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With all of these high-end smartphones coming out, it's easy to get the impression that joining the smartphone revolution has an entry fee ranging anywhere from $200 to $500. And though there are plenty of awesome devices in that price range, not everyone can afford to spend that much on a handset, especially in this economy.
However, don't fret; bargains can be found. These six smartphones rock most (if not all) of the functionality that you'll find in some $500 devices, but they all do it for $100 or less. True, to get these prices, you'll have to sign up for a new contract, but even so, we think they're great values.
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| Product | Nokia E73 Mode (T-Mobile) | Palm Pre Plus (Verizon Wireless) | HTC Hero (Sprint) | Palm Pixi Plus (blue, AT&T) | BlackBerry Bold 9700 (T-Mobile) | LG Ally (Verizon Wireless) |
| Price | Get the E73 Mode for $49.99 w/plan | $89.24 | $69.99 | MSRP: $49.99 | $245.99 | MSRP: $99.99 |
| CNET editors' rating | 4 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Average user rating | 2.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3.5 stars | 3 stars |
| Release date | June 16, 2010 | Info unavailable | October 11, 2009 | June 6, 2010 | Info unavailable | May 13, 2010 |
| Bottom line | The Nokia E73 Mode is an outstanding value, offering T-Mobile customers a sleek and feature-packed messaging smartphone for a very affordable price. | The
Palm Pre Plus earns its place as the top WebOS device, improving on the Pre with a better design and performance, and upgraded features. Verizon customers looking for a versatile smartphone to balance their personal and work lives will be well-served by the Pre Plus. | While it could use a boost in the performance department, the HTC Hero is the most feature-packed Google
Android device to date, bringing some notable improvements and a highly customizable interface. | The Palm Pixi Plus isn't fancy or powerful, but it offers first-time smartphone buyers a nice range of features and ease of use at an affordable price. | The RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 brings T-Mobile its first 3G BlackBerry and improves on its predecessor with a sleeker design and more power. We only wish it had a better browser to complete the package. | With its solid design and great features, the LG Ally is an affordable and welcome addition to the
Android family. |
| Service Provider | T-Mobile | Verizon Wireless | Sprint Nextel | AT&T | T-Mobile | Verizon Wireless |
| Cellular technology | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | CDMA2000 1X | CDMA2000 1X | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | CDMA2000 1X |
| Band / mode | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 | CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 |
| Wireless Interface | Bluetooth 2.0 EDR IEEE 802.11b/g | IEEE 802.11b/g Bluetooth 2.1 EDR | IEEE 802.11b/g Bluetooth 2.1 EDR | IEEE 802.11b/g Bluetooth 2.1 EDR | IEEE 802.11b/g Bluetooth 2.1 EDR | IEEE 802.11 Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
| Weight | 4.5 oz | 4.9 oz | Info unavailable | 3.8 oz | 4.3 oz | 5.57 oz |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
| Buying choices |
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| MSRP: $49.99 See manufacturer website for availability. |
| MSRP: $99.99 See manufacturer website for availability. |
