Samsung Galaxy S8 for $574, S8+ for $674, Note 8 for $800

If you are not already waiting in line for the new Samsung Galaxy S9, there are sales on the current S8 duo. The S8 goes $574 in new condition, unlocked, with USA warranty by Amazon itself (limit 2) and at B&H Photo.

In a parallel sale, the larger S8+ goes for $674 in new condition, unlocked, with USA warranty at B&H Photo and by Amazon itself (limit 2).

Meanwhile the Galaxy Note 8 (unlocked, USA warranty) has upticked from $780 to $800 at Amazon itself and B&H Photo.

At both places, if you are surfing around the listings, make sure you are looking at the North American variant (if that’s the one you want).

(ENDED) Essential Phone + 360 Camera for $399

This offer expired…
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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (USA Warranty, Unlocked) for $780

SURPRISE! The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a big sale, the Midnight Black color scheme goes for $780 while the Orchid Gray goes for $800. These are new condition, with USA warranty, unlocked, no contract, sold & shipped by Amazon itself with up to two per color per customer! This is not a lightning deal… UPDATE: Both colors go for $780 at B&H Photo. Make sure you are buying the “North American” variant because their listing has International models too…

(ENDED) Huawei sale: Mate 9 (Leica Dual Camera) + Band 2 Activity Tracker for $399

This deal du jour expired…

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Cameraphone Deals: Note 8 for $908, Essential back to $450, Moto G5 Plus (2/32) for $170

The cameras in smartphones keep getting better and better, they are no longer an afterthought or a marketing gimmick to lure consumers in with a bigger than the competitor megapixel number. Newer models are climbing all over each other in the DxoMark rankings. (as usual, it should go without saying, the Dxomark measurement are only one part of the equation, benchmarks are never the whole answer).

The Orchid Gray version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is now down to $908~ at Amazon by Amazon itself. That’s the lowest I’ve seen it there for the US warranty, US unlocked version.

Meanwhile the Essential Phone by Android’s Andy Rubin is down to $450 again in either color scheme.

Cutting the price even further, you can get the new condition Motorola Moto G5 Plus in the 2/32 configuration (2GB RAM, 32GB storage) for $170 at Costco (members only) and by Amazon itself (limit 3 per customer). This creates an oddball situation at Amazon where the model with Prime Ads actually costs more 🙂

Note that the 64GB version of the Moto G5 Plus has 4GB of RAM (instead of 2GB), that’s part of the price difference, sale or no sale. As with previous generations, these are “all carrier” phones, they work on all four major US carriers.

Pixel 2, Note 8: Buy 1 Get 1 Half-Off at VZW

Two of the top tier smartphones camera-wise are participating in an Android promotion at Verizon Wireless. It is a “Buy One, Get One for Half Off’ for the Pixel 2 or 2 XL, the Galaxy Note 8 or Samsung S8 or S8+, the Moto Z2 Force, the ASUS Zenfone AR, and more.

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL phones have a trade-in promotion on them as well, up to 50% off with qualifying trade.

As usual with cellphone carrier offers, make sure you read and understand all the terms, conditions and restrictions of their service. They have a long way to go to make their websites consumer-friendly.

In-Stock Now: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (Factory Unlocked USA version) for $950

Flagship time! Hide your wallets! The new condition factory-unlocked USA version with USA warranty of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 smartphone flagship with dual OIS back cameras, in the Orchid Gray color scheme, is, as of the time of writing, in-stock and ready to ship to your front door for $950 at Amazon by Amazon itself. The other color (“Midnight Black”) is only in-stock by 3rd-party sellers.

It is very important when buying phones at Amazon to pay attention to the seller of record and the listing, and also double-check to verify. It is chaos and disorder when it comes to the 3rd-party sellers over there 🙂

But that’s not all. If “Orchid Gray” is not your thing, and you are comfortable with International Variants (not the US model with US warranty but compatible with some GSM carriers – check carrier and frequencies before buying), the “Maple Gold” is in-stock for $950 at B&H Photo, while the “Midnight Black” goes for $1000. These are International versions!

The US versions are not yet in-stock at B&H Photo. B&H Photo will begin accepting orders again Saturday night, so they won’t sell out, giving you time to research the phones 🙂

Essential Phone drops to $500

The semi-modular (has a 360 degree camera optional accessory among others) Essential Phone is now down another $100 in the white color scheme, you can get it in new condition, factory unlocked, with USA warranty for $500 at Amazon by Amazon itself. This started out at $700. This is the brain child of Android creator Andy Rubin.

UPDATE: the Black Moon color scheme is now down to $500 as well…

Meanwhile the Galaxy Note 8 remains in the all-encompassing “TOOS” status.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (US version) TOOS at Amazon

The US version with US warranty, factory unlocked, of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 flagship smartphone with its dual OIS back cameras, in the Orchid Gray color scheme is now at the all-encompassing “Temporarily out of stock” status at Amazon, sold and shipped by Amazon itself. This is a step in the right direction (over Pre-Order status without a date) but still not a concrete date. But it’s getting there!

Meanwhile the B&H Photo listings remain in “New Item – Coming Soon” condition. Note that the B&H page has a mix of North American and International variants, so make sure you are looking at the correct model you are interested in.

Speaking of flagships, the Essential Phone is now down to $599 (from $699) in both color schemes, in the new condition factory unlocked with USA warranty model.

BANG FOR THE BUCK ALTERNATIVE

This if you want an uber flagship smartphone. If not, for the same price, you can buy 3-4 units of the Moto G5 Plus with “all carrier” support (the Big Four in the US market) for $240 with Prime Lockscreen Ads or for $300 Factory Unlocked. Note [no pun intended] that the $185/$235 model is with 2GB RAM / 32GB storage, while this $240/$300 model is with 4GB RAM / 64GB storage. The extra RAM is more important, especially if you plan on keeping/using the phone throughout its lifecycle, since apps get more and more bloated as time goes by (even if you don’t upgrade to a newer OS version).

Moto X4 with Prime Lockscreen Offers for $330

If you don’t want to pay Samsung and Apple and iGoogle nearly four figures for their latest flagships, but still want to get a solid smartphone, the fourth generation of the Moto X is rolling out for $400. But if you are a Prime member and don’t object to seeing Lockscreen Offers and Ads, Amazon is offering this model for $70 less, you can get the Lenovorola Moto X4 for $330 in either color scheme. Limit one per color per customer. It will come out October 26 (2017).

This is an all-carrier phone, it works with all four major US carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon), which will likely (other things equal) help with its resale value as long as most phones sold are not all-carrier phones.

Of photography interest, it has dual rear cameras and microSD slot and IP68 water resistant. With 3GB RAM and Snapdragon 630 and 32GB on-board and 5.2″ 1080p screen.

The LG V30 and V30+ are out!

LG’s approach to their flagship smartphone cameras has been bright lenses and wider than telephoto. Their new LG V30 and V30+ duo is now out in the US market with various options at various carriers. The unlocked versions are coming later in the year. As part of the launch, LG and Google have a special promotion through participating carriers that gets you a FREE Daydream View VR Headset and a second year warranty.

+ at Verizon Wireless, you get a $200 prepaid VISA gift card along with the Daydream
+ price is $840 outright or $35/month on a 24-month plan on approved credit with 0% APR

+ at T-Mobile the price is $800 or the equivalent with an installment plan
+ but they offer $500 back in a prepaid Mastercard if you buy TWO LG V30s when you add a line, pay with an Installment Plan and such. There’s also an optional offer for a free LG G Pad X2 tablet

+ at AT&T they offer it $27/mo on an installment plan OAC or $810 outright

+ at US Cellular they offer a $20/month on a 30-month installment plan or $800 outright

+ at Sprint they offer a 2-for-1 “Sprint Flex” offer with an installment plan and such. Note that “Sprint Flex” is a lease program, not a purchase program
+ Sprint offers the V30+ which has more on-board memory

The FREE Google DayDream promotion and second year warranty comes from LG and Google and is redeemed through the LG launch promotion page. The other offers are through each particular carrier.

As usual when dealing with carriers, make sure you understand all the terms, restrictions, traps, and conditions of their offers. They have a long way to go towards offering more transparent and consumer-friendly plans and services.

Pre-order new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones

The new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones crash-landed at the very top of the Dxomark Mobile Rankings with a score of 98, topping the camera modules of the latest iPhones and Galaxies [iPhone X not measured yet since it’s not released yet]. Check further down the DxoMark page if you want to see the bar-chart and pros/cons summary.

These new phones are now available for pre-ordering at the official Google Store and also at Project Fi and also at Verizon Wireless with an optional trade-in promotion up to $300.

Prices are $649 (64GB) and $749 (128GB) for the Pixel 2, and $850 (64GB) and $950 (128GB) for the Pixel 2 XL.

All of these early pre-orders qualify for a free “Google Home Mini” (the new donut shaped one, priced $49 brand new).

PS: speaking of smartphones, the previous generation Sony XZ (unlocked, USA warranty, 32GB) is on sale for $350 in two different colors by Amazon herself.

In-Stock Again: Essential Phone (Unlocked) for $699

It’s in-stock again in limited quantities, the new condition factory-unlocked with USA warranty, in the “Black Moon” color scheme of the Essential Phone by Andy Rubin, at its starting price of $699 at Amazon by Amazon itself. This has a dual camera, and a semi-modular system.

Kodak EKTRA Android Smartphone for $299

On the nostalgia front, the new condition factory-unlocked GSM Kodak EKTRA Android Smartphone is on sale for $299 with free shipping by Amazon itself and B&H Photo. This is a Mediatek device with 3GB RAM, 32GB on-board, 5″ 1080p screen, NFC, USB-C, etc.

Pre-order the new Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Per the Mobile OS Fairness Doctrine, having mentioned the new iPhones, we now have to mention the flagship Android phone with its dual OIS cameras, which, what a coincidence, is also available for pre-order!

FACTORY UNLOCKED

If you prefer factory unlocked, with USA warranty and no carrier strings attached, you can get it for $930 in two color options at B&H Photo and Amazon itself.

Samsung’s own store offers it both factory unlocked, and also in six carrier configurations (the Big Four, plus US Cellular and Comcast/Xfinity) for $930. They also have an optional $300 Trade-In Promotion of qualifying/eligible trade-in phones.

UPDATE: if you are a fan of eBay shopping, they have a variety of listings. Keep in mind, eBay is an open marketplace with all kinds of product conditions and authorized dealer status and international models and such, so be sure to scrutinize each listing before buying!

CARRIER OFFERS

Carriers have a variety of offers with their terms and conditions and restrictions and pitfalls, so be sure to read and understand them before jumping aboard a particular carrier…

There are also some promotions that get you free accessories with early pre-orders. Check each carrier’s various options for details.

AT&T offers a 30-month installment plan with 0% APR on approved credit and such, for $31.67 per month. They have an up to $300 trade-in promotion, fineprint buried at the bottom of that page.

T-Mobile offers an old fashioned “Buy One, Get One FREE” promotion, with their own set of prerequisites and requirements for the promotion.

SPRINT has a “Switch to Sprint” promotion that is $20 per month on the 18-month Sprint FLEX Lease program with monthly bill credits on approved credit, with their prerequisites and restrictions. Note that this is a lease promotion, not a purchase promotion.

Verizon Wireless has a Trade-IN promotion that gets you up to 50% off Galaxy Note 8 with select trade-ins and a monthly payment plan and with other requirements. The 50% off is reserved for ten models (S7*, S8*, iPhone 7*, Pixel XL, etc), while the 35% off is with previous previous generation flagships, and 25% off is three times previous generation models.

Pre-order iPhone 8 and Apple TV 4K and Watch 3

The first wave of the new products Apple revealed at their 9/12/17 presentation at the new UFO building are now available for pre-ordering. The iPhone X is not part of this round, pre-orders will open later in the year.

APPLE TV 4K

We start with the 4K Apple TV which is a simple “add to cart” purchase without complications. There is a 32GB model for $179 and a 64GB for $199 with pre-orders available at B&H Photo and Adorama and MacMall

APPLE WATCH SERIES 3

+ Apple Watch Series 3 for $359 (four options)
+ Apple Watch Series 3 with CELLULAR for $429 (seven options) unlocked at B&H Photo OR for $400 at Verizon Wireless (requirements)
+ more expensive options also available – check all 34 options

IPHONE 8 and 8 PLUS PROMOTIONS

Be sure to read all the terms and conditions for the carrier promotions, as each carrier has their own terminology and fineprint!

At Sprint, their Best Trade-IN offer is 50% off the price of an iPhone 8 or 8 PLUS with a string of prerequisites including Sprint FLEX, and eligible trade-in, with new line or qualifying upgrade, etc, etc. Check all the details there.

At AT&T Wireless they offer a 30-month 0% APR installment plan on approved credit with their own set of prerequisites.

At T-Mobile, everyone gets a giant splash of magenta for FREE 😉 They too have a trade in promotion with up to $300 in 24 bill credits with eligible trade-in and their own prerequisites. They actually created a readable FAQ on the Trade-In offer, which all carriers should be required to provide instead of hiding all the terms in tiny online fineprint and anachronistic terminology 🙂 [T-Mobile does this too, not just the other three, but in this case, the FAQ is a nice touch]

Verizon Wireless has a trade-in promotion for the iPhone 8 and also the iPhone 8 PLUS that gets you $100 or $200 or $300 depending on which phone you are trading in. Only specific models are eligible for the trade-in bonus:

MACBOOK SPECIALS

These were not announced this week, but since we have an Apple-centric post, this is a good place to post them…

+ Apple MacBook, iMac, Mini, iPad sales at B&H Photo

+ Sales and Price-Checks on the latest models at MacMall

+ MacMall Super Sale

+ Adorama Apple Sale as well with 21 participating products

(SOLD OUT) In-Stock Now: Essential Phone

As of a 9/12/17 PM recheck, the early inventory got scooped up and the phone is back in pre-ordering status…

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Huawei Honor 8 Unlocked for $259

If you are curious about dual-lens smartphones, and you are also looking for an unlocked 4G LTE new condition smartphone, the 32GB Huawei Honor 8 Unlocked with USA warranty in the blue or white color schemes is on sale for $259 at Amazon by Amazon itself. It has 4GB RAM, 32GB on-board, microSD slot, etc.

Keep in mind, IFA 2017 is just around the corner in Berlin [see Trade Show Calendar] with more Fall 2017 smartphones revealed in the next few weeks (Note 8, LG V30, Pixel 2, iPhones, etc).

Cameraphones: Huawei Honor 6X Dual Camera Unlocked (USA warranty) for $190

If you are looking to try out dual-camera smartphones that won’t break the bank or lock you into a particular carrier, the new condition Huawei Honor 6X Dual Camera Unlocked (USA warranty) is on sale for $190 with free shipping in your choice of silver, gold or gray.

The dual camera is a 12MP + 2MP rear camera, with 3GB RAM, dual SIM, 5.5″ 1080p, Nougat out of the box, etc. It averages 4.3 out of 5 based on 360 customer reviews and it has over 600 questions answered. It works on GSM networks only.

Thursday: refurbished Google Pixel for $405 to $455

If you are a fan of the cameras of the Google Pixel, and don’t want to wait for the late 2017 flagship phones to be revealed (including new iPhones, Pixel 2, Note 8, LG V30, etc), Woot is offering the refurbished Google Pixel phones (first generation) for $400 in the 5-inch model or $450 in the 5.5-inch model, along with $5 flat shipping. Limit three of each per customer. They come with a 90-day Woot warranty. Offer ends 1am ET on Friday or earlier if sold out.

Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S8 for $425 with Trade-IN or $575 without [add $100 for S8+]

Samsung too joined the dual camera party with the Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship introduction. And the prices are dropping. You can now get the Galaxy S8 phone in new condition, unlocked, with USA warranty and no carrier obligations for $575 at B&H Photo and the Samsung website. Make sure you are looking at the US variant if you are switching between colors and such.

On the other hand, if you have an older ex-flagship smartphone that are willing to part with, the samsung website has a $150 off trade-in promotion that would drop the price to $425. Only specific Samsung, iPhones, Pixels and LG phones are eligible for the trade-in promotion.

There is also a parallel promotion on the Galaxy S8+ going for $675 unlocked, or for $525 with a qualifying trade-in at the Samsung website.

PS: note also (yes, pun intended) that the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be revealed August 23 in 2017 but it’s likely going to be closer to four figures unlocked when it starts rolling out.

(ENDED) Unlocked HTC U11 Solar Red for $591 [USA warranty; no contract]

As of 4:13pm ET recheck, this sale is over…

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Pre-order new Nokia 6 Android phone for $230 (or $180 with Ads)

Once upon a time giants of communications, Motorola and Nokia had their soap-opera paths of mergers and acquisitions. The current incarnation of the HMD era of Nokia brand is launching Android smartphones, and the current leader of their pack is now available for pre-order with USA warranty in the US market!

The Nokia 6 is available for pre-order in three color schemes for $230 each at Amazon by Amazon itself. This is fully compatible with T-Mobile, and partially compatible with AT&T (missing a couple of bands – check phone websites/forums for complete details). This is as close to a pure Android phone as a 3rd-party maker can make with Google PLAY support. Perhaps trying to fill the void of good old Nexus getting shutdown by The Google.

This is not a flagship phone, but you get 3GB RAM, 32GB on-board storage, microSD card (up to 128GB), a 5.5-inch full HD touchscreen, Snapdragon 430 quad-core, Android 7.1 (how many phones offer this now?), etc.

On the other hand, if you want to pay $50 less, and you are comfortable with the way Amazon does their Sponsored Lockscreen Offers and Ads, Amazon is also offering a Lockscreen Ads version for $180 in two of the three colors. This is restricted to Prime members only, and it appears to have a limit of one per color per customer at the moment.

IF you are not a Prime member, but you want to get the Lockscreen Ads version, you can do it by becoming a Prime member. You will pay the full price of $230, but you will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card AFTER you become a paying Prime member (you get a 30-day free trial). The Details also note that if you return the phone or cancel your Prime membership within 3 months of purchase, they make charge you back for the $50 gift card). In other words, they are trying to prevent people from signing up just to buy the phone for $50 less and then cancelling 🙂

NOTE: as usual at Amazon, there are also listings of the international/imported versions of the phone. The Chinese version has 4GB RAM and 64GB on-board. If you are surfing around, make sure you are looking at the right version!

This has been around outside the US for a few months now, so you can find many reviews and opinions on it, such as this 9-pager from GSM Arena. Or jump to their conclusions if you don’t want to go through it all.

This is one of five new phones that joined the Amazon Prime line-up including the latest Motorola Moto E (4th gen), the Alcatel Idol 5S, and a couple more. It looks like “Blu” may be getting “punished” for their China “phone home” issue, as there are no new Blu phones added to the line-up?

LG G5 Unlocked (USA) with LG CAM Plus for $288 [no contract]

The modular LG G5 was not greeted as a liberator by the smartphone reviewer industrial complex, but of photography interest, this has a dedicated camera controls add-on module, and said module, the LG CAM Plus, is included for FREE with the LG G5 which in itself is on sale for $288 with free expedited shipping in the Titan color scheme, unlocked with US warranty, with no contractual/carrier obligations at B&H Photo. The other colors go for more and do not include the LG CAM Plus module.

Amazon itself also has it for $288 (limit three per customer) but does NOT include the LG CAM Plus for free.

ASUS ZenFone Zoom ZX551ML for $180

For a limited time, B&H Photo is offering the new condition factory-unlocked black color scheme of the ASUS ZenFone Zoom ZX551ML for $180 with free expedited shipping and a free 10050 mAh ASUS portable power bank. This has a 3x optical zoom (4-11mm f/2.7-4.8), GSM compatibility, 32GB on-board storage, 5.5″ 1080p LCD, etc… For more action, check their Featured Sales

Motorola Moto Z for $500 (Unlocked USA warranty)

If you want a factory unlocked smartphone with a USA warranty and GSM compatibility AND like the idea of having optional add-on modules (like the Hasselblad True Zoom camera), the Motorola Moto Z smartphone is on sale for $500 with free shipping at B&H Photo (with free B&H photo/video kit), and by Amazon itself.

On the other hand, if you want to pay a lot less AND want a phone that works with all four major US carriers, B&H Photo is offering the new condition 64GB Moto G4 PLUS with a free B&H photo/video kit for $220 with free shipping. This is available in black or white. The 64GB version also has 4GB of RAM, while the 16GB version has 2GB of RAM, so keep that in mind.

UPDATE: speaking of smartphones, the brand new HTC U11 with its 12mp Ultrapixels and a 90 DXoMark score is now available for pre-order at Amazon by Amazon itself.

In-Stock Now: Unlocked ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom for $329

Speaking of smartphones, the brand new factory unlocked ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom smartphone with 2.3x optical zoom is now in-stock and shipping by Amazon itself. It is powered by the Snapdragon S625, with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, microSD slot, 5.5″ touchscreen, dual SIM, 5000 mah battery (with reverse charging), etc.

Now shipping: Factory Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ flagships

If you much prefer to get the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ flagships factory unlocked, with Samsung USA warranty and in new condition, there are now in-stock and shipping in limited quantities at the Samsung USA website. The S8 goes for $725 while the S8+ goes for $825.

It is also available for purchase through Samsung Financing on 24-month installment plans with 0% APR on approved credit.

They are also shipping from B&H Photo. The S8 goes for $800 while the S8+ goes for $900.

NOTE that with previous models (eg Galaxy S7), Samsung did not prioritize updates for the unlocked phones. For example, the S7 only just now is getting Nougat (7.0, not even the latest).

ASUS ZenFone 3X Optical Zoom Smartphone with FREE Garmin Forerunner 25 GPS Running Watch for $200

Smartphones are embracing dual lenses but single-lens optical zoom remains a rarity. If you are interested in single-lens optical zoom smartphones,the ASUS ZenFone Zoom (ZX551ML, 32GB, Android, Unlocked, Black) comes with a 4-11mm f/2.7-4.8 optical zoom lens with Hoya OIS (28-84mm eq) is bundled with a FREE Garmin Forerunner 25 GPS Running Watch (Large, Black/Blue), all together going for $200 with free shipping at B&H Photo. This is a limited time offer (I do not know when it expires).

No coupon, no rebate. The free item will be included automatically while this offer is running. When the offer expires, you will not see the free Garmin mentioned on the page (see screenshot below). This is factory unlocked and works with compatible GSM carriers (check bands and forums and such). This is one of a few Intel Atom powered smartphones.

(ENDED) Thursday: SONY Xperia X Performance for $300; Thule; Etc

These daily deals expired but for more action, check their Featured Sales

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