Hasta La Gadget!

This week the T-Mobile iPhone 5 was revealed with a pricing structure closer to that of an automobile than what’s been common amongst smartphones over the past several years. While you pay just $99.99 USD initially, you then move forward with $20 payments for 24 months. Then your costs for data, voice, and text are separate (but still integrated into one bill in the end). Here’s the real breakdown, step by step.

The iPhone 5 will cost you different amounts depending on which carrier you buy it from – and depending on if you purchase it “off contract” or not. You also have what might appear to be three different kinds of purchases on your hands now:

1. On-contract (each of the top three mobile carriers in the USA with 2-year contracts)
2. Off-contract (paying one since price once in one lump sum with no contractual obligations)
3. T-Mobile

With your T-Mobile purchase, you’ll be paying $99.99 USD down for starters – that’s half the price (essentially) of the $199 you’ll pay if you’re purchasing the device with a 2-year contract with any of the top three mobile carriers in the USA.

1. $199 with subsidy costs built-in to your data/voice/text plan (you can’t see it, but it’s there).
2. $649 (we’ll stick to the 16GB version since T-Mobile is advertising that model as their hero with $99.99 down and so forth)
3. $579.99 ($99.99 down with $20 per month for 24 months)

So why would you want to purchase an off-contract iPhone 5 from Apple for $649 then have it working with T-Mobile data? You wouldn’t. That’s absurd. If you want to purchase an iPhone 5 to use with T-Mobile, you can do so cheaper by buying it from T-Mobile with their “Simple Choice Plan” structure (that’s what the hardware pricing plan T-Mobile is pushing is called).

Purchase an iPhone 5 with any carrier using a 2-year contract and you’ll be paying an amount of cash built-in to your monthly payment well past the time that T-Mobile would allow you to be finished. With T-Mobile, there’s a clear separation between your monthly bill for the hardware (that you’re paying off) and the mobile service. With every other carrier, you continue to pay for the hardware forever – or until you end your service.

T-Mobile iPhone 5: hardware pricing breakdown, step by step is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

HTC’s new flagship smartphone, the HTC One has already garnered a lot of attention and hype here in the United States. HTC President Jason Mackenzie stated that the early response to the HTC One has been fantastic, and that the device is receiving a lot more attention compared to any of the other devices the company has launched. He also stated that there were ‘several hundred thousand people in the U.S. pre-registering to purchase the new HTC One”.

Now its important to note that pre-registration is not the same as pre-orders, but its still a good sign for HTC. HTC is focusing 110% of its efforts in order to make the HTC One a success. It needs the device to do extremely well in the market place in order for the company to get out of its financial troubles. However, considering how well-received the HTC One was when it was announced, and how it is touted as the “most beautiful Android smartphone ever”, the HTC One should be a huge success.

In the same statement by Mackenzie, he states that HTC is currently arranging delivery dates with various carriers in the United States, as well as other retailers. He expects the phone to roll out in the United States, as well as most of Asia and Europe, by late April. The HTC One will be available in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan this week, much to the excitement of many consumers.

The HTC One is an amazing device. It has been praised by critics everywhere, and even skeptics changed their minds about HTC devices. The HTC One will feature a variety of great features, such as its new Ultrapixel and Zoe technology, Blinkfeed, Sense 5, as well as its beautifully designed body. Many consumers have stated that they are most likely going to get this device instead of the Samsung GALAXY S 4. If you’re still unsure if you want to purchase this device, you can check out our HTC One hands-on review and see if it’s the device for you.

[via Android Community]

HTC One pre-registrations in U.S. hit “several hundred thousand” mark is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It looks like T-Mobile’s version of the iPhone 5 will lack a feature that many T-Mobile subscribers love to take advantage of. At T-Mobile’s Uncarrier event today, it announced that its version of the iPhone 5 will not be supporting the carrier’s exclusive WiFi calling technology. While it may not be a deal breaker for many, especially since T-Mobile’s 4G LTE Network has just gone live, many others will be disappointed.

T-Mobile’s WiFi Calling is a lifesaver for many people, especially considering how T-Mobile doesn’t have the best network coverage around. If you have poor-to-no reception in your office, or at your friend’s home, or at a Starbucks, you can switch on your WiFi and use a nearby WiFi network as a coverage extender (for compatible phones). The service makes sure that you can get coverage indoors at all times.

While T-Mobile’s iPhone 5 won’t have support for WiFi calling, it will be the only iPhone 5 from any major carrier to offer HD Voice calling. The feature delivers crystal clear phone calls between two HD Voice compatible phones. Background noise will be reduced drastically and you’ll be experiencing calls as if the person you’re talking to is right next to you. With the iPhone 5′s LTE capabilities, as well as its 4G HSPA+ capabilities, you can be assured that you will be HD Voice-capable at all times.

T-Mobile now has LTE coverage in Phoenix, San Jose, Baltimore, Kansa City, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and Houston. You will be able to experience an average download speed of 25Mbps and an average upload speed of 8Mbps on T-Mobile’s LTE network. Some screenshots have shown, however, that T-Mobile’s LTE speeds can reach up to 60Mbps download speeds. To take advantage of T-Mobile’s new LTE network, you should check out the carrier’s new Simple Choice plans.

Have a peek at our full iPhone 5 review now and get ready for the full T-Mobile release soon!

T-Mobile iPhone 5 won’t support WiFi calling is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Today the iPhone has finally hit T-Mobile, complete with a unique plan that allows the company to compete with even the highest-powered carriers. With the iPhone 5, you’ll be able to pay $99.99 USD down and $20 per month for 24 months – that’s the price for the hardware itself. You’ll be paying a separate amount for service, but the hardware price is that one down price and 24 months of $20 until you pay the device off – simple enough?

The T-Mobile deal here is allowing you to stay away from a 2-year contract. You’ll also be able to pick up the iPhone 4S, that device coming with a $69.99 USD price with $20 USD for 24 months as well. The iPhone 4 will also be available for a shocking $14.00 down and $15 per month for 24 months.

This cost structure goes by the name “Simple Choice Plan”, and again, it stands aside from your data, voice, and text prices. Those prices are also detached from 2-year plans or even 1-year plans. If you want to pick up one of these devices, you’re making a payment plan for the hardware, and that’s it.

You’ll be able to pick up the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S in “select markets” – we’ll see how wide the release is soon. Meanwhile the iPhone 5 will be available nationwide starting at April 12th – that’s a Friday. You’ll be able to start pre-ordering the iPhone 5 starting on April 5th – online and in T-Mobile stores nationwide too – go for it! Also don’t forget that we’ve got a full iPhone 5 review right this minute for your perusal – let us know if you’re thinking about a T-Mobile iPhone 5 (or 4, or 4S) too!

iPhone 5 hits T-Mobile for $99 down is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

With the T-Mobile UNcarrier pricing list and details revealed one day early, the 4th-largest carrier in the country may very well be showing off not the plan, but the devices that’ll attach to the plan at their big event! March 26th is the day that we’re going to see the full show – that’s tomorrow or today, depending on when you’re having a peek at this post – but what we know before the fact is quite telling. Several FCC listings and the tease of several machines is what we’ve got right now.

LG Optimus G Pro

Though it’d be quite a scandal if the LG Optimus G Pro were released with T-Mobile before it hit AT&T, we can certainly cross our fingers that this monstrous beast will bestow its greatness on the big pink carrier this week. As it’s already prepared for work with AT&T radios via the FCC, T-Mobile’s technology may very well be pumped up and ready for action here as well.

Have a peek at our hands-on with the LG Optimus G Pro in a photo tour of Barcelona – through which you’ll learn one whole heck of a lot more data on the device!

Nokia Lumia 521

It should come as no surprise that the Nokia Lumia 521 would be chosen as one of the first devices to be unveiled here in the United States under these new carrier plans. This device was revealed at Mobile World Congress 2013 as one of several budget-minded smartphones working with Windows Phone 8 by Nokia, aiming for the everyman without sacrificing the high-quality craftsmanship and Nokia-way that comes with every Lumia device. You’ll find this device having hit the FCC this week.

Have a peek at our hands-on with the Lumia 520 – the original version (the international version) of the device we’ll be seeing here on T-Mobile as the 521. It’ll be essentially the same device with a few choice changes to the hardware build – expect it! Watch out for the slightly larger Lumia 720 as well.

BlackBerry Z10

Even though the BlackBerry Z10 was available to business customers with T-Mobile back on the 11th of March, it would still make a lot of sense for the company to give some hands-on time and another kick in the bootloader to this smartphone at this week’s event. Once it’s available to the general public, the stream of BlackBerry love can continue – and maybe it’ll even have 4G LTE connectivity. Can we dare to hope?

Have a peek at our BlackBerry Z10 review right this minute as it appears internationally and let us know if you’d jump on board if it were available to you from T-Mobile this week.

Lenovo IdeaTab A1000-F

Though it’s rather unlikely that a device that, according to Engadget, is passing through the FCC this week with Wifi only would be revealed by T-Mobile this week, it’s still possible. This machine is a 7-inch tablet we heard about earlier this year with not one whole heck of a lot of surprises inside, but a Q2 2013 release time on the books. Watch out for it one way or the other!

Have a peek at our hands-on with Lenovo’s A and S-Series tablets from Mobile World Congress 2013 as well. Keep in mind that T-Mobile has been carrying tablets for several years now – it may be time to go big as they go small!

iPhone 5

It may be that T-Mobile has finally signed a deal with Apple to get the iPhone on their shelves, but this is the least likely device of the collection here in this article. It’s much more likely that a carrier like T-Mobile would wait for Apple to reveal a new generation of device before they announce a partnership – especially with the new subsidy plans in the UNcarrier push.

Don’t forget the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy Note II, also – the Galaxy device was the first device to have T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network switched on while the HTC One has been guaranteed to see the carrier sooner than later! Remember – this T-Mobile event happens at 8AM PST tomorrow – that’s 10AM Central, and 11AM Eastern Standard Time. Don’t you dare miss it!

T-Mobile Uncarrier event: 5 devices they might reveal is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.