Handsets

Motorola i1 on Boost Mobile Will Be $349.99 at Best Buy

41

One drawback to the pay-as-you-go model of Boost Mobile and other month-to-month carriers is that their system doesn’t leave much room for subsidizing handset costs, and while $349.99 for the Motorola i1 at Best Buy certainly isn’t an astronomical figure to ask for the iDEN Android, it isn’t exactly what everyone wants to be paying for something of the i1’s caliber. Compared head to head with unsubsidized versions of similar Android handsets on other carriers the price isn’t way off the mark (though it is till priced a bit higher than your average Boost phone), but then again you can get an HTC EVO 4G for $199.99 if you’re willing to sign away two years of your life.

motoi1

Still no word on when the i1 will be available, Best Buy’s page lists it as “Coming Soon” only.

Kevin Krause
Pretty soon you'll know a lot about Kevin because his biography will actually be filled in!

Boxee Will Be Bringing an App to Google TV

Previous article

Samsung Galaxy S Goes Up for Pre-Order on Amazon Germany

Next article

You may also like

41 Comments

  1. I wont pay that much for it I would rather just pay the 399 for the slide from t-mobile and go with one of their pre pay options plus I would be able to pay for that over 18 months

  2. $350 bucks for an iDEN device? Are they fucking crazy? Lol Motorola, good luck selling that to the world.

  3. Sounds a bit pricey for that phone.

  4. i was expecting it to be only $250, $300 tops. now it’s at 350 i’m gonna have to really rethink about getting it to replace my i465. i can only hope amazon or some website will sell it where i don’t have to pay CA tax.

  5. I paid 360 for my Liquid and it blows this device away

  6. if you guys don’t like the price then don’t buy the phone. But please stop bitching about it. These phones arent free and comparing this to a subsidiezed contract phone is absurd.

    @garet go ahead and get the slide but it’s not an iDen. Your comparison holds no water. it’s a different type of phone, it’s ruggedized as well. ruggedized electronics are always more costly then non ruggedized devices.

  7. there are some people in tough environments (like Mike Rowe) who really need a phone like this that can do push to talk.

  8. You are buying it PREPAID why on earth would you say might as well sign a two year contract with sprint for Evo?

    If this was direct as high end I HIGHLY doubt they would sell prepaid and to get Evo 4g under the same crap would cost what? some 500-600 dollars?

    and Josh is right btw

  9. sprint everything plan $70x24months plus $200 for the phone = $1880 thats not including taxes.boost mobile monthly plan $50x24month plus $350 for the phone = $1550 not including taxes.remember boost mobile includes unlimited talk,text, and web! now decide which is a better deal!

  10. boost is not only pre paid. tney have the 50 plan and it now offers everything including aim, yahoo,msn plus unlimited calling email and test, mms and unlimited 411…oh and taxes are including in the $50. so i say why not purchase it, boost is still sprint nextel.

  11. *they….*text…*included

  12. trust i work for best buy and this device is going to be worth every penny guaranteed… when the 8330 blk berry first drop i was so amazed at the 3g coverage and how my friends with t-mobile where getting there ass kick by my boost internet edge speed..lol i was just as surprised so haters don’t sleep on this phone cause its going to be 10x as fast and good!!!!

  13. If this phone had a 3g chip I would be all over it,its wi fi only.

  14. $350 for an iden phone. Thats not crazy, I paid $299.99-$349.99 for iden phones for years. And those were only Flip phones i860,i870,i880,i930. That was the way it was with Nextel a few years ago. 199 for my new Evo is like gettin it for free.

  15. Great rate plan but you get what you pay for. This is not a very good network. I am self employed and my phone is crucial for my business. Would never use Boost. Not reliable enough. So don’t think this phone will be too successful.

  16. I too am self employed and have to watch my pennies. I moved from Sprint to Boost because of cost and some of my clients in the auto industry are on Nextel. I travel extensively and have never had a problem talking on the Boost network, works just as good as Sprint or Verizon. Last year while working at a client’s site they lend me a G’zOne Boulder, Push-to-Talk Phone on Verizon, I couldn’t make out what was said over the speaker. The i465 is my first Motorola and the sound quality on the speaker is better then any phone I have used. For me what sold me on push to talk is I can talk to my Mexican clients who are on Nextel without incurring long distance charges. My Mexican clients are happy because I don’t use up their minutes talking to me. I have yet to travel to Mexico to see if Boost works there. I will wait for the customer reviews to come out on the i1 and maybe the price will come down before I consider buying one. It’s always the bottom line for me.

  17. come on people i know the phone cost a lot but its a prepaid, think about it paying $350 for the phone at least it belongs to you, paying $199 for the phone that phone do not belong till that two year contract is over

  18. It’s ok $349 that bad if only pay $60 with. Txt web and talk ipaid $100 on verizon only for with tx web and 450 min so maybe i get bootsmobile motorola i1 that look good. With android i love andriod but now i have tu pay $300 i need cancel my phone shiiiiitttt $300+349 UUMMM i got it think about it lol

  19. So does anyone have any idea of when the android is scheduled to come out exactly? It would be nice to know…I spoke to a boost rep 2days ago…didn’t want to give me that much info on the new phones that will be coming out but he said it would be worth the wait and that they would be coming out any time this month (June).

  20. It should be coming out and available on June 20th, per the Indy 500 commercial and several other indicators. Yes, iDEN is bad for data, but with Opera Mini compressing websites up to 90%, it should help a lot and be on par with what most people are used to with a mobile phone. With wi-fi being so prevalent and readily available to most people, there shouldn’t be many problems getting everything to work as expected and for anyone who’s been on iDEN for the PTT, which is amazing if you use it regularly, then this is a major step in the right direction with their devices.

  21. ima get it money comes and goes

  22. It will be available June 20th

  23. To whom ever thinks Boost coverage sucks, obviously you’ve never had the service. I live in NY, I travel all over state and as a matter of fact my last vacation was to NC. Needless to say I never had a problem with service, in or out of state. Currently I own 2 BB’s, 1 on AT&T and the other on boost. There’s tons of areas where I don’t get coverage on AT&T.

  24. I remember when I was younger, there was a time when people didn’t whine so fucking much. What happen to our generation, buy it or don’t.

  25. Yes, $350 is steep for a phone, but, remember when the iPhone first came out, that phone was $600.

    I Had Boost Mobile, They Do Get Good Coverage, I Dont Understand Why Anyone Worries About Having The Very Best Coverage and Crys About It, iDen is Ok, Yes, Its Probably Not as Great as Boost’s CDMA Phones, But So What, Your Paying For This Phone Outright and You Will Be Able To Only Pay $50 Per Month ($600 Per Year) For Unlimited Talking Texting and Web, Plus, Motorola is a Damn Good Company To Make Android Phones. Im Thinking About Going Back To Boost Mobile For This Phone, The Only Thing Im Worried About Is I Might Have To Download The Text Messages Like I Did When I Had Boost, If I Dont Then This Will Be a Great Phone.

  26. Read the new motorola comes out June 20th

  27. Motorola i1 on Boost Mobile Will Be $349.99 at Best Buy

  28. Some good points on here, mainly the ones favoring this badboy. I been with both Sprint and Nextel since long before the merger (Nextel n boost being one of the same) and their phones always been that pricey. Shit the I9 is pricey and doesn’t do NADA!!!!!!! I used to pay $500 for the bloomingdales le. If u want it u get it if its too pricey then look for one of the many free phones all the companies offer. if u want ptt from boost u gotta pay like u weigh!! I’m hoping its released for Nextel as well. It’s gonna go good with my evo. The 8350i doesn’t go wit the evo at all. Soon as Nextel gets it ima be on it like flies on shit!! ONE.

  29. If you guy are trying to sell that phone for that price. You better but look forward to having a slow sell. Unless you guys are have a warranty on that includes water damage. Come on get real.

  30. **READ THIS** This phone is suppost to come out on June 20, 2010 but i wasnt expecting the price to be so high! i had a mytouch 3g and i paid around the same price but it was way better than this phone probably. If you are looking for a touchscreen phone but you dont want to pay a 2 year contract just buy it at the full retail price and then add minutes freely, it will come out cheaper in the long run.

  31. go pay tmobile 130.00$ for 700 minutes and 40 bucks for the crappy internet that they offer Boost offer 60.0 a month for unlimted 3g talk text pic web . long distance,nation wide coverage 411 im and email .
    for only 60.00 a month 64.88 after taxes no reconnection fee no payment fees no drop call like tmobile when it rain all their call drop. Thats why i have Boost and waiting to receive my new i1

  32. i want this fone but its cost too much i might as well goo with t obile prepaid

  33. Umm.. where the hell is the damn insurance on this $350 phone? plus whats today? june 28th where the hell is the damn phone?

  34. Best Buy web page is now showing sold out, have to wait 1 to 2 weeks to get one.

  35. my brother got one today. it rocks and i cant wait to get mine. it has everything i want and need out of a phone. and for fifty bucks a month its like a sore dick you cant beat it!

  36. okay well i think it is worth buying. In fact I’m going to put an investment into it to day.For a bill that will remain $50.00 a month i would consider it a steal! Like Carlos said its like a sore dick you can’t beat it so I’m going to look into buying this phone.

  37. If you can web, text, email and talk 24-7 and always know it’s only costing you $50 a month, what’s the problem? The price of the phone? Do the math.

    Even a subsidize phone is going to cost you something. But to be fair let’s say you pay $200 more for the Moto i1

    Contract carrier: $80 X 24 months = $1920
    Two years of Boost: $50 x 24 months = $1200 + that $200 difference

    You’re doing everything any other Android phone is doing but you’ve saved around $500. And let’s see you walk away from your two-year contract if you’re unhappy.

  38. I had MetroPCS but I’m ready for a change. A MetroPCS company-owned store will absolutely treat you like shit. I’ll never set foot in one again.

    I’ll put my Finesse on Craigslist for about $100 and that’ll soften the blow of moving up to an i1.

    Once again: MetroPCS, you suck. Going to your store just make me bitch-slap everybody who so-called “works” there.

  39. i have had boostmobile’s blackberry curve and i love it. now i am thinkin about gettin the i1 but not for sure. i was readin the comments everybody had great points. i will go to bestbuy and play around w/ one and see if i like it but i am about 70% on gettin the i1 but will be for sure after i get a chance to test it out at bestbuy.

  40. Crickets Andriod phone is only 250.00 that they are bringing out. And will have all the apps will this have any apps

  41. Cricket’s plan is $55 per month, $60 per year more then Boostmobile, also Crickets doesn’t offer direct connect making useless for me.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Handsets