Buy a Smartphone and Get Cash

Years ago, only basic cell phones qualify for cashback/rebate offers to help lessen the pain of 1 or 2 year contract. The limited smartphones offerings back then almost always sell for full price at premium. The times have changed my friend. We are now in a very competitive pricing war amongst the best of breeds in smartphones. Hard to believe even Palm has gotten off its high horse and begin to offer rebates.

Amazon.com has the following offers where you'll receive cashback for getting a cool smartphone, up to $100!

BlackBerry 8100 Sapphire Pearl myFaves Phone (T-Mobile) -$100 Cashback
Motorola Q Phone (Sprint) -$100 Cashback
BlackBerry 8310 Curve Titanium Smartphone (AT&T) -$75 Cashback
BlackBerry 8310 Curve Red Smartphone (AT&T) -$75 Cashback
T-Mobile Dash myFaves Smartphone (T-Mobile) -$50 Cashback
Nokia 5300 XpressMusic myFaves Black Phone (T-Mobile) -$50
Nokia 5300 XpressMusic myFaves Lilac Phone (T-Mobile) -$50
palm Treo 680 Smartphone (AT&T) -$25
palm Treo 680 Crimson Smartphone (AT&T) -$25

TMobile Unlimited Data Plan $5.99

I must have been living in a cave or something, apparently, there is a famous hack for Tmobile customers to sign up for a $5.99 unlimited data WAP/T-Zone plan and turn it into the full-on internet package ($19.99 value) allowing full HTTP/HTTPS and IM access.

Simply Google the phrase "Tmobile $5.99 Tzone Hack", you'll find plenty of references. Apparently, folks with various HTC smartphones (ie. Tmobile Wing, Tmobile Dash) and jailbroken iPhones have been taking advantage of this. Hackszine has a coverage of this and a couple of links for the instruction for iPhone.

I have always believed the current cost of mobile data is too expensive and one day, unlimited mobile data plan will be in the range of $5-10. Some carriers are currently charging upwards of $35-40 which is ridiculous. Apple iPhone Data Plan ($19.99), AT&T MediaMax 200 ($19.99) and T-Mobile's unlimited internet plan ($19.99) are leading the way to lower monthly charges, but I see some ways to go before mass-public can afford to be more engaged in the mobile convergence. This is the second time I've noticed about Tmobile's advance thinking on data charge strategy, I've written about their $9.99 unlimited email plans once.