Boost Mobile Unveils No-Contract Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Rush

The world of no-contract phones just got a little more high end. Boost Mobile in conjunction with Samsung unveiled the latest additions to the Boost Mobile line-up, the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G and the new Samsung  Galaxy Rush. This marks the first time the Galaxy S II will be offered in the United States without a contract.

Running on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), the Galaxy Rush features a 1GHz  Qualcomm CPU MSM8655 CPU, 3.5-inch display, a full 3 megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.3 megapixel camera. Available sometime in late September, the Samsung Galaxy Rush will retail for $149. The Galaxy S II 4G will retail on September 6 for $369 in black and white. 

The announcement comes on the heels of Boost Mobile debuting its $55 unlimited 4G data plans. Similar to other Boost Mobile devices, both the Galaxy S II 4G and the Galaxy Rush fall under the carrier’s Shrinkage plan. Under the plan, customers will receive a $5 discount on their bill every 6 months for on time payments, eventually dropping the bill down to $40. The plan includes unlimited talk, text and data.

Interested in learning more about Boost’s new Samsung smartphones? Stay tuned for our full review of both.

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RadioShack May Launch A No-Contract Wireless Service Sept. 5

Pretty soon, people who bellyache about restrictive plan changes and high fees imposed by the major carriers could have yet another way to connect. According to Engadget, RadioShack may be planning to roll out its own no-contract wireless service of its own on September 5th, supplementing the electronics company’s current ability to offer phones and plans for the Verizon, AT&T and Sprint networks.

A screenshot sent in by an anonymous tipster claims that the cleverly named RadioShack No-Contract Wireless plans will be powered by Cricket’s wireless network. In a ploy to differentiate itself from other Cricket Wireless distributors, RadioShack apparently plans to offer a free 8GB SD card with any phone that comes with the carrier’s Muve Music service preloaded — assuming the leak is legitimate, of course.

Previous leaks reported by Engadget suggest that RadioShack’s no-contract service will include several phone options, including all the phones currently being carried by Cricket along with the HTC One V, the Huawei Mercury, the Huawei Pillar and a 4.3-inch offering by Alcatel.

If the information turns out to be true, September 5th is going to be a busy day for the mobile world. In addition to RadioShack No-Contract Wireless’s launch, Nokia and Microsoft are holding an event where they are widely expected to announce the first Windows Phone 8 devices. Motorola and Verizon also have a big event scheduled that day, which could be the official unveiling of the Motorola Droid RAZR HD.

Image via Engadget

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2-Minute Expert: What are No-Contract Smartphones?

What Will I Pay for Service?

Plans start as cheap as $25 per month, but that’s for as little as 300 call minutes. According to Best Buy, which carries many no-contract providers, most customers opt for plans that provide unlimited calling, texting and (in some cases) data, for $40 to $60 per month. By comparison, an unlimited plan from Sprint costs $100 per month. Lately, however, some no-contract companies have been cutting back. Virgin Wireless, for example, reduces data speeds to a crawl after you’ve used 2.5 gigabytes in a month, about enough for email, Web basic apps, plus 30 minutes of streaming music and 10 minutes of streaming video per day.

What Do the Phones Cost?

Smartphones range from about $100 to $300 — comparable to what you pay when you sign up for or renew a traditional contract plan. But you own the phone and could even sell it. If you lose or break the phone, you pay the same price again. With a contract plan, you would pay much more for a replacement if you were in the middle of a contract. Expect to pay $200 or more for a good Android phone. Saving a few bucks on a cheaper model isn’t worth the frustration of an underpowered phone with a tiny touch screen.

Can I Get an iPhone Without a Contract?

Nope, and possibly never. The iPhone is a very pricey device. Without a carrier subsidy, it starts at $650. That doesn’t jibe with bargain ethic.

What Companies Offer No-contract Plans?

Following are the major providers, along with monthly fees for the best plan, the data limits and special features:

Boost Mobile - $55 Android/$60 BlackBerry, unlimited data, fees drop the longer you have serviceCricket - $55 (with only 1,000 call minutes), unlimited data and music downloadsMetroPCS - $40 Android/$60 BlackBerry, unlimited data, high-speed 4G service on some modelsStraight Talk - $45, unlimited dataT-Mobile - $60, 2GB limit, 4G phonesVirgin Mobile - $55, 2.5GB limit

 Article provided by TechNewsDaily, a sister site to Latopmag.com.

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