Android and Me » black friday

Amazon’s Kindle Fire tops sales charts for Black Friday

Dustin Earley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:18:39 +0000

Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year in the United States, has come and gone, leaving many victors and losers in its aftermath. Waffle maker riots may have been the hot topic of the weekend, but now that things have calmed down, manufacturers and retailers are starting to talk turkey.

While they won’t release any specific numbers, Amazon has made it abundantly clear that their Kindle family of devices was a huge winner this weekend, with the Kindle Fire leading the charge. According to a press release put out by Amazon, the online retailer sold four times as many Kindles this Black Friday compared to last year. When it comes to the Kindle Fire alone, Amazon says the device has been their best selling product across all of Amazon for eight weeks running.

The Kindle Fire is also doing well in retail stores like Target and Walmart. Target, who sells a wide variety of tablets including the Apple iPad, said that the Kindle Fire was their best selling tablet this Black Friday. (Unadvertised deals could have certainly helped atribute to those sales, but apparently they’re few and far between).

Once some official sales numbers are released, we’ll really be able to put the success of the Kindle Fire into context. Until then, let us know if you bought a Kindle Fire this Black Friday in the comments below.

Verizon ad shows Samsung Galaxy Nexus priced at $199

Nick Gray — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:10:54 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus rumor mill has turned up another juicy tidbit about Verizon’s forthcoming 4G LTE variant. A new flash ad has surfaced on several Android related sites, showing the Samsung Galaxy Nexus priced at $199.

The new price is substantially lower than the $299 price which has been floating around since mid-October and gives the Galaxy Nexus a huge price advantage over almost all of Verizon’s other LTE enabled devices. We’re not sure if Google has anything to do with the price reduction, but it would be nice to have a high-end LTE device on Verizon’s network that doesn’t break the bank.

There’s still no word on an official release date for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, but the possibility of a $100 reduction in the price should bring a smile to most of your faces. Consider it a Black Friday discount on a phone you can’t buy for a few more weeks.

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad reveals cheap Androids for everyone

Nick Gray — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:20:41 +0000

If you were planning to buy an Android device for your friends and family (or yourself) this holiday season, we suggest you start your shopping spree at your local Best Buy store. The new Black Friday ad from Best Buy has just hit the web, revealing some pretty incredible door buster deals.

The steepest discounts are being applied to a few Honeycomb powered tablets. The price of the ASUS Transformer 10.1 is slashed down to $249.99. You’ll also be able to pick up a variety of great Android phones for free with a new two-year contract. Check out the full list below for more details.

We know the economy is slow and it’s hard to find extra cash to spend on fun new gadgets, but we hope you’ve been saving your cash to get yourself and the ones you love a brand new Android toy. Leave us a comment and let us know what Android-powered present will be under the Christmas tree this year.

Dell Streak 7-inch Tablet with Android Honeycomb OS – Price TBD
Asus Transformer 10.1 – $249.99 (Door Buster)
HTC Thunderbolt (Verizon) – Free with 2-year contract
Toshiba Thrive 10.1 – $279.99
Acer Iconia 7-inch Tab -$189.99
Droid Incredible 2 (Verizon) – Free with 2-year contract
HTC EVO Shift 4G (Sprint) - Free with 2-year contract
Samsung Stratosphere (Verizon) - Free with 2-year contract
LG Thrill 4G (AT&T) - Free with 2-year contract
Motorola Atrix 2 (AT&T) - Free with 2-year contract
Samsung Infuse 4G (AT&T) - Free with 2-year contract

Verizon Galaxy Nexus release date guessing game still on; November 17 pops ups again

Dustin Earley — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:46:34 +0000

Rumored release dates for the Galaxy Nexus are not in short supply. Just about every other day now, another internal document makes its way online with a new, or old, release date for the device. The latest document to hit the Internet lends a helping hand to the credibility of an older rumored release date.

Just two days ago on the first on the month, a leaked Verizon memo pegged the Galaxy Nexus as releasing after Black Friday. A couple days before that, the release date for the European Nexus was set as November 17. It was said that the US Nexus will not be launching until after the European version does. Today, yet another internal document has leaked that puts the Verizon Galaxy Nexus on track for a November 17 release.

The document, obtained by Android Central, is said to be a “work in progress that will be sent out next week to all retail stores/partners along with promotional materials such as posters and flyers.” Of course we’d like a little more solid evidence than what we have, but if nothing else, this is a sign to not give up hope yet.

It doesn’t make sense for Verizon to wait until after the biggest shopping day of the year to release one of the biggest phones of the year, so don’t be surprised if Big Red is rushing around trying to push the Nexus out the door as fast as possible. Either way, it won’t be long now. We’ll be sure to update you on any other release date madness we can get our hands on.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus pushed back until after Black Friday?

Edgar Cervantes — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:34:50 +0000

As if we’ve not been waiting long enough for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, things seem to be getting a bit more frustrating. After all the hype and speculation we’ve been hearing, the device was finally announced last month. Now that we’ve seen a bit of what the first Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone will be, the next step (and the hardest) is to wait for it to be released.

Well, guys, it seems like we’ll have to wait a bit longer than we expected. It was bad enough to hear that the Galaxy Nexus would not be hitting shelves come November 10 alongside the DROID RAZR and Rezound. Then we heard it wouldn’t be until after November 17. Now the Galaxy Nexus is not expected to be released until after Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving).

Our good friends at Droid-Life have their hands on a nifty chart from Big Red, which displays Verizon’s release plans for its latest devices. This chart clearly states that the Galaxy Nexus will not be released until after Black Friday. You’ll have to look elsewhere for Black Friday savings.

As for us Android fans, we’ll save our bucks and wait some more…

Bonus video: As you patiently wait for the Galaxy Nexus, check out the latest hands-on video from Stuff Magazine.

Best Buy featuring Galaxy Tab for $549 on Black Friday

Taylor Wimberly — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:34:14 +0000

The WiFi-only Galaxy Tab was delayed till next year, but you can still pick up Samsung’s 3G Android tablet for only $549 at Best Buy’s upcoming Black Friday sale. On November 26th, Best Buy will offer the Sprint and Verizon versions of the Tab for $50 below the carrier’s price ($599) and no contract is required.

Customers who purchase a Tab off-contract can still purchase data plans on a month to month basis (or just tether it for free to your Android phone). Currently Sprint is offering $29.99 per month for 2 GB or $59.99 per month for 5 GB. Verizon has data plans starting at $20 per month for 1 GB.

As I said in my first impressions of the Sprint Tab, this is the best Android tablet available this Christmas. Yes we expect better Honeycomb tablets to be announced in January at CES, but the Tab is the best 7-inch Android device out right now and if you really want one and can afford it then I suggest you get one.

Best Buy slashes prices on first generation Android phones this Friday

Taylor Wimberly — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:08:31 +0000

Looking for a new smartphone this holiday season? Best Buy will be offering five Android phones for $99 each with a new 2 year activation.

Sprint HTC Hero (Android 1.5)
Sprint Samsung Moment (Android 1.5)
T-Mobile HTC myTouch 3G (Android 1.6)
T-Mobile Motorola Cliq (Android 1.5)
Verizon HTC Droid Eris (Android 1.5)

I got to say this is a great price since there are no mail-in rebates. However, I will give my readers the same advice I have been sharing with my personal friends. If you are considering purchasing an Android phone, be aware that most carriers will have second generation (Android 2.0) phones in early 2010. It is always the case that newer and faster technology is around the corner, but keep in mind you are stuck with a 2 year contract and it is uncertain at this point if these phones will receive Android 2.0.

Why should you purchase your next smartphone at Best Buy instead of a carrier store?

A better choice of mobile devices and networks: Best Buy Mobile offers an unmatched assortment of phones, networks and all of the supporting products and services necessary for customers to truly enhance their mobiles lives.
Impartial, informed advice: With a highly-trained, non-commissioned staff and new Web site (www.BestBuyMobile.com), Best Buy Mobile is committed to helping customers research and purchase the right mobile technology for their needs. Best Buy Mobile also offers Upgrade Checker, an in-store and online, that gives customers the ability to see when they are eligible for their next phone upgrade and register for a complimentary reminder call or email.
Straightforward pricing: Best Buy Mobile offers only instant rebates on products. Customers pay what they see on the tag.
Someone to be there for the life of your phone: Best Buy Mobile offers Walk Out Working, which is a free in-store smartphone setup by a Best Buy Mobile specialist who will sync personal email accounts, set up Bluetooth® headsets, transfer contacts and activate other services to allow the customer to leave the store with a fully functional new smartphone. And with Geek Squad Black Tie Protection, customers have a safety net should anything happen to their device.

Radio Shack to offer Cliq for $79

Taylor Wimberly — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:48:32 +0000

Black Friday is the busiest retail shopping day of the year. I’ve had the joy (haha) of working several of these days when I managed a CompUSA (R.I.P.). If you wake up at the crack of dawn, avoid being trampled to death, and are willing to wait in super long lines, you can find some awesome deals.

Radio Shack (aka The Shack) has really been pushing their cell phone business with TV spots and is planning a big sale on Black Friday. They will have the Motorola Cliq for $79.99 with a 2 year contract agreement. We are not really huge fans of the Cliq (full review coming this week), but it is still a pretty sweet deal for all the teenyboppers out there.

For a full list of cell phone deals on Black Friday, keep an eye on BlackFriday.info.

What the Cliq should have been sold for.

Thank you John Carli for the tip.