HTC Wildfire S is T-Mobile's new budget smartphone, coming August 3

As more 4G smartphones enter the marketplace, 3G handsets are increasingly being priced in the $100 range and offering better bang for your buck. T-Mobile's upcoming HTC Wildfire S is an example: it can be had for $79.99 after a $50 rebate (original price $130) with a two-year contract when it goes on sale August 3.

But don't judge the phone by its price tag because the Wildfire S offers some respectable specs. While it doesn't have the biggest or highest-resolution multi-touch display at 3.2" (320 X 480), it is a 3G phone that offers Android Gingerbread (2.3) and the HTC Sense UI on a 600 MHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM and 512 MB of internal storage, as well as Gorilla Glass to protect the touchscreen. While its storage capacity is tiny, it does come with a microSD card slot so it is expandable up to 32 GB of apps and your photos and videos, which you can capture using the built-in 5-megapixel camera and camcorder.

The Wildfire S is by no means an iPhone 4 challenger but it would make a solid first smartphone for students or people upgrading from a feature phone. With T-Mobile's new Value service plans (including unlimited data) kicking in July 24, you may get quite a deal on this phone. It will be available in white when purchased from T-Mobile (in stores and online), and in black from Sam's Club.

[Source: GSM Arena]