Droid Razr for a Penny, Verizon Smartphones for One Cent through Amazon Wireless

Want the New Razr for only a penny? The Droid Razr for Verizon Wireless, one of the best new smartphones, is on sale this Black Friday through Amazon Wireless.

Amazon always offers many smartphones for one cent, but right now they are offering an even better sale, with many Verizon Wireless smartphones, including the new Droid Razr 4G for only 1 cent with a new activation.

They even offer a page that helps you compare smartphones to others, including the iPhone 4s.

Smartphones Killed The Flip Video Camera, Cisco Shuts Down Flip

One of the biggest stories in the news right now is how Cisco has decided to shut down the Flip brand and stop manufacturing the Flip video camera.

Why? The emergence of smartphones has shown that many consumers prefer to use one multifunction device, specifically a smartphone wireless phone that takes pictures and records video in addition to calling, text messaging, and web browsing. Today's cell phones call do it all.

While some people still prefer to have separate recording devices, others are choosing to go with a high quality smartphone or other wireless device that performs all these functions well. As NPR notes, Smartphones Helped Kill the Little Flip Camera.

What do you think: Did Smartphones kill the Flip? Looking to replace your camera with a multifunction phone? Compare smartphones.




Related: Video Camera Cell Phones discusses replacing your video camera with a cell phone back in 2008. They said "No," but that was a long time ago in tech years.

Unlocked iPhone Deals, Unlocked Smartphones

I just saw an AT&T iPhone 3g commercial, and I was thinking about the Verizon versus AT&T Smartphone war, that in large part started with AT&T's initial exclusive Apple deal as the only iPhone wireless provider.

I also know a lot of people look for unlocked phones when they are looking for smartphones. So where do you go when you don't want to bother with the carrier contract deals and just buy the physical phone? I can't say that's something I've ever had interest in, but I suppose it could be helpful when you want a new phone and you aren't eligible for an upgrade or you just want to be free to change providers ( which is possible more with some phones than others).

Sometimes you can find an online vendor of unlocked smartphones. I added a banner to this post that links to several vendors of unlocked iphones. Some are fulfilled through Amazon. They all have ratings on their sales pages.

Best Smartphones- Verizon or ATT?

Smartphones keep getting more and more popular. With a few exceptions, if you buy a new cell phone these days, most of your options are going to be smartphones. Many carriers are offering few other options, and require a minimum data plan when you purchase a smart phone.

Verizon now has the iPhone, and I see the Verizon versus AT&T Wireless race heating up. AT&T is pulling out of certain sales channels, and it seems their identity is being tied to Apple and the iPhone, for better or worse. Verizon might have the advantage in "the network," and now they have iPhones, too.

I keep hearing Verizon radio commercials touting that your smartphone is only as smart as your network. Verizon is pushing Droid smartphones it seems.

Blackberry Curve Smartphone Outsells iPhone

According to market researchers, the Blackberry Curve outsold the Apple iPhone during the first quarter of 2009. While Apple claimed victory during parts of 2008, Blackberry has reclaimed its lead as the best selling smartphone.

It is estimated that RIM, which makes the Blackberry phones, holds 50% of the smart phone market share. As this site is called "best smartphones," it only makes sense that we would highlight the best-selling smartphones on the market. The RIM Blackberry continues to sell well and gain wider acceptance and market penetration.

Verizon Wireless offered a recent "buy one get one free" promotion for the Curve, and Blackberry is available through many major carriers. Apple only sells the iPhone through AT&T at this time. The Palm Treo is the 3rd most popular smartphone option.

Best Smart Phones for Business use from CNET Ratings

SFGate.com has a review ( via CNET) of the best smartphone cell phones for business users. Smart phones are particular useful for business customers as they include PDA functions and the ability to stay in touch with the office and business email while on the road.

Among the smart phones that were rated are the AT&T Tilt, Unlocked Nokia E71, T-Mobile RIM BlackBerry Curve 8320, and Verizon Wireless Samsung SCH-i760.

Based on function, price, and value. It looks like the ATT Tilt is the winner. It received an 8.3 out 10 rating and only costs $200 compared to the $500 of the similarly ranked Black Berry 832o. The editors do say this Black Berry model is probably the best version.

Google Will Defeat the Apple iPhone with Android

Google has declared war on the iPhone and I have little doubt they will win the battle. Is there anything Google can't do? ( Ok, Ok).

People have been saying Google would become a major player with the gPhone. Now with the Android platform Google is confident it can do many things the iPhone can't.

There have always been a lot of holes in the iPhone business. Apple chose to go with Cingular ( AT&T) as the service provider and limit options for a lot of people. All the other major carriers have come out with their own smartphones. One guy even says his Verizon Voyager is better than the iPhone.

Google approach, on the other hand, depends on third party applications and an "open software" system. I still don't know a lot about Android, but I find the possibility of a Google wireless phone a lot more exciting than the Cingular iPhone. And for some reason I expect a smoother roll-out.