11 Great Smartphones for $50 or Less

Research In Motion’s (RIM) first BlackBerry smartphone with both a full QWERTY “physical” keyboard and touch screen, the BlackBerry Torch 9800, can be yours for free, and in your choice of either white, red or gray colors, along with a new, two-year AT&T wireless service agreement. Current qualified AT&T customers can also upgrade or extend their contracts to get a free Torch.

(Read a full review of the Torch here.)

Free via Wirefly.com

Slideshow: Free BlackBerry Apps: Nine Torch 9800 Compatible Downloads

The first Google Android device designed specifically with business in mind, Motorola’s Droid Pro packs a full QWERTY keyboard in addition to touch-screen navigation, a speedy 1GHz processor and “world phone” capabilities (support for CDMA and GSM/UMTS frequencies).

Sign a new, two-year Verizon contract and the Droid Pro is yours for just $19.99 or extend/upgrade your contract, where available, to get the device for $49.99.

Via Amazon.com

The HTC Surround is one of Microsoft’s first Windows Phone 7 (WP7) devices, and it’s the only WP7 smartphone to sport a slide-out speaker with SRS/Dolby surround sound and a kickstand for easy positioning. And the HTC surround doesn’t have to cost you even a dime, whether you’re a new or existing, qualified AT&T customer—just ink a new contract or extend your current service agreement.

(Check out more, new WP7 handhelds here.)

Free via Wirefly.com

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Handset giant Nokia’s latest and greatest candy-bar style, full QWERTY smartphone, the Nokia E73 Mode, is a T-Mobile U.S.A exclusive. If it looks a lot like a BlackBerry, there’s a good reason for that: Nokia set its sights on the die-hard CrackBerry addict with the E73 Mode.

(Learn more about the E73 Mode, and watch a video unboxing, here.)

Free via Wirefly.com with a new, two-year T-Mobile service agreement or an existing contract-extension/upgrade, where available.

Available in purple and gray tones, the BlackBerry Style 9670, RIM’s first flip-phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, is meant for the smartphone user who wants to grab eyes while both working hard and playing hard. It packs the latest mobile OS from RIM, BlackBerry 6, and two separate displays–one for when the phone’s open and another for when it’s closed.

(Check out the seven most notable BlackBerry Style features here.)

The smartphone costs just $19.99 via Amazon.com with a new, two-year Sprint contract or $29.99 for qualified customers looking to extend their contracts.

With Palm’s webOS software, a full QWERTY keyboard and touch screen, the Pre Plus is a multitasker’s dream come true. Its 16GB internal memory is double the size of the original Palm Pre’s storage space, so you have plenty of room for pictures, video and more. And the Pre Plus can be yours, whether you’re a new AT&T customer or looking to extend your current contract, where available, for just one penny.

Via Amazon.com

The T-Mobile MyTouch 4G, made by HTC, is a touch-screen-based Android device with an HD camcorder, both front- and rear-facing cameras and a “Genius” button meant for easy voice commands. T-Mobile also claims the MyTouch 4G does seamless video-chats over its 4G network—and not Wi-Fi. New T-Mobile customers can pay just $49.99 for this Android smartphone along with a two-year service agreement.

Via Amazon.com

The latest device in RIM’s BlackBerry Curve lineup, the Curve 9330, packs RIM’s tried-and-true BlackBerry keyboard and dedicated media keys atop the handheld for easy control over on-device music and video. The new 3G Curve is also available in both gray and purple-metallic finishes for the fashion-conscious smartphone user.

Free for new Sprint customers via RadioShackWireless.com, and $49.99 for qualified customers looking to extend or upgrade existing contracts.

One of Microsoft’s first Windows Phone 7 (WP7) handhelds, the Samsung Focus sports a beautiful 480×800 Super AMOLED screen, a speedy 1GHz processor and 8GB of internal storage. The device is also a gaming and multimedia powerhouse, with both Xbox Live and Zune integration.

(Check out more, new WP7 handhelds here.)

The Samsung Focus can be yours along with a new, two-year AT&T wireless service agreement or qualifying contract extension, for just a penny, via Amazon.com

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The successor to Motorola’s popular Droid, the Droid 2 packs a large touch-screen and landscape-oriented slide-out keyboard, a blazing 1.2GHz processor for unhindered performance, and Google’s Android mobile OS. It’s also a world-phone, and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality means you can connect up to five different Wi-Fi enabled devices to the Web using the Droid 2’s network connection.

The device is available for just a penny via Amazon.com for new Verizon customers or $39.99 for qualified customers looking to extend or upgrade contracts.

Lots of “terms and conditions” here, and you’ll have to act fast—the offer ends December 11—but if you’re a current iPhone 3GS user looking to upgrade to Apple’s latest model, the iPhone 4, and you’re willing to trade in your device, the new iPhone can be yours for as little as $25. Head to your local Radio Shack ASAP for details—the deal isn’t available online.

Radio Shack is offering $50 off any iPhone, so new or existing AT&T customers could also potentially purchase an iPhone 3GS for just $50.

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