LG EnV Touch goes on pre-sale at Best Buy

Best Buy is now taking pre-orders for the LG EnV Touch, which is headed to Verizon Wireless, with a $50 deposit, though the final retail price is not known yet. However, it is a good guess that VZW will probably sell it for around $200 with 2-year contract. As far as the launch goes, while VZW has not yet announced the launch date, it is rumored to be June 5th. In case you are interested in this phone, here are the specs for it again:

• Dual WVGA screen with a full QWERTY keyboard.
• Full touchscreen on the front.
•  3.2 Mpxl camera with autofocus with Schneider Kreuznach lens
• Stereo speakers
• Micro-SDHC card slot which can work with 16GB cards.

 [Via Unwired View]

Best Buy offers iPhone on the cheap

Listen up, you Best Buy Rewards Zone and Silver Premier members, if you have a hankering for the iPhone 3G, mosey over to the nearest Best Buy store, flash your card and get $50 if you are Rewards Zone member or $100 if you a Silver Premier member.  Of course there are catches to this: First, you have to be enrolled in the membership programs before Feb 21st. Second, you still have to sign up for 2-year contract with AT&T to get the iPhone for as low as $99 bucks.  

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Will Palm Pre be a Best Buy exclusive?

Rumors has it that Best Buy will launch Pre exclusively other than Sprint for the first 60 days. While this is not confirmed, this could be quite a scoop for Best Buy given the hype around the Pre.

Best Buy to now sell Blackberry Storm starting November 23rd

Originally Best Buy had indicated that it would be selling Blackberry Storm starting November 16th. Unfortunately for them, Verizon Wireless and RIM decided to launch the Storm on November 21st. Consequently, Best Buy will now start selling the Storm in their stores on November 23rd. On the positive side of it, they will be able set up the Verizon contracts for you in the store, so you won’t have to shell out $599 to purchase. You can get it for $199 with 2-year contract.

T-Mobile might launch Samsung M8800

Some time back, we had reviewed the Samsung M8800 code named Pixon. According to rumors floating out on the internet, T-Mobile and Samsumg might be getting ready to launch the M8800 Pixon smartphone under the name T929 Leica. This 8 Mpxl behemoth is really a smart-camera with phone functionality added to it. Best Buy already seems to have the battery for it.

[Via Boy Genius Report, CellphoneSignals]

Best Buy to sell Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X1a

Rumor has it that Best Buy is getting ready to launch the Sony Ericsson’s much-talked-about, Windows Mobile-based smartphone, the Xperia X1. According to Boy Genius Report, the phone will start selling next month and will cost $799. This phone is unlocked, so you could take it to any carrier of your choice so long as it supports UMTS/HSPDA. So, you could potential use it on T-Mobile and AT&T.

Verizon Blackberry Pricing and Best Buy ready to take pre-orders?

Update: Best Buy is taking pre-orders in the stores starting today. You have to go the store, they will not take it online. Though, be warned that neither the launch date nor the price have been announced yet.

A few days back, Verizon Wireless launched its scavenger hunt in New York for the Blackberry Launch. As part of the official rules of the contest, it has hinted at the possible pricing of Blackberry Storm. According to the fine print, the approximate retail value of a Blackberry Storm 9500 along with a $50 gift card is $549. In other words, the Storm costs $499. If that is the case, then I would expect the phone will cost less with 2-year contract, maybe even $100-$199.

In another news, Best Buy is reportedly taking pre-orders for the Blackberry Storm starting tomorrow with $50 deposit. According to Engadget Mobile, this has been confirmed in only one store. No official release has been put out yet.

[Via Boy Genius Report and Engadget Mobile]

Best Buy now selling Nokia N96

Best Buy has begun selling the N96, the flagship N series phone from Nokia. This is a dual slider phone with a large 2.8 inches display, 16GB of memory and 5Mpxl camera.  You can read more about this phone here and here. If you have your heart set on this phone, be ready for the sticker shock. Boy Genius Report is saying that the Best Buy is selling the device for $799 in the store. However, online, Best Buy is selling it at $899.99 and is on back order.

 

Verizon announces launch events for Blackberry Storm

Verizon Wireless has scheduled launch events for Blackberry Storm starting in late October all the way through a week before Black Friday. A few blogs think that this could mean delayed launch. I have to agree given that the Verizon Wireless rep said so the other day. However, I believe this is their marketing effort to ensure robust sales during the holiday season. Here is why I say that: First, looking at the cities where the launch events are being held, these are all in midwestern states. Second, if that was the case, why would they launch their marketing campaign more than a month in advance. Not to mention, Best Buy reportedly shows the Storm available November 16th (that may well change). Finally, RIM cannot afford to delay the launch of this phone. Because, if RIM blows the launch for the Storm, like it has done with the Bold, it will lose much more than market share. They better start getting the company in shape for acquisition if that happens.

Blackberry Storm to hit Best Buy on November 16

It appears that Best Buy is preparing for a slew of phones to be launched in late October through Mid November according to Boy Genius Report. They are still showing the Blackberry Bold to be launched by AT&T sometime in October, though the exact date is unknown. Best Buy will have the HTC Touch Pro on the Sprint Network on October 26th alongwith the Blackberry Pearl Flip on the T-Mobile network. However, the biggest news has to be that they will have the Blackberry Storm on the Verizon Wireless network on November 16th, just 10 days before the holiday shopping season officially starts. This gives good credence to the phone itself launching on the Verizon Network in November before launch at Best Buy. However, I think that Verizon Wireless might launch before November 7th, maybe even October 30st (launch party in NYC) or November 1st.