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Rogers set to launch Nokia 5310 on Pay As You Go plan
Rejoice Rogers music lovers, as there she is, the least beautiful -- though, rather affordable -- cell in the world, the XpressMusic Nokia 5310. Mobileincanada has spilled the beans on the upcoming release of this handset on Rogers, and for a purported bargain-basement price of $99 bucks, we're sure it'll find an audience in the chilly north. No word on when we'll see this lining the shelves, though we'll drop some hints as soon as we know more. Oh, and if you're hitting up the source for this, you're better off reading en français -- if you can dig that language -- as the translated site's a bit challenged.
Prepaid Data Packages and the iPhone
I recently had the chance to sit down with my iPhone and a prepaid SIM with a $50 account balance. I really got a chance to see how the iPhone would function with a pay-as-you-go plan and its data plan. What I learned was this: although using iPhone with pay-as-you-go means you can make occasional phone calls when you need to, you'll want to avoid EDGE data and stick to WiFi whenever possible. Here's the complete run-down.
FCC spills beans on Sony Ericsson K205a
Sony Ericsson may be gearing up for a product launch as the FCC spills the beans on a new -- and rather uninteresting -- handset. The K205a (that "a" does stand for Americas) packs a dual-band 850 / 1900 radio, IR for goodie transfer between devices, and we're honestly not sure what else. We doubt that this'll wring your wallet for much more that a nifty, and in turn should prove popular with the pay as you go crowd. We'll have more details on providers and such as we hear 'em.[Via PhoneScoop]
Sagem's stylish my411x for the prepaid crowd
Gone are the days when going with a prepaid account meant sacrificing style or functionality in your choice of handset; actually, we think those days have been gone for a while now in Europe, but at any rate, add the Sagem my411x to the list. The fashion-friendly candybar features a mirrored front, media player with dedicated buttons, Bluetooth, and a VGA cam -- groundbreaking features by no means, but hey, when you consider that it goes for £49.99 (about $100) contract-free, it ain't bad. Look for it now on Orange in the UK.
Microsoft FlexGo pay-as-you-go PCs
Microsoft plans to expand an earlier trial of its FlexGo service -- which allows customers in the developing world to pay for PCs by the hour -- to customers in Brazil, Mexico, China, India and Russia. Under the program, which is being rolled out with PCs from Lenovo and other partners, customers pay about half the price of a $600 PC upfront, and pay the rest with prepaid cards similar to those used for long-distance phone calls. The PC dials the mothership periodically to track usage; customers are charged by the hour for PC usage, and also pay the remainder due on the PC's purchase over time. According to Microsoft, pricing and interest rates vary by market, but we somehow suspect that consumers who can afford it are probably still better off paying for that PC upfront.
