Verizon offloading Pearls for a Jackson

by Chris Ziegler, posted Jan 2nd 2009 at 11:25AM

The age of the ultra-cheap (and non-repulsive) smartphone is officially upon us, and Verizon would like to throw its hat into the ring by offering the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 for the ridiculously low price of $19.99 on contract after $100 mail-in rebate "while supplies last." We'd obviously rather be able to slap down twenty right in the store and take the Pearl home with us, but 'round here, rebates are more the rule than the exception, so we're used to it. Keep it up, Verizon -- maybe Storms for $20 next?

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Verizon Wireless, EV-DO, CDMA

Tags: 8130, blackberry, pearl, rim, verizon, verizon wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Sacrifex @ Jan 2nd 2009 11:56AM

Best Buy Mobile has been pushing those for free, no rebate, for around a month at least. There's a reason for it though.

I still wouldn't take one at that price. A centimeter or two is not worth the reduction in screen size - let alone the horrid SureType keyboard v. the Curve at $30 - 50 more, give or take week-to-week. I've not met more than one or two people that liked the unit, personally. If I'm getting tied in for two years, I'd like to have a decent handset.

Neutral

ack154 @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:31PM

My g/f got the pink one a few months ago for free when she was eligible for an upgrade. Though she has had it replaced once already and continues to have intermittent browser issues with it (like it says one doesn't exist).

I just can't stand the stupid little ball on the new Pearls/Curves. I like the knob thing on my 7130 better (even if it is a dinosaur by BB standards). Still trying to squeeze a Storm out of work to replace it.

Neutral

cl347bv @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:08PM

if i hadnt upgraded to a PN-820 in september i would be all over this deal. I hope they are doing this again come july.

I only paid 7.50 for my 820 so it was a pretty sweet deal,

Lowest Ranked

mggalli @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:36PM

You guys are missing thge point here...The rebate company that VZW uses is GOING OUT OF BUSINESS and is in BK. Wheres that story on here? You are not as bad as Gizmodo yet, but your lackadasial reporting is certainly no bueno.

And more to the point, these phones are fucking FREE at Best Buy, Radio Shack and every other store you can think of. Do you people do ANY research?

Highest Ranked

Chris Ziegler @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:40PM

Pricing direct from a carrier is a totally different ball game than through a third party; Amazon has offered astounding deals on carrier-locked handsets for years, but if you look at the bigger perspective from a business and an industry angle, seeing Verizon offer these devices at these prices is a bellwether for the way we can expect consumer-grade smartphones to be priced and marketed in the future.

And are you implying that Verizon isn't going to honor these rebates? That's absurd -- it'd open them to a ton of legal liability. Doesn't matter who handles the rebate on Verizon's behalf, Verizon is ultimately responsible for making sure they go through.

Tone down your language.

Neutral

Nerd Ferguson @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:45PM

it still irritates me how these "deals" are slaps in the faces to us people didnt' time our contract signing good enough to be eligible for the "new every two" crap.

Neutral

Jake @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:18PM

this is great! verizon always put "while supplies last" when theyre bout to discontinue or replace a model. im thinking their gonna come out with the pearl flip soon

Neutral

Riley Freeman @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:03PM

verizon is charging for pearls? theres not a carrier in canada that charges for that piece of junk still on a contract. why these cheap bastards havent made this thing free?

Highly Ranked

Hey Ya @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:52PM

Canadians also have to lock themselves into even more ridiculous contracts for their pieces of crap.

Neutral

cttphenom @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:47PM

Whats the big deal with this? US Cellular has had this crap for free for some time now.

Neutral

Riley Freeman @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:18PM

ughh up until what a month or 2 ago u guys couldnt even buy a damn phone without a contract/ how retarded is that.

we dont have to lock ourselves into anything never did neither. cheap asses or (students ) do contracts. i have 2 lines and no contracts

i have a mogul in my house irght now, a env2 and my 2 lines are curve and a touch pro .

Neutral

KilgoreTrout @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:41PM

WOW you sure are a smart fella!!!
I really hope that maybe one day I could be as cool as you dude !

Neutral

Hey Ya @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:48PM

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth Riley.

Neutral

The D Train @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:16PM

He definately knows whats up, so dont act all high and mighty because you think its cute. Half the apps on my omnia I found thanks to him being on howard forums.

Riley Freeman is the truth. End of story.

Neutral

Hey Ya @ Jan 3rd 2009 3:09PM

I don't give a crap that he helped you with your Omnia. That has nothing to do with this phone's pricing.

19.99 is a fair price for the phone, and his comparisons are to a Canadian system that may give you the phone for free, but you have to give up more to get it.

Neutral

Riley Freeman @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:22PM

thanks d train.

but lets be real about some sh*t. these guys bring up 3 year contracts but take into carrier here of the big 3 have 5million a piece. our money also worth less.

verizon has 60+ million and they aint giving the pearls away? come on thats ridiculous and u guys know it. verizon keeps hurting their name with the crap they pull. i used to think they were a good carrier but they the only one stuck in their stone age of still tempering with phones.

look at their touch pro was so butchered its not even funny. its like a female going in for a nose job coming out looking like a man.

verizon fails. im done

Highly Ranked

1337 @ Jan 3rd 2009 3:09AM

US Cellular is giving Pearls away for free (after mail-in rebate) with a 2-year contract.

Neutral

Riley Freeman @ Jan 3rd 2009 3:24PM

there 1337 just disproved ur whole canadian thing i did also by subscriber base.

Neutral

Hey Ya @ Jan 3rd 2009 4:34PM

He proved that US cellular gives the phone away, which is nice. It hasn't disproved anything I've said. No doubt, free is an excellent price for the phone. No on is disputing that. The fact that it can be had for free doesn't make twenty dollars a ripoff.

The only point I'm trying to make is that twenty dollars is a good deal for the phone, which it is. Nothing has been said here to disprove this.

Neutral