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Preorder the Nokia Lumia 900 on Amazon for just a penny

Summary: The Lumia 900 is priced aggressively at $99.99 on AT&T, but you can find better deals online. I just preordered a cyan one for just a penny over at Amazon.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

I put together my Top 10 Smartphones to Kick Off 2012 article last week and after 665 votes, the Lumia 900 is leading with 217 votes or 33%. I admit I was a bit surprised since Windows Phone isn't really selling like hotcakes, even though it is my personal preferred platform. I then heard the Lumia 900 was available for preorder and couldn't help myself when I found it on Amazon for just 1 penny. It is already at a compelling price of $99.99 on AT&T, but for a penny I just couldn't help myself.

I regularly pay $700+ for SIM unlocked phones and getting the Lumia 900 for a penny with a monthly service plan of about $80 (minimum voice and 3GB data) means I can use the Lumia for 9 months for essentially the same price I would have paid just for a phone without any service. This looks to be the best Windows Phone device available and as a fan of the platform I figured it would be a good idea to finally have the best device. I will now have the Lumia 900 on AT&T, the iPhone 4S on Verizon, and the Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile so you can't say I am not giving the top platforms a fair chance :)

We regularly see smartphones drop to a penny on Amazon, but it usually takes a few months. The Lumia 900 isn't even available yet and it is already just a penny. I know the initial cost of the phone isn't the major cost to think about when you have a new 2-year contract, but when you see other LTE phones coming out at $250 to $350 this is a heck of a deal. Did any other readers pre-order a Nokia Lumia 900?

Topics: Amazon, Mobility, Nokia, Telcos

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20 comments
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  • Still a sucker?

    Repeat after me:

    The cost of the phone is amortized and blended in with the monthly contract payments. It is NOT one cent.

    $80/month is close to two grand over the life of the contract, and you get excited over a $100 discount?

    Get real
    D.T.Long
    Reply Vote

    • How so?

      How does getting one of the top two WP's for basically free make someone a sucker? Do you pay less per month for the iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phones? Saving $2-300 up front doesn't qualify, in my book, as being duped. Now, if you're like me, paying $25 a month with unlimited 3G with Virgin Mobile USA, then your point starts to make some sense.
      jjworleyeoe
      Reply Vote

      • The Lumia 900 cannot be upgraded

        How does it make someone a sucker? I'll tell you.

        Apart from the fact you pay close to 2 grand (as D.T.Long said above), this handset cannot be upgraded.

        Microsoft is ditching Windows Phone 7.x soon, which is based on the Windows CE kernel. It will soon move to Windows 8 "Apollo", based on the desktop Windows 8 kernel. All current Windows Phones (including the Nokia 900) will miss out, and cannot be upgraded to the upcoming Apollo.
        Vbitrate
        Reply Vote

      • @gjafg

        @gjafg, you have no idea what you are talking about.
        Sumbich
        Reply Vote

      • Re: The Lumia 900 cannot be upgraded

        That is my understanding, as well, @Sumbich's content-free rudeness notwithstanding.
        pegdashfab
        Reply Vote

    • Here is a simple fact ....

      Regardless of you getting the discounted model or paying full price for it YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE $80 A MONTH. There is no discount for using your own phone.

      So the question is, take advantage of the offer or pay more in the long run. By law you get 30 days to try-out the phone and carrier ... enough time to find out the quality of the service in your area and like/dislike the phone. Most people NEVER change their carrier, so a contract is not that much of a problem.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

    • Yes, but I can also pay the ETF and still do fine

      I figure I can also use the phone on AT&T for 3-4 months and then cancel it if I want and figure the ETF fee of $325 is still cheaper than buying the phone outright. I have been thinking of getting an AT&T account so I can try out more phones too since very few Windows Phones come to T-Mobile.

      The U.S. consumer finds these subsidized prices very important and are not giving it the full look like you and I do. Remember though that you do get service for 2 years for the two grand as well so it isn't all just smoke and mirrors.
      palmsolo (aka Matthew Miller)
      Reply Vote

      • iphone contract

        I'm about to end my iPhone contract, and this ends up being dramatically cheaper than extending my iPhone contract at the end of next month. Great April Fool's gift.
        Douglascrets
        Reply Vote

  • Not a deal unless you don't already have a phone

    If you don't have a data phone, thousands of dollars in monthly service charges may seem a moot point. However, if you don't currently have a data phone, maybe you don't really need one. Even that ETF penalty payment is money I could use for other purposes.
    mistercatworks@...
    Reply Vote

  • I bought this

    I work for Microsoft and during my interviews to get the job, someone showed me the European version of this phone just out of the box. I was amazed at it, so I made a mental note to get one. I have just bought the phone in the US for a penny, and got the $80 service contract. I think it's a steal. Great phone. Lovely handling.
    Douglascrets
    Reply Vote

    • At least you admit

      Your opinion is highly biased. So you're ahead of the rests of the Minions of Microsoft fanboys.
      Jumpin Jack Flash
      Reply Vote

      • Yes experience is worth so much less that biased speculation

        It really doesn't require you to join a cult. Windows Phones offer the best UI and the easiest use which is readily apparent to the people who actually use them. They are also demonstrably slicker and faster on single processors than any version of Android on multi processors as well as not requiring re-booting every few days or recharging every day. As for the dated, heavy, chunky iPhone, that's the beauty of choice, you can pay more for less ;-)
        tonymcs@...
        Reply Vote

      • Where did that rant come from?

        tonymcs@ Where dis your nonsensical "Windows (Phone7) is great, and everything else sucks" rant come from? Is it because I gave the poster props fro being honest about his bias? I have been honest, and quite clear in my opinion of the whole "Metro" UI (I hate it). WP 7 devices do not appeal to me, and that's just fine with the rational people. I see the Lumia phones as being disposable "burner phones". They're not upgradeable at all, no replaceable battery, no SD Card slot, and no way for the end user to open them up. All if those were reasons listed as why person's like yourself listed as reasons you would "Never buy an iphone". So while that was your excuse for saying Apple sucks, why isn't it the reason Nokia sucks?
        Jumpin Jack Flash
        Reply Vote

      • Where did that rant come from?

        jumpin Jack Flash@
        Hey you're right. iPhone does have all those faults too. Not to mention even a few more! But what you've successfully failed to note is that you can get a Nokia with all the same faults for $400-$500 less!

        If that makes the Lumina a burner phone, what does that make an iPhoney?
        My condolences;
        jmk-nbsc
        nbsc@...
        Reply Vote

  • Desperation time

    This is Nokia's top-end phone, sold for a penny. No doubt they aren't going to sell many of the lower end models.

    Will it run Apollo, coming in six months? It is not promised. You have to believe they know one way or the other by now, so not saying is the same as...
    symbolset
    Reply Vote

    • Doesn't matter one bit.

      The faithful will pay the ETFs/ pay full price for the next WP "X" phone, because the "believe". I could end up being a dog like Windows Me, Vista, etc, and it will not matter one bit. These Zealots will mortgage their trailers just to hold the newest piece of "Goodness " from Microsoft (Apple, Google, etc.).
      Jumpin Jack Flash
      Reply Vote

      • Given that how WP7 has sold, I guess the zealots are in the micro minority

        FACT: After 1.5 years, even combining all the WP7 phone models the brand hasn't sold enough devices to match a single opening weekend sale of the iPhone. I think it finally managed to sell enough for a 1 day sale.
        wackoae
        Reply Vote

      • WP7 hasn't had any phones to sell since its release 1.5 years ago

        wackose: WP7 may have been available 1.5 years ago, but guess what? There weren't any phones 1.5 years ago... they had one whole phone available in the fall and the Nokia 710 only became available at TMObile in December.
        krustykanuck
        Reply Vote

  • Pre-ordered it last week from AT&T

    Wow - had no idea you can pre-order from Amazon for a penny, but I managed to pre-order mine from AT&T last week. Having used iToy and currently a Samsung Galaxy user, I am looking forward to see and experience the new platform. A personal test for me would be the keyboard (I still have my Blackberry Bold for dedicated email because of the keyboard) and how fast and accuratly I can type on it. Other consideration - whether I can play my music in the car, using only one hand (I can with the 'berry but not with any other touch device). Apart from the couple of games which I know are available for the Windows phone and some social apps (twitter, facebook), I don't think I'll miss my other devices much but that remains to be seen.
    lnf001
    Reply Vote

  • No free Nokia 900

    There's no 1 cent phone on Amazon. Lowest price is 49.99, though still not a bad deal
    grs_z
    Reply Vote
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