Categories : December 2008
AT&T, Not Walmart, Sells the $99 iPhone
Gossip swirled around the rumors that Walmart was selling iPhones for $99; however, hopes were crushed when the company stated they were just that, rumors. In fact, Walmart does sell the iPhone for a slightly discounted rate or $2, which isn’t much for the bargain hunter. Now there is a deal that is truly cheaper, at AT&T. AT&T is currently holding an end-of-the-year refurbished phone sale online. Hurry, this won’t last long!.
You can get the refurbished/reconditioned iPhone 3Gs for $99, which is about half of what it would cost you to buy it new.
However, with this deal, there are a few catches. Firstly, you are getting a refurbished phone, so that means they have been returned within the 30 day trial period. So, you might get a brand new phone that’s never been used, or you might get a phone that has a few minor scratches. On the positive side, even if your phone has been used, each phone has been tested and reflashed to include all the latest software technology, so each phone will meet the newest factory standards independently. With this deal, you’ll get the same 30 day no risk return policy, as well as a 90 day warranty. Another catch is that the prices are so good; the offer probably won’t last long. You also have to sign up with a two-year contract, with the $30 per month data plan, and a voice plan.
The Research Director of wireless devices for Current Analysis, Avi Greengart, said “Since most refurbished phones are units that were returned with the 30-day grace period for reasons having nothing to do with actual performance—coverage or personal preference—they can be a good deal, although it is not uncommon for refurbished units to have small scratches or other cosmetic issues.”
This refurbished phone will appeal to those who can’t quite reach the new price, as Chris Hazelton, research director of mobile and wireless for The 451 Group, said. Hazelton remarks, “The reduced price point for a refurb will be attractive to buyers who are intimidated by the $200 new iPhone price point but want the phone enough to accept a refurbished device.” He added, “But the fact that the device is refurbished will serve to protect the $199 new device price point—AT&T is using refurbs to appeal to more cost-conscious subscribers—and still get them on a data plan.”
AT&T Expands Agreement with Wizzard
AT&T Intellectual Property has an agreement with Wizzard Software, and that agreement is now expanding to provide AT&T Natural Voices™ with licensing and support. AT&T Natural Voices™ is a text-to-speech software that has won awards for AT&T. The latest versions of AT&T Natural Voices™ will be supported by Wizzard as part of the agreement, across a range of platforms.
The Executive Director of Technology Licensing for AT&T Intellectual Property, Lisa McFarlin, said “AT&T Intellectual Property is focused on driving innovations that improve how we communicate, work and live.” She added, “In many cases, the company delivers these innovations directly, but we also recognize the value of making new capabilities available to the larger marketplace via licensing arrangements. Our new agreement with Wizzard is a great example of this approach, enabling any application developer to take advantage of the same state-of-the-art text-to-speech capabilities that power the hosted AT&T VoiceTone® Service.”
The General Manager of Wizzard Technology & Services Division, Bruce Phifer, said “The technology developed by AT&T Labs includes a highly flexible engine with language and voice-specific custom dictionaries that allows users to define the pronunciation of certain words and customize speaking rate, volume and voices, resulting in a very natural sounding synthetic speech system.” He added, “The combination of this extraordinary and scalable technology with Wizzard's low cost deployment licensing model is a win-win for developers, integrators and business clients, allowing them to produce substantial savings and efficiencies by automating applications or services.”
ATT Awards $30,000 to the ICFJ
AT&T announced a contribution of $30,000 to the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) for a special three week training program offered at the University of Guadalajara’s new Digital Journalism Center. This is the first corporate donation awarded to the program, demonstrating how AT&T is dedicated to innovation and progress.
The center, newly launched in September, is a collaboration that will educate journalists in Latin America on the digital news and public news field. The specific part that AT&T’s contribution will go towards is the course entitled Digital Tools for Effective Public Service Journalism. This course will focus on topics geared towards the public of Mexico, namely education, health, and development; and how these topics can utilize digital tools.
The President of ICFJ, Joyce Barnathan, said “AT&T’s contribution will give Latin American journalists the tools, techniques and know-how to embrace the digital era.” Barnathan added, “This will make a huge difference in the quality of coverage in local communities throughout the region.”
AT&T’s Sales Center Vice President for Mexico, Walter Bona, said “Our commitment to the region goes far beyond our business.” He added, “Being part of the Digital Journalism Center’s initiative is a way for us to contribute with Latin American professionals to be better prepared to report news in light of the increased globalization in communications.”
The program will accept ten participants, based on quality of previous work, and the ability to implement the new knowledge immediately upon finishing the course. The ten participants will be taught by professionals with all the necessary credentials in reporting and database research. Most of the course will be available online; however one week of the three will necessitate students to study in Guadalajara. AT&T’s awarded $30,000 will cover the costs of this stay for all the participants and trainers.
ATT Teams Up with ChaCha
Quickly rising among the ranks of text messaging services with mobile searches, ChaCha is one of the fastest developing providers in the industry. Now AT&T is teaming up with ChaCha to promote recognition and hopefully benefit both parties.