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Passion/Dragon news for today

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That is indeed a good question! If it releases mid-December, there's a chance Google's "mid-January advertising push" for the phone would fall within your return period. You could also wait until late December or even early January to push out your 30 days. And finally, you could just pay retail for the phone, since the ETF is now $350.

Waiting is always the smartest thing to do - but it's also the hardest! :) Just like with computers, cameras, and cars, the longer you wait, the more you'll get for your money.

Wait as long as you can, but if the Passion/Dragon seems like the best phone for you and you can't wait any more, then go ahead and get it. There will always be something new (and better!) around the corner. Two years isn't really that long, anyway. :)
 
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It seems to be more and more likely a Passion release will happen mid-December. Question now is...do you skip it and wait out the pure Google phone?
If I had to guess, the pure Google phone would be GSM only, which mean it wouldn't work with Verizon/Sprint.

Though, I have read that it might work with Wal-Mart's service, which uses Verizon's Network.

Frankly, I doubt it will be too different from the Dragon.
 
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If I had to guess, the pure Google phone would be GSM only, which mean it wouldn't work with Verizon/Sprint.

Though, I have read that it might work with Wal-Mart's service, which uses Verizon's Network.

Frankly, I doubt it will be too different from the Dragon.

The word is that Google is pulling out all the stops on this phone, and I'm betting not just in the hardware features like processor and display, but probably in the radio too. May just be like the dev phones that support all bands across the world, especially if they're gonna sell it themselves and through non-carrier retail channels. I mean, it would have to be Verizon approved, but with the open device initiative (like the Saygus phone) I could see that happening. I wonder if they'll be trying to push something LTE capable as well?
 
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The latest rumors are that it will be a Google branded phone that could be both cdma and gsm, be sold without a contract and even data only with voip for calls.

I know the Google phone is not the HTC Passion, but that's my biggest fear is that the Passion may be sold without subsidization. Haven't heard any rumors to the effect, but with news the SE Xperia will cost $879 out of contract, a price tag in that range would put the Passion well out of reach of me. My ceiling on cell phone cost would probably be about $400, although I've never paid that much. The most I've paid is probably $150, the least is -$50 (yes minus).
 
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I know the Google phone is not the HTC Passion, but that's my biggest fear is that the Passion may be sold without subsidization. Haven't heard any rumors to the effect, but with news the SE Xperia will cost $879 out of contract, a price tag in that range would put the Passion well out of reach of me. My ceiling on cell phone cost would probably be about $400, although I've never paid that much. The most I've paid is probably $150, the least is -$50 (yes minus).

I highly doubt Verizon sells a phone locked to its network without subsidization. Besides, it's worth far more to them to have you locked in on a data plan for 2 years. Month-to-month customers don't get factored in to their guaranteed "future" cashflow for network upgrades and the like.
 
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The latest news?

This guy talked about it all as if it were fact, getting me excited at first. When people challenged him, he admitted possible fault, and changed his story. This leads me to believe he himself is speculating and when people say something in his story is off he corrects his story.

If he KNOWS google is doing this, people saying 'thats unlikely' wouldn't affect his opinion. But it seems like he doesn't really know for sure a google phone is coming, which is pretty contradictory to his article's title. So if the whole focus of his article is not actually truth, whats to say the 'all the guys are walking around with the passion,' bit isn't too. Why would they be walking around with/messing with a Sense UI phone anyway? (I know there are possible reasons, just saying it doesn't seem as likely, when HTC is the one updating its software at this point to Catch Up to google's 2.0).

I was very excited about this article too, just disappointed when I find out that even the Post just speculates for hits on its site.
 
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I know the Google phone is not the HTC Passion, but that's my biggest fear is that the Passion may be sold without subsidization. Haven't heard any rumors to the effect, but with news the SE Xperia will cost $879 out of contract, a price tag in that range would put the Passion well out of reach of me. My ceiling on cell phone cost would probably be about $400, although I've never paid that much. The most I've paid is probably $150, the least is -$50 (yes minus).

The most expensive out of contract phones on Verizon tend to be $500 to $550.
 
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I have no doubt that the Google only phone will be a new level for the handset market.I can see owning one of these along with the passion.
I have to be honest though, I am waiting for the passion and just could not wait longer once the passion comes out to get the GPhone.

I might have to just purchase 2 new phones in the next few months.

Would you do the same?
 
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...not wait longer once the passion comes out to get the GPhone.

Current rumors are the gPhone may be out Jan or Feb 2010, but it may be a VoIP phone. No cell voice account needed, just data. http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/17/thegoogle-phone/

Would you do the same?

I only need one phone.

I'm very happy with my LG Dare, I just got android fever when the rumors of the Moto Droid started. The Droid is a great phone, but I don't need a keyboard. I'm waiting on the Passion because I'm hoping it's the phone that will sustain me until the Verizon iPhone LTE comes out. Yes, that phone only exists in my imagination right now, but who knows where phones will be a year from now.
 
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I only need one phone.

I'm very happy with my LG Dare, I just got android fever when the rumors of the Moto Droid started. The Droid is a great phone, but I don't need a keyboard. I'm waiting on the Passion because I'm hoping it's the phone that will sustain me until the Verizon iPhone LTE comes out. Yes, that phone only exists in my imagination right now, but who knows where phones will be a year from now.

True on the iphone LTE...

I also am using a Dare till the passion rolls out.I have 2 cars,2 motorcycles,2 computers,2dogs so I guess adding another smart phone would keep the balance going for me...hahaha
 
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from what ive read, the google phone will be purely a data and VOIP phone...i cant see verizon getting in on that..i mean its very possible, and it would be very smart given the verizon network...but i dont see it happening. ...i guess you could really go either way with it. but we wont know for sure till it happens.

if anything, i would think verizon would sell network space to google, and google sells their own phone, and you pay for a certain amount of bandwidth each month..at the same time, verizon can make a deal to offer the same phone thru one of their plans, for customers that are still tied into contracts...LIKE ME. lol (1 year left)

man this is getting complicated..jeez will someone just tell us something.
 
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Hello Everyone,

This is my very first post to any tech-related chat board. I've been checking Phandroid (and everything else) so frequently for news of the Passion/Dragon, that I thought I should sign up and introduce myself! I used to tease my girlfriend for checking into her Facebook account so often, but I've become an absolute fiend for some hope for this phone!

In any case, I've been reading these posts for the past couple of weeks, and I remember reading someone who said that a Verizon contact said Phonescoop.com will potentially be a good source of information on the release of our much-hoped-for handset. I was concerned when I read Phonescoop's latest post, which was put up about an hour ago:

HTC Dragon competition for Droid and IPhone|iPhone-scoop.com

The writer of this post seems to be equating the Passion and the new Google phone as one and the same. I've read the above posts, and I am aware that previous leaks have made clear these phones will be different. Personally, I'm imagining that the "game-changing" Google phone will be a data device that does VOIP - not what the Passion is expected to be. I can definitely see this being the future of mobile communication, especially when the world is covered with 4G, but for now, I need a quality phone and I've been drooling over the specs of this Passion/Dragon!! I've been on my Motorola Q for about 4 years, and have gone through serious anticipation for the HTC Touch Pro 2, the Samsung Moment, and I was headed to the store on the release date of the Droid when I heard about the Passion. My Q's batter won't hold a charge anymore, I need this Passion to be a real phone!!!!
 
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Just read this in a phonedog article:

DRAGOOOOOON!!!
This bad boy may as well be called the HTC Super Hype Ultra. The rumors/leaks just don't stop. And while this phone was being rumored to launch in mid-December, the GooglePhone gabbers say it's been bumped to the new year.


Full article: What up, Droid? - PhoneDog Cell Phone News & Articles


I can't wait till 1Q 2010!!!!!
 
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You know what? After all of the research and re-researching that we, the Passion/Dragon fiends on this thread, have been and are doing - I believe that we probably know more than some of these outside tech bloggers. I believe that to a person who's job it is to monitor all things technical, and not be laser-focused on a particular handset, like we are, may tend to confuse the issue more than is necessary. As we all have been hearing, the HTC Passion/Dragon has been rumored for about 2-3 weeks, and now this recent news breaks that the Google phone will actually become a reality in Q1 of 2010. Don't you think its likely that these less-than-laser-like focused bloggers have just gotten their stories crossed? You know, in taking a general survey of the news/reports/and rumors, they just wrapped the Passion and the Google phone into one unit, due to the proximity in time that these stories started surfacing?

I still hope and believe that these phones are separate items, which means the Google phone can come out early next year, without interfering with our mid-December release of the Passion/Dragon. In fact, here's a thought - perhaps these new rumors about the materialization of the Google phone will drive HTC to put out the Passion earlier rather than later in order to beat the upcoming Google phone media hype?

Just hopeful thinking?
 
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