If you're in the market for new cell phone service, you can get yourself some serious bargains on some pretty cool new phones. So long as you're willing to sign a one- or two-year contract (and possibly mail in a rebate form), you can get a mid- or high-end handset for next to nothing. Here are my picks for the best bargains currently available through retailers advertising on PhoneDog:
1. Sony Ericsson w810 - Cingular
The w810 is the US-spec version of Sony's popular w800i Walkman phone, which I myself still use on a daily basis. Featuring an excellent 2MP camera and Walkman music player with quality earphones, the w810 is still one of the best multimedia phones around. Available for as little as *nothing* (plus taxes) after rebate with a new two-year Cingular plan, the w810 is an absolute steal.
2. HTC 3125 - Cingular
A stealthy smartphone that looks like it came from the set of Star Trek, the 3125 brings an amazing feature set to a trim flip-phone body. Running Windows Mobile 5, the 3125 is a full-on pda capable of synching with your PC and corporate email, but it also packs a 1.3 MP camera and stereo music player for play time.
3. LG Fusic LX550 - Sprint
It's cute, small, and can broadcast music to any FM radio. LG's Fusic puts iPod-style music controls on the outside of an EV-DO clamshell phone that works on Sprint's Power Vision network. Listen to music, watch videos, and snap photos with the 1.3 MP camera - and do it in style with three interchangeable faceplates included in the box.
4. Samsung MM-A900 - Sprint
Super thin, chic styling, great music player, and solid 1.3MP camera ... EV-DO compatibility for high speed Internet and VCast access ... What could be better? As with most recent Samsung phones, the battery life could be better. That aside, the MM-A900 is a razor-thin flip with more features than the RAZR.
5. Nokia E62 - Cingular
This was a tough call, but the business-oriented E62 edged out the Motorola Q (Verizon) for two main reasons: 1)The E62's Series 60 Symbian OS is more responsive and user friendly than Windows Mobile 5 on the Q, and; 2)The E62 is available for free after rebate, while the Q is $99.99. The Q does offer a camera and Verizon's high speed EV-DO data network if you don't mind a sometimes sluggish interface
