The race to the bottom when it comes to the prices of new Android phones is relatively new, but there's been some stiff competition: Sprint has the LG Optimus S for only $49.99 on contract and T-Mobile has the Comet for a paltry $10 with a two-year commitment. A new leak reveals that Verizon has gone down just about as far as anyone can go, as they'll be offering the LG Vortex for free with a two-year contract. It's important to note that you'll still be paying $100 in-store for the device, but not long after purchasing a Vortex, you'll receive a shiny $100 debit card from VZW in the mail. T-Mobile isn't letting Big Red have all the fun, though, as they've lowered the price of the black Optimus T to $0. Strangely, if you want the burgundy version of the same device, you'll be paying a $30 premium.
The Vortex may not be the first choice of an Android fan looking for a new handset, but it's certainly a great choice for a first-time smartphone buyer. For exactly $0, you're getting a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, free Google Navigation, and, perhaps most importantly, Android 2.2. That's definitely more than a lot of higher-end handsets can say (I'm looking at you, Galaxy S line). Sure, Bing is on board, but even if you're not a fan of Microsoft's search engine, I'd say that the good outweighs the bad. Now that we've got the $200 Continuum and the $0 Vortex, I'd say November 18th is turning out to be a good day for Android fans on any budget.
