phonedeals

When a consumer, faced with buyer’s remorse, a change of heart, frustration or problems with such devices, decide to return their multi-functional gizmos within 30 days, those phones will be eligible to be refurbished and re-sold by wireless carriers.

Smartphones, so-named because of their ability to handle e-mail, Web browsing and some computer-like functions, are one of the hottest segments in the cell phone market, propelled in part by devices such as the iPhone and Research In Motion’s line of BlackBerrys. But the complicated bits of communications gadgetry are not for everyone. Touchscreen phones, in general, are still new to many users, who may think they want such phones, but find themselves longing for physical buttons to press, be it a phone keypad or QWERTY keyboard, once they get the phones home.

The $99 iPhone, available only online, was a “promotion” for the last two weeks of December, along with $199 pricing for the 16GB iPhone. Both phones were priced at $100 less than the retail cost with a two-year data and voice contract.

As of Jan. 1, refurbished iPhone prices were back up, with 8GB iPhones shown on AT&T’s site for $149, and the 16GB model at $249. Given the current economy, refurbished phones — especially high-demand models such as the iPhone — may have more appeal to cash-strapped buyers.

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