Hasta La Gadget!

It was just a few days ago when the Firefox OS handset from ZTE was released in the US for $80 a pop, and here we are with word that the device has sold out in its entirety – at least for the initial stock, over the weekend. Of course, this does not mean that there are millions of the devices already out there in the market since under 2,000 units were sold worldwide, but it is a start nonetheless. In fact, the rather unusual step of seeing this ZTE Firefox OS phone being made available as an exclusive device over eBay in the US did not deter prospective buyers, where all 985 handsets were sold out in the US, and 990 units moved in the UK.

Just to refresh our memories, the Firefox OS phone from ZTE is an unlocked device that comes with a 114mm x 62mm x 12.5mm chassis, where it will boast of a 3.5-inch HVGA (480 x 320 pixel) display, 256MB RAM, 512MB of internal memory, a 1,200mAh battery and a 3.2-megapixel camera at the back, accompanied by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity with A-GPS support. The operating system of choice? Firefox OS, of course. Were you one of those who picked it up?

ZTE Firefox OS Phone Sold Out Over The Weekend original content from Ubergizmo.

Electronic Arts is not a publisher that most people have always been happy with, but this does not mean that they have not rolled out some pretty good games in the past. In fact, we are rather pleased to hear that Electronic Arts (EA in short) has just introduced the Origin Great Game Guarantee, where one is allowed to return a game for a full refund – as long as it falls within selected guidelines, of course. Having already launched the Humble Origin Bundle last week, the Origin Great Game Guarantee is something that ought to whet most peoples’ appetites – in a nutshell, you are able to return just about any full game download on the PC or Mac for a full refund.

Yes, EA intends to be serious about this commitment, but one of the conditions would be this – games will have to be returned within 24 hours of its initial launch, or within seven days from the initial purchase, or within seven days of the game’s release date if you happen to have placed a pre-order. The condition that is met first will be the deciding factor to prevent any potential misunderstandings, and it is a move that has rarely involved digital game purchases. Do you like what EA has announced?

EA Introduces Origin Great Game Guarantee original content from Ubergizmo.

Russia has been working tirelessly to modernize its military might and has already revealed some seriously intimidating firepower over the past few years. Now they’re working to replace the devastating Mi-24 HIND with something even more terrifying armament—Russia’s version of the AH-64 Apache, the Mi-28 Night Hunter.

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No one makes a more flexible, more adaptable, more articulated camera tripod than Joby with its Gorillapod line. But the latest addition, the incredibly compact MPod Mini, is actually specifically designed to hold your smartphone for hands-free skyping, movie watching, reading, or other prolonged activities.

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Reports suggest that Apple will introduce a cheaper plastic-bodied iPhone 5C on September 10. The 4-inch phone will supposedly replace the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S in the product lineup. While the company will certainly gain market share in the lower-end spectrum of the smartphone market in the U.S., it’s just a side effect. The new model is the perfect iPhone for the rest of the world. In many countries, carriers are switching to unsubsidized, SIM-only plans and the iPhone is too expensive for regular people.

U.S. carriers are the exception, not the rule. AT&T, Verizon and Sprint won’t bill you less if you bring your own phone. It used to be the same for Canada but is slowly changing. But in Europe, you can choose between a standard subsidized plan and a much cheaper SIM-only plan. For example, in France, you get unlimited talk, text and data (with a speed reduction after 3GB) for $25 per month (€19.90). The only downside is that you have to pay full price for your phone.

The same thing is true for the U.K., our own Natasha Lomas currently pays $23 (£15) for unlimited data. And you can switch carriers whenever you want. T-Mobile is trying to bring the same experience to the U.S., but its prices don’t come close to what European carriers provide.

Would you pay $900 upfront for a 16GB iPhone 5?

The European market shift happened a few years ago. Instead of seducing customers with cheap subsidized phones, young and scrappy carriers like Free chose to lure customers away from expensive plans, and it worked. These new plans weren’t just marginally cheaper, they were one-half to one-third the cost. Now, there’s no coming back. Unsubsidized plans will only get more popular every year. In France, they now represent 39 percent of the phone subscriber base — with 74.8 million active SIM cards, it isn’t a small market.

Yet, would you pay $900 (€679) upfront for a 16GB iPhone 5? If you do the maths, it is much cheaper than switching back to a subsidized plan. Moreover, most people don’t want to see expensive bills again on their bank statements. The only option now is to swallow the $900 pill or pick another phone. It’s hard to convince yourself that you need the latest iPhone if you only check your emails and Facebook and take some Instagram pictures. Most people don’t read gadget blogs, they just want an Internet-enabled phone.

These days, most customers have to choose between an old iPhone 4 or 4S and an Android phone. You can buy a Galaxy S4 for $665 (€497). It’s not cheap, but it’s still nearly $250 cheaper than an iPhone 5. Just seeing the 3.5-inch screen of the iPhone 4S in a store should convince you to get a phone with Android, Windows Phone, Or BlackBerry 10.

Apple will be prepared to face the unavoidable shift to unsubsidized plans.

Releasing a cheap iPhone that is competitive with popular Android phones, has a bigger screen than the iPhone 4S display and is considered as “new” by everyone is the right strategy for Apple. The company will regain market share in Europe and will be prepared to face the unavoidable shift to unsubsidized plans.

But Europe is only part of the story. While it is still the second market behind North America, China is the indisputable third market for Apple. The gold iPhone 5S will do well on the Chinese market, but many customers would rather pay less for their phones. That’s why the iPhone 4 and 4S are a lot more popular in China than in the U.S. The iPhone 4 currently costs $500 in Chinese Apple stores. They hurt the margin and the bottom line as production costs remain high — Apple still uses glass and aluminum. A plastic-bodied phone will lower production costs.

The iPhone 5C could be $200 or $300 cheaper than the iPhone 5S, but the key element of the 5C is that it’s a new phone. Apple wants to play the market share game again by exploring new market segments, just like it did with the iPod mini and nano, or the iPad mini. But it all comes down to perception. Why should I buy this phone instead of this one? Here’s what Apple wants you to think: it’s an iPhone, it’s the same price as these other phones, and it’s new.