Kent German,
Senior Editor
June 17, 2009
Though no one loves cell phone contracts, signing one can knock a lot of money off the price of your phone. These service rebates can be enough to make a messaging phone affordable or make a simple phone free. CNET has picked a few cheap cell phones that, as of this writing, will be easy on your wallet. Some come with service rebates, but others come with additional online discounts.
If you're a messaging addict, the Samsung Magnet and LG Neon have full alphabetic keyboards. The Magnet ($19) takes a minimalist design approach, while the Neon ($29) has a stylized look. Verizon customers can choose between the Verizon CDM-8950 and the Samsung Trance. Both are free with service. The CDM-8950 doesn't offer much to talk about, but it succeeds at making calls. On the other hand, the Trance is one of our favorite music phones. Last up is the Motorola Renew W233 for T-Mobile, which packs satisfying call quality and fantastic battery life into an earth-friendly design.
| Product name | |||||
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| Price | $19.99 | $29.99 to $299.99 | $0.00 | $79.99 to $299.99 | $29.99 |
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| Review date | May 14, 2009 | June 11, 2009 | May 05, 2009 | April 28, 2009 | February 03, 2009 |
| The Bottom Line | For AT&T customers looking for a basic messaging phone, the Samsung Magnet delivers with a slim QWERTY design and affordable price tag. | Despite a few quirks, the LG Neon is a good simple messaging phone from AT&T. | Though it doesn't look like much, the Verizon Wireless CDM8950's multimedia features and free price tag provide unbeatable bang for the buck. | The Samsung Trance is a great MP3 phone that combines excellent audio quality in a slim and attractive package. | The Motorola Renew W233 is more than just a green device; it's also a decent phone. |
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| Features | |||||
| Cellular technology | GSM | GSM | CDMA2000 1X | CDMA2000 1X | GSM |
| Weight | 3.1 oz | 3.8 oz | 3.2 oz | 3.5 oz | 2.9 oz |
| Talk time | 300 min | Up to 180 min | Up to 280 min | Up to 270 min | 540 min |
| Service Provider | AT&T | AT&T | Verizon Wireless | Verizon Wireless | T-Mobile |
| Band / mode | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) | GSM 850/1800/1900 (Tri-Band) | CDMA 800/1900 | CDMA 800/1900 (Dual Band) | GSM 850/1900 (Dual Band) |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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