$199

Huawei has announced (translate) a midrange Android smartphone for China and emerging markets in the form of the 5-inch A199.

Powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the Huawei A199 also features Huawei's custom Emotion 1.5 UI. On hardware, the handset falls in the mid-to-high end of the spectrum with its quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, and 8.0-megapixel rear camera.

Whereas most 5-inch smartphones tend to offer a 1080p HD display, the Huawei A199 comes with a still respectable 720p resolution screen. Additional hardware includes a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, a 2,150mAh … Read more

Google is planning low-ball itself with an even cheaper Nexus 7, according to an Asia-based report.

Google and Asus wowed consumers with the $199 Nexus 7 and now they're aiming at price points below $150, ultimately going as low as $99, according to Taipei-based Digitimes, citing sources at display component maker O-Film Tech.

The lower-priced Nexus 7 should be released by the second quarter of next year, said the technology site, which covers device manufacturers and component suppliers in Asia.

O-Film started shipping components for the lower-priced Nexus 7 in December, the report said. The company's touch-screen glass-glass film … Read more

A preliminary analysis puts the iPhone 5's cost at $199, slightly more than the iPhone 4S.

The virtual teardown by IHS iSuppli puts the bill of materials, or BOM, at $199 for the low-end model with 16GB of NAND flash memory.

After factoring in the $8 manufacturing cost, the cost to produce the phone increases to $207, iSuppli said.

The BOM jumps to $209 for the 32GB version of the phone and $230 for the high-end 64GB version, the market researcher said.

"The iPhone 5's components are expected to be slightly more expensive compared to the iPhone … Read more

The June tablet cavalcade will continue with a Google Nexus device, say Asia-based reports.

In the wake of Computex and today's Microsoft Surface announcements, June is turning out to be a hot month for new tablets.

And now it's Google's turn. The 7-inch Nexus tablet, jointly developed with Asus, will be unveiled at Google I/O, which starts on June 27, according to a report from Taipei-based Digitimes. An earlier rumor made a similar claim.

Other specifics include Wi-Fi-only connectivity and no rear camera, due to its low $199 price, the report said. (There is a front … Read more

Have consumers forsaken the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? Not at one large Canadian retailer.

In a tweet on Friday, RIM linked to a Future Shop tweet that cited the PlayBook as the bestselling tablet this week. Future Shop is a major Canadian reseller.

That may have something to do with the price, of course. The 16GB PlayBook is selling for $199 in Canada, as it is in the U.S. at retailers like Best Buy.

Like Future Shop, Best Buy is also selling the 32GB model for $249.99 and the 64GB model for $299.99.

The low price isn't … Read more

Sony has knocked $100 off the price of its S series tablet, another sign that non-Apple tablet pricing is trending downward.

The 16GB Tablet S is now $400, reduced from $500, while the 32GB model got cut to $500 from $600.

Specs include a 9.4-inch 1280x800 display, front and rear cameras, Android Honeycomb, 1GB system memory, and eight hours of rated battery life.

Sony is by no means is the first to wield an ax on pricing. RIM's BlackBerry Playbook is the most extreme recent example of tablet price deflation. The PlayBook has been selling--depending on the week--for $300 off its original price.… Read more

RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook lives! It is back at retailers sporting the same deep $300 discount as before.

After selling out at Best Buy last month, the retailer now has stock of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models.

As of Monday night, Best Buy was selling the 16GB model for $199.99, the 32GB for $249.99, and 64GB for $399.99.

The heftiest discount--$350--is on the 32GB model. The other two models remain at $300 off the regular price.

Take note that the PlayBook does not come with native e-mail, calendar, or contacts applications from RIM--yet (Web-based apps of … Read more

commentary RIM's Blackberry PlayBook tablet is now on sale for $199 at Best Buy. A price it should have had all along.

Like Hewlett-Packard's ill-fated TouchPad, which stalled at $499 but became an instant hit at $99, the PlayBook is now seeing newfound popularity at $199 (16GB), discounted from $499.

In fact, the $199 BlackBerry tablet is now listed as "unavailable" at most Best Buy stores in the U.S. For example, a Best Buy in suburban Los Angeles said it had sold out of the $199 PlayBook "a couple of days ago," according … Read more

It's official--the price of BlackBerry's PlayBook tablet will soon be dropping into the Kindle Fire range at a number of big-time retailers... for a limited time.

When it launched earlier this year, the slate from Research In Motion started at $499. A few months ago, the price dropped as low as $299 through a combination of credits and rebates from retailers like Best Buy.

Today, RIM announced via Twitter that the rumored $199 price drop is for real "for a limited time only."

The PlayBook Web site lists Best Buy, Wireless Giant, Staples, OfficeMax, Office Depot, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart as participating retailers. RIM has offered no confirmation of when the price cut will go into effect, but current prices have remained in place on the retailers' sites this morning, and previous reports suggest that the $199 price may be a Black Friday deal.… Read more