, however. Its real stand-out remains the removal of TouchWiz in favor of pure Android 4.0; while not unique, it's still a rare break for a company that likes its custom UI layers. We don't have ship dates or prices when the phone hasn't yet been announced or listed for either network, but we'd venture that it will be one of the cheaper prepaid options when it arrives stateside.
Why Walmart's Straight Talk unlimited iPhone 5 plan may not be such a good deal
Earlier this month, Walmart announced that the iPhone 5 would be available on its Straight Talk Wireless service. While the promise of US$45 monthly unlimited data, text and voice service sounds wonderful, TechNewsDaily is reporting that the plan has restrictions. Once you've used 2 GB of your "unlimited" data plan, your throughput is throttled so downloads will be quite slow. As we mentioned in our previous post, an unlocked iPhone 5 is available from Walmart in a 16 GB version for $649. So, the phone comes with a higher initial cost than a locked iPhone 5 available from other US carriers and the unlimited plan really isn't unless you're fine with dial-up speeds. If, on the other hand, you rarely use more than 2 GB of data and use your phone primarily for voice and texting, then the Straight Talk plan might be worth your while. The $450 more you'll pay up front for the phone does give you an unlocked phone, and in many cases would be recovered within about eight months on Walmart's plan. Buyers of iPhones and iPads should always do the math when considering the ins and outs of discounted cellular packages. [via BGR]
iPhone 5 comes to Walmart's prepaid Straight Talk plans Jan. 11
Giga-retailer Walmart made waves this holiday season by offering the iPhone 5 for well below its suggested retail price. Now it's going to start offering Apple's top-of-the-line smartphone unlocked and on prepaid Straight Talk plans beginning January 11. The iPhone 5 will cost US$649 in a 16 GB configuration -- or the same price of the phone from Apple, unlocked. Walmart will also sell an unlocked iPhone 4 8 GB for $449. Customers will be able to use either phone on a Straight Talk unlimited voice, text and data plan for $45 per month, with unlimited international calling added in a $60 per month plan. To coincide with the deal's rollout, Walmart will offer customers an option to pay for their handset on a promotional $25 per month financing plan. All prices will be good online and in retail stores. [Via Engadget]
iPhone 5 coming to Walmart's Straight Talk prepaid plans January 11th
Customers have been able to enjoy the iPhone experience on Walmart's Straight Talk "BYOD" phone plans for quite some time now, but the prepaid provider will begin directly selling the iPhone 5 -- as well as the iPhone 4 -- on January 11th. The iPhone 5 will be offered in 16GB and will be sold for $649, while the iPhone 4 will come with 8GB storage and go for $449. If you don't want to pay the entire cost up front, you can take advantage of Walmart's monthly installment-financing plans for $25. For more specifics, head below the break to get the full press release.
Huawei puts Ascend P1 on sale in the US through Amazon for $450
We've grown accustomed to the Huawei Ascend P1 ourselves, but most Americans haven't had that same luxury without going through an importer. Huawei wants to be more accommodating, if somewhat belatedly: it's now selling its mid-tier phone directly to the US through Amazon. Shelling out $450 gets the same 4.3-inch screen, dual-core 1.5GHz processor and lightly customized Android 4.0 as elsewhere, but in an unlocked form with a proper US warranty. The only real disappointment is that it's not the LTE variant, although we'll bite when there's HSPA+ 3G for American GSM carriers like AT&T, Straight Talk and T-Mobile. If you're willing to make the sacrifice for carrier independence, the Ascend P1 awaits at the source link.
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Verizon Wireless brought its LTE service to 28 new markets and expanded its reach in 11 additional areas. We also saw Straight Talk introduce the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim, and it appears that Rogers will soon offer the HTC One S. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 14th, 2012.
Samsung Galaxy Precedent coming to Straight Talk, seemingly $150 off-contract (video)
Walmart and its MVNO partner, TracFone, are preparing to plunge into the shallow depths of Android with the Samsung Galaxy Precedent. While little is known about the device itself, it appears strikingly similar to the Samsung Prevail, from the chunky volume rocker and external microSD card slot on the side of the phone, to the absent flash on the rear. Of course, Straight Talk's primary selling point with the Precedent is the price itself, which -- according to a promo video for the device -- is said to be just shy of $150 off-contract. This, combined with Wally World's competitive pricing of $45 per month for unlimited voice, text and data, could be a boon for many users who rely on Verizon for coverage (assuming this is a CDMA phone, anyway). While no official launch date has been set, you're welcome to get in line and reserve yours today. Or, just check the video after the break. [Thanks, Nickolas]
Walmart Family Mobile enters the postpaid war, reselling service from T-Mobile
Walmart's already firmly entrenched in the prepaid cellular business, offering handsets and service via Common Cents (Sprint) and Straight Talk (Verizon Wireless), but according to Greg Hall, vice president of merchandising at Walmart US, there's a "perception among customers that prepaid service doesn't offer access to the best phones or the best network quality." In order to combat that, the outfit will be launching a new postpaid service today dubbed Walmart Family Mobile. The actual fine print is somewhat confusing, as it offers the best of both the pre- and postpaid worlds; users will still pay their monthly bill at the end of the month, but no subsidization will take place on the phones themselves due to this being a no-contract ordeal. It'll cost $45 per month for unlimited calling and texting for the first line, and $25 per month for every extra line; unfortunately, data will be a pricey addition at $40 per month for 1GB... but at least that rolls over each month in case you don't use it all. Initially, Wally World will offer five handsets, with the flagship phone being Motorola's Cliq XT at $249. Frankly, we aren't too impressed at what's on offer here -- get unlimited data bundled with calling and texting for the same $45 / month, then we'll talk. Update: Official PR is now after the break, and that's a September 20th launch date, so next Monday. Update 2: So, Walmart's PR team contacted us to flesh out the data plan details that the AP sort of glossed over. Thankfully, the full skinny is far more attractive than what we were led to believe. In short, each line comes with 100MB of data (one-time); after you use that up, you've got a trio of prepaid 'WebPak' options to keep you going. $10 buys you an extra 200MB, $25 gets you 500MB and $40 gets you 1GB. Good stuff! [Thanks, Ksadd]
No-contract $30 / $45 Straight Talk wireless plans storm Walmart
Remember when TracFone horrified the world with its Straight Talk phone selection back in July? Clearly the suits in Bentonville weren't so scared, as now Walmart is latching on to that very plan and claiming it as its own. In over 3,200 of the outfit's retail stores across America, consumers will be able to snag an admittedly pathetic cellie and a rather decent calling plan for just $30 a month. Three Hamiltons gets you 1,000 voice minutes, 1,000 texts and 30MB of mobile web access, not to mention nationwide coverage and free 411 calls. If that's not quite enough, a $45 per month option provides unlimited everything (voice / SMS / mobile web). Of course, the price of using an antediluvian LG 220, LG Slider 290 or Samsung 451 can't be measured in mere dollars, but hey, humiliation's only temporary -- right? %Gallery-75572%
TracFone's $45 Straight Talk unlimited plan punishes you with brutal hardware
They say "there's no such thing as a free lunch." They also say "there's no such thing as an unlimited contract-free $45 monthly unlimited plan that offers awesome phones," so we're not terribly surprised to see that TracFone's new blowout offering -- dubbed Straight Talk -- is rife with ancient Motorolas (with a RAZR V3a thrown in for good measure, of course) and an LG flip that we're pretty sure we saw McClane use in the first Die Hard. Then again, the plan becomes the one of the cheapest for unlimited voice and text anywhere -- and if you're less heavy on the minutes you can even step down to 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts for $30 -- so we'll let it slide. But seriously, TracFone, we expect a V9 by 2012.[Via Phone Scoop]
