Database Info

Polaris for cheaper price

Hi all. I just recently played with my friend's TC and fell in love with it. Sadly, though, I am running very low on cash at the moment, so was wondering how I could get this device for somewhere in the 400-500 dollar range that would work on AT&T. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

you can find it on eeeeebay!

good luck finding one for 400 to 500 tho...Happy shopping...

Seriously, if you are that low on cash opt for a different phone b/c God only knows how pissed you will be if something happens to your unsubsidized, uninsured, $700+ costing phone. Where are you located, maybe you can get a carrier subsidised version? Or go for one of the other phones in the Touch series...Touch Dual is coming to ATT this quarter (assuming you are in the US) also there is a company selling the TC for $579 with a new T-Mobile US contract on eBay<--that's subsized, but not officially by T-Mobile so no US based warranty repair or insurance.

Wow, high price for Diamond!

Surely this can't be right.
Just checked with Smart Mobile Gadgets, and HTC Diamond are selling at $899.94. Compare to Sony Experia X1, which is selling for $979.94. I am not an iPhone person, but WOW at those price, I may be forced to buy the 3G iPhone instead. Lets hope the price will be lower than what they have there.

Hahahahahaha! That's way too much money for this phone, HTC will sell only a few.

it'll probably drop to $800 or less quite soon after (£400)
it's 'cheaper' with a contracy usually though, free or very cheap (>£100) with contacts <£35/month, that also includes all your calls/texts/internet so it can be quite good.

if you think about it, that has always been the price for the high end phones. remember the Nokia 8890 back in the days? it was about the same price as well.

Yeah, it's far too much for a phone with 4GB storage only and without a card slot.

These are pre-release prices so they are obviously high. When these phones come to carriers, that's when the prices will come down significantly and plus they won't be released in the U.S till the end of the year so that will also give some time to reduce prices.

PLus they are unlocked, Locked devcices are usaully cheaper by hundreds of dollars and unlocking is no big deal.

HTC want us to pay >$900 for Microsoft for using Google youtube and Opera browser?
NO WAY!

I think I disagree.
Keep in mind that it will be available in Europe first so...
900$ is about 600 euros, which seems reasonable for a new WM device with VGA screen + GPS...
Moreover, the old HTC Touch is still sold for about 420 euros..

After checking out the iPhone, it does make sense that the Diamond is way too expensive. In any case, AT&T only carries the iPhone. For now, I am happy to use my 8525 and 3125.

Well I paid 915 US$ last year for a TyTN II with shipping included, so this prices are high but not overpriced.
I like the Diamong but for now I think that I'll wait for Windows 7.

daniel_rh said:
Well I paid 915 US$ last year for a TyTN II with shipping included, so this prices are high but not overpriced.
I like the Diamong but for now I think that I'll wait for Windows 7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THAT IS INSANE!
I know the mogul is a tad bit under the specs of the tilt, but i paid 500 about a month before its official release. I cant really see the diamond going for more than 600 usd, especially if it want to compete with the iphone (which IMO, is better)
I really hope the raphael is around the same or less.

let's say you have 900$. what are you going to buy? sony or htc?

Stop yer fussin. Thats only the prices they're charging because the phones aren't even out yet. When they come out they'll probably be impossible to find too, but hopefully Sprint lets me upgrade at a discount with a new contract or something.

Yeah, they'll come down after they release. At least I hope they do! My wife and I are planning on getting one of each next year (I like the X1, she likes the Diamond).
If they stay almost a grand a pop we'll be passing...too rich for my blood.

I only paid $120 for my Mogul... I won't pay $900 for a phone.

hidavi said:
I only paid $120 for my Mogul... I won't pay $900 for a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
$120! Where did you pull that off, ebay?

I got my Hermes (two of them, 8525's) for $199 each from AT&T themselves. No contract extension, nothing. I just called up one day and told them what I wanted, and they gave it to me somehow. I think it's because the Tilt was like two months away so maybe they were trying to clear 'em out.
$399 for two 8525's was a deal, I thought. But no way I'm going to pay even five hundred for one phone. That really is a bit high...and 900+ is just out of the question, as far as I'm concerned.

hidavi said:
Stop yer fussin. Thats only the prices they're charging because the phones aren't even out yet. When they come out they'll probably be impossible to find too, but hopefully Sprint lets me upgrade at a discount with a new contract or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. I got my Wing for $326 off eBay. $900 is not worth a phone especially when it's going to be like $300 in the next 6 months.

Just checked pricing here too and it's £480 unlocked without a contract and £200 for T-mobile flext 25 which is what I'm on. That's quite a bit more than I'm usually willing to pay - I haven't paid more than £60 for a phone on contract. As others have said though, the price will come down when it's been on the market a few months, plus we'll know all it's little bugs by then
I couldn't wait for a new phone though as I've just bricked one, so I've ordered a LG KS20 unlocked without contract (managed to brick my phone 4 months before contract is up).

Authorized Retailer Pricing?

Ok so I always get my phone from Bestbuy or directly from Verizon based on online deals or specials going on when contract is up. Since when was Bestbuy pricing 700$ out of contract compared to $569 of VZ? They always when I checked with is every few months very similar in price. Now I have $300 buyback from previous upgrade done few months ago but considering locking in a second line to 4g Unlimited plan before it is too late.
So just curious did the Retail price 3rd party can sell agreement with Verizon change I was under impression to be Authorized reseller unless you were running a valid promotion, special you had to be in similar price range to Verizon?
I wouldn't be complaining normally but to have to cough up $700 for a retail price over Verizon cost of already high $569 seems way out of wack. I know the phones are 4g and high end but man didn't realize 3rd party places that were once better options now don't even try to compete with Big Reds pricing.
Forgive me if there was some post detailing Bestbuy cost going up or possible changes to why Verizon offers lower cost then retailers selling same phones on their behalf.

If you raise enough hell, best buy will match the VZW price. You just have to prove that the corporate store is charging 569 outright.

BBY will price match VZW... Best buy inflates their retail pricing to negate customers from buying it wo a contract(that's where they make their $$)

They will price match the online price or CS price cause they are not the same not a huge difference I just want to know which price to fight for? Is this generally something they are going to be pricks about I mean I have bought the phone I am going to bring back for the Buy Back Credit and purchased Black Tie Protection I can't imagine they would be to stuborn. I just want equal price and have no problem paying 569-599 at all obviously would be minus 300 GC I would get from the Buyback program.

If you were to come into my store and ask for a price match (I work at best buy), and you planned on getting blacktie and buyback, we would match without question. Other stores may be different, but the margin would be made up with those two components.

Sorry I should of been more clear on the phone I am going to trade in I had Blacktie and Buyback. This phone is to lock in 4g plan before July 7th so I would get Blacktie but no Buyback this time and previous phone is 3ish month old Fascinate. I have 2 Pc's, 2 HDTV and like 5 previous phones and everything has been with Blacktie.
I just want to know if I would be better of having proof cause I have no idea what a storefront of Verizons here has for anything showing retail price, but if I have to go out of my way to prove it. Due to BB not matching "online" prices I will cause I sure am not paying extra 125$ for same phone lol.
Really thank you all for advice so far I usually get great people when I work with Best Buy and after all Zagg shields the mobile department has put on my rounds of bad Thunderbolts they know my acount before they even pull me up as to what I have for phones ect. I just know it was like pulling teeth to get them to replace my non-fuctional Incredible after 2 seperate repairs to get a new device and had to talk to store manager before I got it done without a 3rd repair shipment.

Just bring it in the retail pricing from the online (I work at BBY Mobile PT as well) and Id match it

find the kid who hates his job at best buy and he'll price match it without talking to a manager. i work at best buy and do it all the time.

hackabusa said:
If you were to come into my store and ask for a price match (I work at best buy), and you planned on getting blacktie and buyback, we would match without question. Other stores may be different, but the margin would be made up with those two components.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Word to the wise. Don't anyone ever get black tie. Its a scam.

I would generally agree to that last post but in my case because Best Buy has the lemon policy on repairing or attempting to fix issues. I went from Incredible that went 2.2 update came out dropped a packet and caused horrible call quality an hardware / software issues. Got me a $600 equal retail value Giftcard that put me into my Thunderbolt. Generally speaking insurance is never needed but I get it to be safe on my high end phones.
Also had to speak with a manager but the Buyback process and getting into the Charge was a painless experience and they gave it to me for $599 cause they know how much business I do there. Thanks for all the help.

[Q] Why smartphones are so expensive?

What is the difference between iPod Touch and iPhone? A $5 GSM/CDMA chip? Why $400 price difference?
Large screen Android tablets can be had for $200. Why unlocked phones are $600-800?
Sorry if it's been discussed, my search didn't find a good topic on the subject.

Wow, no answers! Noone else is interested in this question?
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

Which?
They're expensive because of convenience, demand. people want it they gotta pay....
Sent from my LS670 using XDA App

They are so expensive, because people buy them anyways.
Manufactors and carriers are all after our money, why should they lower the price.
Besides that some devices also have to pay back the research that went into developing them.

Don't have any idea why unlocked phones are costlier but it you compare tablet and phone, size does matter. Smaller, faster and costier.

go overseas and see the prices some can have more then a hundred dollars difference even if they are the same devices

The price triples at the 3rd world countries. I wonder why.

Yeah, you're lucky for not live in a country like Brazil, there a smartphone like S2 or Iphone4 costs around 1000,00 US$ bucks...

well maybe unlucking phone is expensive because its not really designated in any other area than the original area, but the publisher wants to publicly sale it to other region. that can be the cause too

Development is expensive.

You buy a brand, this is why most of the time you pay double.. buy another phone with the same specs but with a non popular brand and you will pay less...
Not to mention that you are talking about Apple...

All your reasoning would apply for everything else electronic- TVs, MP3 or Blue Ray players, etc. Yet they all keep coming down in prices. But not the phones.

Yea, good question I was wondering the same.
It really is a gigantic gap between say an Iphone and Ipod touch in terms of price, yet the hardware has very little difference.
Seems like a marketing thing, as most users will want all the goodies packed together in a small package + a phone in one device.
It's a conspiracy i tell yea

You should see it like this. When you buy a phone, you pay for the development, the construction, the shipping, the people who check it, the people who made the software. add that up with an expensive casing (like HTC has.) and the euro's (or dollars) fly onto the price tag. With Apple, I don't know, they just rip your wallet.
Smartphones are still upcomming, with new technology added every time a new device is being developed.
Why is SSD more expensive than a normal HDD, because it's a new technology. DVD drives used to be really expensive aswell, look at them now they aren't so expensive anymore.
Anything that's new has a price, and it's your choice if you want to pay for it or not.
I hope this helps.

It's not that unbranded phones are more expensive, the price just isn't subsidised by the network operators.
Network operators sell you the handset at a loss, but tie you into a contract to recoup their initial cost. Customer inertia means there's a good chance you'll stay with them.

well they give you much more ie. i have an ace and i can do everything what i usually do on my pc... except gaming ofc.

Unlocked phones are not only expensive because of the demand. When you buy one on contract, you are going to end up paying over $1000 over the 2 year contract anyways. That's why they discount smartphones so much on contract, they know they will get paid back from the contract.
Sent from my HD2

I'm guessing prices don't come down on phones because carriers subsidize prices. Manufacturers know that and therefore prices will stay rather high. Having said that, development on new phone technology is going at a fast rate right now so manufacturers also are recouping those costs.

Althestrasz said:
You should see it like this. When you buy a phone, you pay for the development, the construction, the shipping, the people who check it, the people who made the software. add that up with an expensive casing (like HTC has.) and the euro's (or dollars) fly onto the price tag. With Apple, I don't know, they just rip your wallet.
Smartphones are still upcomming, with new technology added every time a new device is being developed.
Why is SSD more expensive than a normal HDD, because it's a new technology. DVD drives used to be really expensive aswell, look at them now they aren't so expensive anymore.
Anything that's new has a price, and it's your choice if you want to pay for it or not.
I hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything else also has to be developed, designed, engineered, assembled, shipped and retailed. In fact, iPod was developed before iPhone and they mostly made of the same parts.
Also, if you look at pricing for prepaid phones, I don't think that carriers subsidize that much. Mostly they hike their prices to force us in their contracts.
A week or so ago I saw a link on one of the "deal tracking" sites, an HTC tablet was offered for the same price with no contract or service as the "discounted" price from Sprint.

theyre expensives due to all research and work of the engineers...and of course to obtain more money from all of us...you want the finest and latest technology from theirs...you have to pay whatever their wants...

Used Phone Prices Make No Sense...to me

With new phone prices without a contract around $500 and upgrade prices for the hot models running $99-250, I was thinking maybe I should shop recent used, i.e. an Incredible 2 or even a Galaxy Nexus or RAZR now that the Maxx is out. So checking eBay and Craigslist, and various forum marketplaces I am seeing that used pricing runs from $100-$300 on the Inc2 to $300-$500 on the Nexus and RAZR.
My son just got an Inc 2 upgrade for free. Why would anyone pay $100-$300 (widely asked) for a free phone? I might pay $50 to play with it. Why would anyone pay $400 for a used Nexus or RAZR when you can upgrade for $199 or $249 (less with a new account). I would pay $100, OK, but why pay more than the upgrade price? I understand the desire to avoid a contract, but seriously you have to get service from somewhere. I can't believe that many of the people selling these things paid full retail, so how can the used prices be more than most people paid in the first place. There can't be that much demand and the supply increases daily.
Please explain.

Some people have just upgraded recently and can't do a new contract before their two years is up without paying a pretty decent fee. It's cheaper to buy the phone from someone else and maybe get rid of their old phone than to pay the price for getting a new contract. Some people here also own multiple devices and switch them out often, so it doesn't really make sense to open a new contract for each phone. Check people's sigs: some members/devs here have four or five devices at a time.
And just in case you don't know why there's a charge for early upgrades, the carriers give you the phones at discount because over a two year contract you will end up paying down the expense they took. If they give you a new phone every six months you have gone through around $2000 worth of devices and they certainly won't make that up just from your monthly bill.

danam said:
With new phone prices without a contract around $500 and upgrade prices for the hot models running $99-250, I was thinking maybe I should shop recent used, i.e. an Incredible 2 or even a Galaxy Nexus or RAZR now that the Maxx is out. So checking eBay and Craigslist, and various forum marketplaces I am seeing that used pricing runs from $100-$300 on the Inc2 to $300-$500 on the Nexus and RAZR.
My son just got an Inc 2 upgrade for free. Why would anyone pay $100-$300 (widely asked) for a free phone? I might pay $50 to play with it. Why would anyone pay $400 for a used Nexus or RAZR when you can upgrade for $199 or $249 (less with a new account). I would pay $100, OK, but why pay more than the upgrade price? I understand the desire to avoid a contract, but seriously you have to get service from somewhere. I can't believe that many of the people selling these things paid full retail, so how can the used prices be more than most people paid in the first place. There can't be that much demand and the supply increases daily.
Please explain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is all in being eligible for an upgrade!!! People who break, drop in toilet, or lose their phone are the ones paying. They had a new phone and liked it. But they broke it and aren't eligible for an upgrade price for another two years. They would have to pay full price. A used phone at $250 is better than paying $500 from the provider since you have no upgrade options.
I like it. My last two upgrades I have made money!!!! I had an original droid. I upgraded to my droid X for $299. $100 rebate brings cost down to $200. Sold for $250 on ebay!!! Old droid would have cost someone $400 from verizon if they weren't eligible for an upgrade. They have the phone they want and saved $150 versus buying a new one from verizon.

85gallon said:
I like it. My last two upgrades I have made money!!!! I had an original droid. I upgraded to my droid X for $299. $100 rebate brings cost down to $200. Sold for $250 on ebay!!! Old droid would have cost someone $400 from verizon if they weren't eligible for an upgrade. They have the phone they want and saved $150 versus buying a new one from verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand why it works for the seller . But this sort of presumes that more people are dropping phones in toilets than are buying new phones and retiring old ones, and I am not sure that can be so. Alternatively, it assumes that a real lot of people want to upgrade in less than two years and are willing to pay hundreds for the privilege; and I am not sure that can be so either.
I guess that I am cheap. But if I am entitled to pay, say, $199 in 3-6 months I am not paying more now for used equipment.

Some carriers give a cheaper monthly rate if you own your phone. I always buy phones outright either new or used and save money overall.
Sent from HTC G2

Crashdamage said:
Some carriers give a cheaper monthly rate if you own your phone. I always buy phones outright either new or used and save money overall.
Sent from HTC G2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nothing is free.
My phone cost me £120 new which came with a PAYG sim.
My contract sim only is £13 a month.
I could have got the same phone on contract for £35 a month.
So I would be paying an extra £22 a month on a 18 month contract, after 5-6 months I would have been payiing more for the phone and be out of pocket. The contracts where the phones seem free have you paying for the phone monthly instead.

danam said:
I guess that I am cheap. But if I am entitled to pay, say, $199 in 3-6 months I am not paying more now for used equipment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you going to do? Pay $50 on a throw away so you have a phone for the next 3-6 months or just go without a phone for that time?
Also, a lot of people don't realize that their old cell phones are worth something. They throw them in a drawer or the garbage or they recycle them so they can feel good. I hope they never find out!!
I will be getting a free RAZR in a few months!!! After rebates and ebay of course!!
I was actually digging through some old stuff a few months ago and I ran across an old Moto Z6TV that I forgot to put up on ebay when I retired it years ago. I put it up on ebay and got $40 for it. I think it was3 or 4 phones ago. And I let the prospective buyers know it would be needing a battery soon in the auction listing.
Peeps need them for something. Maybe they know something I don't and are stocking up for the Zombie apocalypse. Who knows. I don't care as long as they are buying!!

Not everybody wants a contract. You can get a contract and pay $1k-$2k over the course of 2 years for a "free" phone or you can get a significantly cheaper pay as you go service and pay $200 for an unlocked phone.

I do business on CL all the time. This time of year is notorious for high-priced phones. If you wait until spring and summer really hits, phones will be available left and right.
Usually CDMA phones are cheaper as well, so if you look around daily, you'll find a good deal.
Sent from my 2ghz Impulse 4G

Depends on the financial status of the person to go for used phone or a new contract phone

In the past two years I've gone through 5 android phones and saved a ton of money giving the phones down to my wife and mom and never have to sign a new contract. Currently my wife has an Iphone, my mom a nexus s 4g, and I traded my android phone for an Iphone 4s...I'm going to sell that 4s and get a white Epic 4G Touch for 350 tonight, the Iphone should sell for a decent amount, I'm not out to gouge anyone but the Iphone holds value well (I hated the iPhone or I'd keep it but I miss android)

Well let me explain how it makes sense. Here's my actual history:
Buy an HTC Touch Diamond for $125 close to when it came out on some weird contract thing.
Sold Diamond for $200, bought iPhone 3G when moved to tmobile for $250, did a few other deals in between, but ended up trading the iPhone 3G for an HD2 when HD2 came out on tmobile. Sold HD2 for $250 a couple months ago, and moved to ATT and got a Galaxy Note on Contract (thru a friend $10 add a line) for $300 (soon to be $150 back for the promo), for all the deals I did between there I probably netted a few hundred dollar profit, bought and sold tablets as well (used most of them, I'm not trying to be a businessman here). You get to try out a bunch of devices this way.
If you take care of them, the resale is worth the original purchase. If you bought a Galaxy Nexus unlocked for $650 like 6 months ago, you could probably sell it RIGHT NOW for $650 easy if you took damn good care of it.
It's just how it works, you're not really out that much money if you're smart about how you do it, I've dropped $400 on devices and stuff and used/resold etc...

I agree with the general idea of the thread, some used phones are too much IMO.

There is a reason people are paying the used phone prices and I'm willing to bet they checked their options before dishing out a few hundred dollars.
We all get that most providers essentially mortgage you a device through your plan but if you don't fall under their qualifications to upgrade then your about to realize how much these little gadgets actually retail for. If you can upgrade through your provider that's your best bet. If not the used market is probably your go to option.
Sent from my Galaxy S2

eplote was
Taking into account that most phones are essentially a computer in your pocket, the used prices should reflect upon the age of the tech, total use time and who the owner was.
In the IT industry, hardware drops in value quite rapidly due to new gear coming out.
If the handset is a current model of it's class, then expect a premium price.
As for iDrones, they are like the fashion industry, you pay for a label and a social status as an iPhollower.
/Rant over
Crikey

If that makes no sense to you go take a look what people are paying for "used" Iphones.

for what its worth, used galaxy ace's were been sold for more then I paid for mine brand new.
from what I can see on ebay people usually only take 10-20% of the price of a new phone unless there is obvious damage. if you find a retail phone with a discount it will be less than used on ebay.

Most people charge too much for their used phones yet people due to contract issues buy them^^

My personal experience is that if you try to find a used phone on the E bay the price has no sense, but if you look in a local site of vacancies you can find good occasions, expecially if you make an offer that is lower of the asked price.

heres how i got my amaze, i bought it broken. honestly, as long as it turns on, im happy, i do customer service for t-mobile but i have at&t only because i have been with them since they were cingular. anyways, dont want to get off topic at hand, i can repair anything. my amaze had went through a joy ride through a dryer. and i still payed 250.00, then i had to get a digitizer/LCD, then a back, then a battery, but i still came out cheaper then retail price. i get laughed at on the smoke deck at work because of my phone but as the month went on it got nicer and nicer then a new trainee said when did you get your new phone? lol i build it...really. i got my inspire with a cracked screen the only phone i have that NOT damaged is my infuse lol