Hot deal on the Nokia 8260: 39.99!!

[HDClown]

Don't pick based on the phone, picked based on the coverage, which is more important to 99.9% of the people. The 8290 is a GSM1900 phone, and the coverage for that network is extremely limited when compared to the TDMA 8260. People like VoiceStream, PacBell, and Nevada Bell sell the 8290. ATT, CellularOne, Ameritech, Southwest Bell, and the likes, use the 8260. So check up on coverage. You may not even be able to get covered with the 8290.

If you have a choice of either, I'd go with an 8290.

 

[tw1164]

rob, just call up AT&T wireless, they normally have pretty good deals on phone for ppl with DOR plans. They don't do trade-ins though..sell it or give to a women's selter.

 

[spec411]

I agree with all the comments here...

1. The new Nokia 8200 series are some of the BEST phones out there! Go get em!! Ive heard they sound like CORDED phones, so clear...even better than the more expensive 8800 series...

2. the 8290 has more features than 8260 but they work on different networks, so make sure you find out which network is best in your area

buy.com is a good price, also check out 1800mobiles.com, they have virtually the same deal and free 2 day shipping and nO tax (especially important in CA where they usually charge you $20-30 tax on the price of an unactivated phone)

 

[SuperRob]

I'll give AWS a shot ... but I'm really not relishing paying $200 for the phone.

Anyone else?

 

[SuperRob]

I went to AWS and they offered me the 8260 for $140 if I agreed to a 1 yr. contract. Not as good a deal, but still $60 off the $200 retail!

Downloadable ringtones are cool.

 

[shurato]

Ok is there anyway to get on this deal if we currently have a an ATT phone with service? I ask this because i am currently up for renewing my contract as i am just paying month by month because my previous one year contract is over. So technically i would be signing up for a new 1 year contract.

 

[SuperRob]

Not really. What you can do is go to an AT&T store, or call 1-800-IMAGINE and try to order one. They'll knock money off as an incentive for you to re-up your contract.

As I mentioned, I was able to bring the price down to $140 from $200. Not great, but still significant. But no, you can't get the Buy.com deal if you already have service.

 

[KIDO1]

Ok Let me give you some first hand info. I currently have both 8260 and 8290 phones. There are a couple noticeble differences.

1. 8290 as you all know is ONLY 1900MHZ GSM PHONE. No analog no nothing.
8260 has 1900/800/analog (triple band).

2.8290 has voice dialing (press a button, then say the name who you want to call and the phone dials it for you)
8260 doesnt have it

3. 8290 have a built in infrared 14.4k modem (and i have voicestream and for 29.95 I have 1500 DATA minuts - just point the phone to my laptop - and it regonized a nokia 8290 modem
8260 doesn have a built in modem

4. 8290 has animated menues
8260 doesnt have them

Those are the major differences. Then you have the additional features of the GSM standart - SMS messages, and so on.

 

[tran1981]

Does anyone know where to get the nokia 8260 without activation for cheap?

 

[cb4800]

www.cdw.com has it for $199. I didn't see anything about activation.

 

[w3b]

is there any provider offering 8290 with no roaming and no long distance?

 

[SeeET]

Damn, no coverage in the Oakland area! Anyone know how long this deal with last and whether they'll add new areas really soon?

 

[Hoeboy]

w3b, pacbell does.

let me share my experience. i just went to an asian dealer in westminster, ca and got my nokia 8290 today. i got it for 50 bux and all the extras such as 2 face plates, charger, etc. but since it was me and my friend getting one each, we asked for a deal. they gave us each a face cover that has an automatic pull down cover like the 8890. except the 8890 isn't automatic. so in a sense your 8290 will look like an 8890 but is even better since the cover pulls down at the press of a button. the catch though is that they charged us tax for the phone before the discount. we paid 50 bux + 23 tax each for the phone. more than what i wanted and expected but you'll fall in love with this phone wen you hold it in your hands.

as for the plan itself, pacbell just introduced a new plan. normally with say the personal choice 120 plan, which is 120 peak time minutes and you get to choose either 1000 off-peak minutes/free LD, OR free mobile to mobile, instead now they give the first 3 months free for both. after 3 months then you call pacbell and pick which one you want to keep but if you decide to keep both, then you get charged $9.99.

and oh yeah, the voice dialing option owns too bad it can't recognize your voice without pressing a button first but o wells.

p.s. gather a group of friends who wants to get in and goto an asian place. they are more willing to give group discounts and throw in extras.

 

[Pete]

sparks, you mind giving me more info on where to find an 8260/8290 for cheap in NYC? E-mail or reply, I'd be grateful. I'm looking for a cell phone, and this is the model I want, but I don't want to spend more than ~$50 on a phone since they become obsolete so quickly.

 

[tran1981]

LA always have better phone deals than bay area. Up here phone is expensive but Pac Bell gives free unlimited long distance and 1000 off peak with 250 peak for $40. Free roaming in CA & NV. Pac Bell services up here is really bad so I am sticking with Cellone and Cellone is TDMA. I really like this phone so I upgrade from 6160 by paying $200 for 8260 unactivated. Anyone knows where to get this phone cheaper unactivated?

 

[k1DhYpe]

Do you have to activate the phone to get the $119 price at 1800mobiles.com

 

[culex]

I have the 8290 and its great.

Anyone know where I can buy some faceplates for 8290 cheap? Nokia sells em for 30 bucks each... which I think is overkill.

If local stores are my only choice, I live in Los Angeles.

Thanks.

 

[tran1981]

Yes, the price is for the phone is with activation of att service. CDW.com seems to have $199 for the phone without activation. Any better deals without activation?

 

[FMann]

My personal experience in the NYC area is that in general, AT&T reception is not so hot and the internal antenna of the 8260 doesn't help it out either. AT&T has nice plans, but for those living in NYC, Verizon and MCI (which resells Verizon) have the best reception overall in all the boroughs.

 

[goodoptics]

I hear you, tran1981.

I know it's kind of off topic here but I'd really like to ask the following:
Is there anybody on this board aware that Pac Bell will give you $150 credits towards a new phone upgrade once your current contract is up?

 

[sparks]

If you goto chinatown or flushing you should find that almost all the phone dealers are offering the 8200 series phone for free with 1 year contract.

 

[SupermanCK]

btw, if you guys haven't read the fine print on the $50 rebate, it clearly said you have to sign up for AT&T.

 

[Hoeboy]

rule of thumb is GOTO AN ASIAN DEALER. they will always be the one who are more willing to give you guys a deal and cut you slack. and if you bring a lot of people, they will even cut you more slack. but keep in mind nothing comes easy. they will try to throw in something to cut their lost. like as i posted earlier, they charged me 23 dollars tax for the phone discounted at $50. even if they charge tax on the original price of $199, it still does not come to $23 but like i said, they'll get you somewhere. but overall its still a better deal than buying it from a real pacbell/AT&T/etc store. if you know someone who got a mouth for bargaining, that would help too

 

[Henry Kuo]

I believe 8260 and 8290 are just the same, but diff model number by different company. if you join ATT, it is 8260. But if you join pac bell, it is 8290. I am not 100% sure, but here in LA if you join pac bell, you get 8290, so that's definitely not GSM

 

[cgclausen]

The 8290 IS GSM