AT&T has just added to Android smartphones to its lineup, now making available Amazon’s Fire Phone and the HTC Desire 610 to its subscribers under contract or without one. Please hold off on snarky comments on whether the Fire Phone is indeed an Android phone or not, but consumers should be relatively glad that they are getting variety in their choices, not to mention the phone being sold in more places other than Amazon.
The Fire Phone, irreverent and not-so-smashing reviews online aside, will be available at USD$199 under a two-year contract, and USD$649 without contract. We’ve already discussed the highlights of Amazon’s new phone elsewhere, but the major points for consideration are these – a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor at 2.2Ghz per core and an Adreno 330 graphics chip, 2GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The Fire phone also sports a 4.7-inch 1280×720 screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.
The HTC Desire 610 is from all indications a cheaper, mid-tier version of the HTC One M8. This phone is available at a dollar (for real) under a two-year contract and USD$199 without one. The phone is touted to be a mid-range media hub as discussed here. The phone also has a 4.7-inch 1280×720 screen, powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor (1.2Ghz) and 1GB of RAM. The Desire 610 is made out of plastic, but retains a premium feel to it. It has 8GB internal storage and an 8MP main camera.
The Firefly feature – a service lets you take pics of items you may want to buy, and then automatically links you to the Amazon listings for the item – might be one of the major come-on’s for buying a Fire Phone. If you’re just looking for a cheaper alternative, then maybe the HTC Desire 610 may be a fit for you. Check out the source links for more info.
$200 for that HTC sounds pretty cool. Wish it were on other carriers