Phones Deals, Sales, and News

We've posted many cell phone deals for Verizon, Cingular, and others but never a good phone for Sprint. LetsTalk.com has the LG LX550, also called the Fusic, for one cent profit with a new two-year contract with Sprint. The phone normally retails for $379. This phone features the same voice-command technology found on the Verizon LG phones making many features accessible. Among the long list of other features is a MicroSD card slot, MP3 player, FM transmitter, digital camera, Bluetooth, and EVDU support.

CircuitCity.com has the D-Link Vonage Phone Adapter for $49.99. With new service activation, use a mail-in rebate of $175 and receive $125.01 profit. It's one of the best deals we've seen for new Vonage service. Vonage is one of the largest providers of broadband telephone service. Rebate ends April 7.

Buy.com has the Belkin Wi-fi Phone for use with Skype for $149.99. With free shipping, it's the lowest price we've seen for this phone. It has preinstalled Skype software and works wherever you can find a wireless connection, including on most secure networks. As with other wireless Skype phones, we are unsure as to the accessibility of all features, but we suspect that you can make basic calls without assistance.

CircuitCity.com has the Logitech QuickCall USB Speakerphone for $29.99. This price is with free shipping and after two rebates totaling $70. This phone is compatible with many instant messaging and VoIP phone services and includes volume control and echo noise cancelation. Deal ends February 24.

If you're using the accessible LG VX8300 phone from Verizon, here's a large forum topic with tips and tricks. There's over 40 pages of posts on this topic at the Mobiledia forums, many of which include useful information on tweaking and using this phone.

Thursday we posted a phone that has basic features. Today, we wrap up phone week with a PDA phone from HP with a lot of functionality. The HP Mobile Messenger HW6920, available from TheNerds.net for $524.29 plus shipping, this phone includes many features that make it an attractive option. Supported by Cingular Wireless, the PDA includes a built-in GPS receiver, Bluetooth capabilities and a mini SD slot. It runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 and also has a full QWERTY keyboard. The accessibility comes from Mobile Speak Pocket from Code Factory, and although not all features will be accessible out of the box, the software does include a script language that could allow you to make other features talk. The combination of all of these features in one handheld device is the beginning of where the future of technology is happening, with the buzzword being convergence. Expect many more devices like this one very soon.

TheNerds.net has the 802.11G Wireless Skype phone for $136.91. With about $10 for shipping, we couldn't find this particular item for less elsewhere. This phone will let you use Skype over any 802.11G network without the need for turning a computer on. Note: We are unsure as to the accessibility of this phone, though we'd assume that basic dialing would work fine.

With all of the talk about phones that are made accessible using special software, there continues to be a lot of people who are happy with a more limited amount of accessibility. LG has continued with their line of talking phones with the VX8300, a CDMA phone primarily for Verizon Wireless. This newer model improves on the accessibility features of earlier talking phones including the ability to send (not receive) text messages, more voice feedback while navigating the menus, and a better voice for reading text-to-speech information. The phone itself also includes a MicroSD memory card slot. The prices on these cards are falling dramatically, with a 1GB card available for under $20. The phone can play MP3s and has Bluetooth capability, which I successfully set up without sighted assistance. Check the link on this post to find this phone on Ebay at some very decent prices.

Phone week continues with a hot new offering from Motorola. The Q is a CDMA phone that works with Verizon and Sprint among others. This phone runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 so it is compatible with Mobile Speak Smartphone. Available from TheNerds.net for $460.78 plus shipping, it includes Bluetooth connectivity, QWERTY keyboard, stereo speakers and MiniSD memory slot, 240 minutes of talk time. Use the EVDU capability to connect to high-speed networks like Verizon's Broadbandaccess.

Today, phone week continues with the new Nokia E70 GSM cell phone, which was just made accessible by the latest version of Mobile Speak from Code Factory. This $385 phone with free shipping from Buy.com has several features that put it in the next generation of cell phone technology. Not only does it connect to GSM networks, but it also supports 802.11G networks allowing direct connections to the PC world. Also included is a mini SD slot, 2 megapixel camera (most phones only have 1 megapixel), and over 7 hours of talk time. As with all of the phones we're featuring this week, this model is unlocked and not tied to any specific carrier.

Welcome to the Blind Bargains phone week. Each day, we'll feature a different accessible cell phone. Today, it's the Nokia 9300 GSM cell phone from Buy.com for $234.99 shipped. This Symbian Series 80 phone runs with the Nuance Talks software and features a QWERTY keyboard, several connectivity options such as Bluetooth, USB, and infrared, and many bundled PDA applications. This GSM phone will work on networks like Cingular and T-Mobile. Check back each day for a new accessible cell phone option.

Ending Wednesday, Skype's deal for one year of unlimited calls from the U.S. to locations in the U.S. and Canada for $14.95 or just over a dollar a month. On Thursday, the rate doubles to $29.95 per year. Skype allows you to make free calls to millions of other users of its software and low-cost calls to regular phones around the world. Deal ends January 31.

Blind Mice Mart now stocks several Classco Talking Caller ID units including an advanced model for $42 and the basic Classco model for $17.50. Become a Blind Mice Mart member and save an additional 5% on the model 2025 talking caller ID and speaker phone. Becoming a Blind Mice member is free.

Viatalk offers a year of unlimited telephone service free when you purchase a year for $199. At just over $8 per month, it's one of the best deals we've seen for unlimited VoIP phone service, which offers digital phone service using your existing telephones.. You can transfer your existing phone number to the service and save quite a bit over local phone bills. Taxes are additional.

An Ebay seller has listed a Nokia 6620 cell phone for Cingular Wireless with a copy of Talks accessible cell phone software for an opening bid of $200. Or, avoid the auction and buy it now for $300. The phone is advertised as new, and costs less than the software alone. For those unfamiliar with buy it now, if you pay the buy it now price of $300, you get the item and the auction closes. As soon as a bid is placed on the item, the buy it now option disappears. Auction ends January 24. Update: This item has been sold.

Buy.com has the unlocked Nokia 9300 GSM cell phone for $234.99. With free shipping, it's the lowest price we could find for this phone. The Nokia 9300 uses the Symbian operating system and is a Series 80 phone compatible with Nuance Talks software. The phone features Bluetooth and USB connectivity, MMC memory card slot and QWERTY keyboard. The term unlocked means that the phone is not specific to any particular carrier and no contract is required. This phone will work with any provider using the GSM network, such as Cingular and T-Mobile.

Skype still is offering one year of unlimited calls from the U.S. to locations in the U.S. and Canada for $14.95 or just over a dollar a month. Personally, I cut down my long distance plan on my regular phone and signed up for Skype and am still saving a lot of money. Combine this with a Skype In number, which lets you receive incoming calls from any phone, and have a total telephone solution for less than $45 a year. Skype allows you to make free calls to millions of other users of its software and low-cost calls to regular phones around the world.

Amazon.com has the Palm Trio 700W Smartphone for $379.99 when activating a new line of service with Verizon Wireless. Upgrade to 2-day shipping for free. Also on that page is an offer to save an additional $100 if you sign up for 12 months of the Audible audio book subscription service. This phone features digital camera, MP3 playback, and Windows Mobile 5.0 and is made accessible by purchasing Mobile Speak Smartphone from Code Factory.

Buy.com has a Linksys 2-port phone adapter for $51. Sign up for new Vonage phone service and use a $125 mail-in rebate to gain $74 profit. While this isn't as good as the deal we posted before with Google Checkout, it's still one of the best offers we know of for new Vonage service. Vonage is a broadband phone company that charges $24.95/month for unlimited calling. Rebate ends December 31.

For a user, Bargain Bob has found a Nokia 6260 leather case on Ebay for $1.99 plus $1.99 for shipping. This is the lowest price we could find for a case for this accessible cell phone. NOte: This link goes to astore listing on Ebay. If the item is already sold when you try it, links to more of the same case from this seller should show up on that page.