Fire Phone Sale! - $229 12/8

[cronos]

Update 02/11:

Price is $199 today.

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Update 1/12:

No sale. Back to $449.

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Update 1/7:

Price is $189 today.

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Update 12/8:

Price is $229 today.


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Update 12/4:
It turns out it does not qualify as a Fire Sale anyway, as the sale is now over and the price goes back up to $450. Well, it's good (for some people) while it lasted.

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I think this qualifies as a fire sale since it includes one year of Prime. Assuming the membership can be stacked (I haven't confirmed), the phone is basically only $100.

$200 unlocked

Definitely not for everyone, but for some this may be low enough to get it for playing around.

Edit: confirmed that Prime membership can be stacked:

From here

What if I'm already a Prime member?
You're still eligible. Prime members who purchase a Fire will receive an additional year of Prime when their existing membership is up for renewal. For example: if your next renewal date is June 1st 2015 and you purchase a Fire, we will give you an additional year of Prime at no charge, making your next paid renewal date June 1st 2016.

 

[cpacini]

Figured it had to happen at some point

 

[paperwastage]

no custom ROMs, locked bootloader, bleh

also, Z30 @ $225 from BB, might be more interesting (also locked down)

http://shop.blackberry.com/store/bb...0/pgm.95404400/ThemeID.32403100/Currency.USD?

 

[Red Storm]

You literally could not pay me to use the Fire phone, nor a Kindle tablet for that matter...

 

[Commodus]

no custom ROMs, locked bootloader, bleh

also, Z30 @ $225 from BB, might be more interesting (also locked down)

http://shop.blackberry.com/store/bb...0/pgm.95404400/ThemeID.32403100/Currency.USD?

Never mind the ROM situation... it's just not a good phone. If you have to load a custom ROM to "fix" a device, you bought the wrong device.

 

[lopri]

Hmm... My Prime subscription is almost due for a renewal. How customizable is the Fire Phone?

 

[Ravynmagi]

Never mind the ROM situation... it's just not a good phone. If you have to load a custom ROM to "fix" a device, you bought the wrong device.

The HP Touchpad became an amazing tablet for only $100-$150 with custom ROMs. It was definitely a good purchase.

Though I don't think this will be even remotely as good a deal. I'll pass on this.

 

[Bateluer]

Never mind the ROM situation... it's just not a good phone. If you have to load a custom ROM to "fix" a device, you bought the wrong device.

Normally, I'd agree, but there've been some decent devices that flopped and went on fire sale prices, combined with relatively open hardware, they got a lot of dev attention. I believe people were also picking up HTC Firsts for dirt cheap and loading CM and other AOSP roms on them.

The HP Touchpad became an amazing tablet for only $100-$150 with custom ROMs. It was definitely a good purchase.

Though I don't think this will be even remotely as good a deal. I'll pass on this.

Another good example. The 99 dollar fire sale on Touchpads screwed up the Android tablet market for several months.

 

[soccerballtux]

screwed up the Android tablet market for several months.

source?

 

[lopri]

Well, assuming you subscribe to and intent to keep Amazon Prime the phone becomes $100. There aren't many LTE phones at $100. The phone has top notch specs (minus Google Play, I know).

 

[lopri]

I mean, spec-wise it is not far behind the top dogs. It's got S800, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, LTE, dual-band WiFi 802.11ac, NFC, 13MP camera w/ OIS for both stills and videos (up to 1080p recording), etc. It's taller than the original Moto X but its width and depth are about the same. Screen is beautiful and it even has dual front-facing speakers (not sure about speakers). Plus it comes with that linguine-style headphones/mic. Unlocked so you can use it on any GSM carrier with no contract.

Cons:

- Fire OS (heh)
- Bluetooth 3.0 (not sure why this isn't 4.0)
- Not 1080p (Though many will not consider it a flaw)
- Heavy for the size (160 g)

If I decide to sell my Nexus 4 and buy this phone, I only need to recover $100 for the Nexus 4 to come out even since I subscribe to Amazon Prime. (and coincidently a renewal is next month) I don't think you will find a phone with S800, LTE, OIS camera, 32 GB memory for $100 elsewhere today. Even on Windows Phone front.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I mean, spec-wise it is not far behind the top dogs.

Some specs are misleading...

 

[Bateluer]

source?

Aside from watching it happen, its in the Wikipedia article for the Touchpad.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/23/technology/tablet_prices/index.htm

 

[ponyo]

It's still $100 overpriced. Firesale is $100.

 

[JEDIYoda]

*yawn* ..........really?

 

[Dari]

Amazon gets enough of my money. I don't need them knowing who I call. That could end up in some type of recommendations list.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I mean, spec-wise it is not far behind the top dogs. It's got S800, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, LTE, dual-band WiFi 802.11ac, NFC, 13MP camera w/ OIS for both stills and videos (up to 1080p recording), etc. It's taller than the original Moto X but its width and depth are about the same. Screen is beautiful and it even has dual front-facing speakers (not sure about speakers). Plus it comes with that linguine-style headphones/mic. Unlocked so you can use it on any GSM carrier with no contract.

Cons:

- Fire OS (heh)
- Bluetooth 3.0 (not sure why this isn't 4.0)
- Not 1080p (Though many will not consider it a flaw)
- Heavy for the size (160 g)

If I decide to sell my Nexus 4 and buy this phone, I only need to recover $100 for the Nexus 4 to come out even since I subscribe to Amazon Prime. (and coincidently a renewal is next month) I don't think you will find a phone with S800, LTE, OIS camera, 32 GB memory for $100 elsewhere today. Even on Windows Phone front.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-phone/general/guide-make-fireos-looks-feel-normal-t2898921

 

[gorcorps]

Well, assuming you subscribe to and intent to keep Amazon Prime the phone becomes $100. There aren't many LTE phones at $100. The phone has top notch specs (minus Google Play, I know).

After a statement like that, I really have to question if you know what "top notch" even means

This phone was dated the day it was released, and it's even worse off now.

 

[paperwastage]

After a statement like that, I really have to question if you know what "top notch" even means

This phone was dated the day it was released, and it's even worse off now.

rephase it to "top-notch specs for $100-$200"

quad-core qualcomm (instead of mediatek/....)
2GB/32GB
decent camera/battery
LTE

It's better than the Moto G LTE (@ $220 MSRP)

for MSRP $600, it's not top-notch

 

[lopri]

I shall see how much my Nexus 4 fetches on ebay and decide. I do not think I would budge @200 but @100 (counting in Prime service) it's tempting.

 

[tsupersonic]

This should've been the initial price for this device, and even then it's a very hard sell for most consumers.

 

[Roland00Address]

You can get qualcomm s800 devices such as the LG G2 on places such as swappa for about $220 to $250. Yes these are used but you do not have to deal with the BS that is the Fire OS or trying to get real android on there.

Bestbuy recently had the LG Flex phablet ATT LTE with qualcomm 800 for $200. New! Yes the phone is huge and in a different size class.


Pretty much this only makes sense to me if you are a person who loves amazon prime and thus see this as getting the phone for $99 instead of $199 in your mind. Now for $99 it may make sense as an ipod touch thingy for a kid or such.

Hardwire wise the phone is not bad. It is just not a great phone either.

 

[Chiropteran]

I just ordered one. I need to renew amazon prime anyway, and for $100 it's reasonable for a large capacity mp3/video player/backup phone.

 

[sm625]

have you seen the kinds of phones you can get on sale for $39 nowaays? this is no fire sale....

 

[cronos]

have you seen the kinds of phones you can get on sale for $39 nowaays? this is no fire sale....

Lumia 635 is $39 now on microsoftstore.com (down from original price of $99). Your turn...