Kurt Shintaku's Blog

If you want to get someone on a Windows Phone 8 device with no carrier commitment whatsoever & you live near a Microsoft Store, here’s how to get a brand new Nokia Lumia 521 Windows Phone for only $105 without signing a carrier contract.

1. Go to your local Microsoft Store.  You’ll see that the price of the phone initially is $149.
2. Ask the store to price match Walmart at $129.88 for the Nokia Lumia 521. (Hint: They already know about Walmart’s pricing) 
3. Take the “Bing It On Challenge” at the store.  You will enter in 5 search terms of your choosing and a computer screen will show you both the Bing results and the Google results but you won’t know which is which.  You will choose which “results set” you like the most for each of the 5 search tersm.  We’re betting you’ll like the Bing results better, but regardless of what the results are, in the end, taking this ‘challenge’ will garner you at $25 gift card.
4. Congratulations.  You’ve reduced your cost for the device to $104.88.

Even if you don’t use it as a phone, this unit is like a low cost media player with WiFi/Bluetooth & a speaker.  Check out the details:

• 124.5 grams
• 1Ghz Dual Core Qualcomm SnapDragon 82270 processor
• 4.0 TFT IPS LCD display w/ 480×800, 235 ppi
• 4G T-Mobile Quad-band UMTS/HSPA+
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
• Bluetooth, Power Class 2, A2DP
• 8GB native storage
  • Expandable memory (64GB SDXC microSD support)
    Note: The specs say 32GB however Dorion Whitlock of the Microsoft Store in Century City confirmed that 64GB SDXC cards indeed work.  See photo to the right.
• 512 MB RAM
• 5.0MP autofocus camera w/ 720pHD/30fps video
• 9 hrs talk, 360 hrs standby
  • Replaceable 1430mAh LiIon battery

Here’s the full specs for this phone:
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/phones/nokia-lumia-521?model=rm-917
http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-5751

Photo of the Nokia Lumia 521 as displayed at the Microsoft Store