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retail posts

Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile

by Nilay Patel posted Nov 5th 2009 @ 2:14PM

Looks like the DROID invasion is starting a little early -- we were just sent these pics of Motorola's beastly Android slider on sale at an unspecified Best Buy Mobile somewhere deep within America's heartland. Or perhaps it's lurking around the fringe of our nation's coasts. In either case, we're told BBM reps can sell you a DROID as of today, so it might be worth checking out if you're not psyched to hit up your local Verizon store at 7AM tomorrow. And do let us know if the DROID ERIS is available, will you?

P.S.- Just got a tip that Wal-Mart is now selling 'em early too. The DROIDs are loose, people. Gather your valuables.

P.P.S.- Target Mobile Solutions, which operates kiosks in California Target stores, has opened the floodgates too -- but the catch is that you'll be paying $249.99 for a new activation, $50 more than Verizon after rebate. Thanks, Tony! (Update: we're hearing it's back down to $199.87 now -- nice!)

[Thanks, Mike and Jesse]

Continue reading Motorola DROID goes on sale a little early at Best Buy Mobile

Verizon announces early store openings for DROID launch

by Darren Murph posted Nov 3rd 2009 @ 1:05PM

We'd already heard through the grapevine that select Verizon Wireless stores would be cracking their doors open early to deal with the presumed flood of ~~consumers~~ "Humans" eager to snap up the first-ever Android 2.0 device, and now the carrier has come right out with the official details. We're told that "many" of its over 2,000 retail locations will open at either 7AM or 8AM local time to field orders for the DROID, though VZW mall stores will all open at their regular time. You should check with your local store to see exactly when they'll open, and while we can't guarantee it, we'd guess that having an Android-related tattoo on your person is a good way to get VIP treatment once you arrive on scene. Or, you know, you could just get your Best Buy pre-order in now and save $100 up front by dodging the mail-in rebate.

Unlocked, contract-free HTC HD2 will be available November 11 for a lot of money

by Paul Miller posted Oct 12th 2009 @ 4:32PM

We know the HD2 is hitting O2 later this month and Vodafone is getting the handset in Spain in December, but now it looks like the unlocked version isn't too far off either: UK retailer Clove says it'll be out on November 11 for £469, about $740 US. Importing will soon follow, to be sure, but though the phone is unlocked and sim-free we'll be limited to EDGE in the States until that US-specific version hits our shores next year. The question is: will we be strong enough to wait?

[Via SlashGear]

China Unicom prices iPhone for October 1st launch

by Thomas Ricker posted Sep 28th 2009 @ 3:35AM

While the iPhone got an official announce for China last month, its retail pricing and delivery date have remained a mystery. That's going to change later today when China Unicom is expected to announce an October 1st launch for Cupertino's darling. Eight service packages ranging in price from 126 yuan (about $18) to 886 yuan (about $130) per month will be available to Unicom's 141 million subscribers from a pool of 700 million cellphone toting Chinese. How much will it cost? 5,000 yuan or a steep $733 green retail. Subsidies of about 893 yuan (about $131) to 4,253 yuan (about $623) will be offered for those signing to long-term plans on Unicom's fledgling 3G network. Looks like somebody's standard of living is on the rise.

Palm Pre sales go live at Amazon

by Joshua Topolsky posted Aug 2nd 2009 @ 10:41PM

If you love the Pre, but hate Best Buy or Sprint, now you've got the option of nabbing one through an online reseller you can live with: Amazon. The device has just popped up on the super-retailer's site, and like the aforementioned blue and yellow reseller, you don't have to worry about any pesky mail-in rebates -- the phone is $199.99 out the virtual door. Also of note, you can nab the non-contract version for $499.99, which is a $50 savings over the Sprint pricing, and certainly a value compared to Best Buy's $749.99 price tag. Only bummer note? Amazon says these babies won't ship for 4 to 6 weeks... which basically sucks.

[Via PhoneNews]

Palm Pre on June 6th for $200: It's official!

by Thomas Ricker posted May 19th 2009 @ 7:00AM

The day you've been waiting for is here. Sprint just announced that the Pre will cost $199.99 after $100 mail-rebate and 2-year contract and will launch on June 6th as rumored this morning. The phone will go on sale nationwide (US-only at the moment) at Sprint stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and select Wal-Mart stores. The Pre will be available under Sprint's Everything Data or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plans. Accessories include the optional $69.99 Touchstone charging dock kit that includes the $49.99 dock and $19.99 Pre back cover. June 6th, that's two days before the WWDC keynote. Poor Apple.

Vertu opens retail location in Tokyo's Ginza district

by Darren Murph posted Mar 15th 2009 @ 6:21AM

We already knew Vertu was planning to open wide to Tokyo's Ginza district in late February, and apparently it decided to follow through despite an economy that's apt to slow sales of its luxury handsets dramatically. At any rate, the spot is a must-see even for tourists with a savings account that couldn't buy the "8" key of a Constellation Pure, so be sure to freshen up and drop by if you find yourself in the city. Oh, and be sure to ask the reps on hand if any of Vertu's phones can load up the full version of the company's own website without struggling -- we get the feeling the reaction will be priceless.

[Via RCRWireless]

Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic finally up for grabs Stateside

by Paul Miller posted Feb 27th 2009 @ 10:20AM

There was a bit of a false alarm at the flagship stores yesterday -- Nokia's New York and Chicago stores got inventory, but didn't start selling the 5800 right away, causing much anguish in the hearts of American plectrum lovers and our very own Chris Ziegler. Well, all has been rectified, and now you can pick up Nokia's touchscreen pioneer, the 5800 XpressMusic, for $399, unlocked and unsubsidized. If you aren't so much into retail stores you can head to Nokia's online store, though the phone is still inexplicably listed as "pre-order" there -- we're sure things will be rectified soon enough.

Vertu opens tasteful, refined retail location in Japan

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Jan 21st 2009 @ 4:32PM

It's no secret that Vertu's delicate, understated design and real commitment to value for your hard-earned dollar have won the brand lots of fans here at Engadget -- and we're still kicking ourselves for being too busy to check out the company's store in Las Vegas during CES. Our Japanese readers are in luck, however -- come February 19, people in Ginza will have a Vertu store to call their own. Sure the thing looks a little less gaudy than we would have imagined -- an eighteen foot tall, solid gold, fire-breathing Dragon would have been nice -- but you can't really argue with a place that sets aside an entire floor for each handset line it carries (including Ferrari, Ascent and Signature). If you get a chance to visit, let us know what you think! More pics after the break.

Continue reading Vertu opens tasteful, refined retail location in Japan

Verizon notches gold in retail satisfaction study

by Darren Murph posted Oct 24th 2008 @ 4:24PM

While Sprint recently saw its CSR response times skyrocket, Verizon's doing a happy dance of its own after pulling down a gold medal from a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey. Curiously enough, it's not one we see as being particularly awesome -- call us crazy, but we tend to care about amazing coverage more than how spiffy a sales associate looks -- but the carrier is apparently numero uno in retail satisfaction. What's that mean, you ask? It takes into account four factors: sales staff, store display, store facility and price / promotion. Evidently, Verizon has the whole B&M experience thing locked down, and these days, we reckon you take every chance you get to celebrate. Party on, in that case.

[Via RCRWireless, image courtesy of DayLife]

RadioShack to carry Sprint's Samsung Instinct nationwide

by Darren Murph posted Sep 4th 2008 @ 8:14AM

For those in America who just can't shake the desire to snap up one of those Samsung Instincts, but can't bring themselves into braving the yellow-clad walls of most Sprint stores, an alternative method of B&M procurement has finally arrived. Effective immediately, Sprint's "iPhone killer" will be available across the US in RadioShack stores. If you happened into one over the Labor Day weekend, you were lucky enough to grab the handset for just $99.99 on contract, but from here on out (well, until the ~~first~~ second price drop), it'll be $129.99 for everyone else.

[Image courtesy of RiverWalkPlaza]

China Mobile opens "experience shops" as TD-SCDMA softly launches

by Darren Murph posted Jun 3rd 2008 @ 4:48AM

We knew good and well China Mobile was all geared up to launch its homegrown 3G standard in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Shenzhen (among other locales), and though China's government hasn't issued 3G licenses yet, TD-SCDMA has finally made its soft launch. In order to garner interest in the service, said carrier has also opened up "experience shops" in the aforementioned cities "to allow the public to experiment with TD-SCDMA handsets and gain confidence with TD-SCDMA's capabilities." During the initial launch, some 60,000 dual-mode TD-SCDMA / GSM handsets and 15,000 data cards will be on sale in these outlets, with most of the units being in the "mid- to high-end range" and costing between $286 and $572 (those are subsidized prices). Here is where we suppose China Mobile holds its breath and hopes for things to take off.

[Via mocoNews]

Microsoft Surface launching April 17th... with AT&T

by Thomas Ricker posted Apr 2nd 2008 @ 12:57AM

No, Microsoft hasn't suddenly transformed its 30-inch, multi-touch Surface into a big-ass cellphone. It has, however, chosen AT&T to launch the world's first Surface into retail. Shoppers in New York, Atlanta, San Antonio, and San Francisco will be treated to what amounts to the novelty (at least initially) of learning about a device (Samsung BlackJack II, pictured) by simply placing it atop the Surface. They'll also have the ability to explore interactive coverage maps. Later, users will be able to drag ringtones, graphics and video and drop it into "the phones." Note their use of "the" and not "your" phone in the press release. Nevertheless, we're happy to see Microsoft get the technology out the door on its long march towards consumerdom.

Gallery: Microsoft Surface launching April 17th... with AT&T

Update: Interestingly enough, AT&T's flagship iPhone will not be one of the first phones demonstrated on Surface. Perhaps AT&T / Microsoft worry that the multi-touch collision would create strangelets.

Palm to close all retail locations but one, for real

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jan 26th 2008 @ 2:02AM

If our solemn word wasn't enough to convince you of trouble in retail-ville for Palm, take this news as empirical. According to the smartphone-maker, it is officially shuttering all of its retail locations but one over the next five weeks. Originally, we thought that the airport locations would steer clear of the axe, but news today is that 34 stores total -- 26 airport-based and eight branded stores -- will be saying adios before long. Sure, this news doesn't sound real hot, but Palm claims they want to cut costs and focus on its next-gen phones, which is what we've been asking them to do all along... so maybe this is a blessing in disguise?

Palm retail stores to close by month's end

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jan 23rd 2008 @ 11:02PM

Oh Palm, things just seem to be going from bad to worse. After your recent (and repeated) Palm OS II delays and employee layoffs, you really should be due for some good news -- but that's not the case today. According to a member of the TreoCentral forums who cites "sources," Palm will be folding all but its airport-based retail locations by the end of January. Apparently, other forum members have checked in with their local stores and gotten word from reps there that the doors are indeed shutting, so it seems like this is a go. Palm, we're not going to say you're in your darkest hour just yet, but we're pretty sure you can see it from where you're standing. C'mon guys -- get it together!

[Thanks, Anonymous]