Walmart to Sell $99 iPhone?

Rumors about the iPhone hitting Walmart at a discount price have been circulating for some time, and The Boy Genius Report is bolstering those rumors today, saying it received a tip that the giant retailer will be reviving the 4GB iPhone model for just $99 with the standard two-year contract. The handset would be functionally identical to existing 8GB and 16GB versions and presumably offered with the same monthly price plans available now.

True or not, the idea of selling affordable 4GB iPhone 3G makes sense and should have mass appeal, considering not everyone needs to carry their entire music and video library with them at all times. The site cautions that this should be taken strictly as a rumor for now due to an unproven source, but indeed some Walmart training materials have been seen in the wild. Moreover, it's not unusual for the giant retailer to secure a special version of a product to sell at an extremely attractive price – though conversely Apple is not known for giving its retail partners any special treatments.
[Via: Jose Vilches ] [Tag: ]

Dell Mini 9 gets built-in AT&T 3G option

It's never been much of a secret that the Dell Mini 9 has been 3G-ready from day one, and Vodafone customers have been able to get a 3G-equipped model direct from the carrier for a little while now, but it looks like folks in the US can now finally get in on the mobile broadband action as well, with a built-in 3G option now configurable on Dell's site. Unfortunately, anyone that already took the plunge on a Mini 9 is out of luck, as the $125 upgrade is only available new orders (and only available on Windows XP-equipped models). If that doesn't preclude you, however, you can also expect to get a $120 rebate if you're willing to sign a two-year contract for AT&T's DataConnect service, although it looks like you'll also have to put up with a delay in your ship date at the moment.
[Via: Mobility Site ] [Tag: 3g, att, dell, dell mini 9, DellMini9, mini 9, Mini9 ]

Virgin America to launch in-flight Wi-Fi

Continuing with an ongoing trend, Virgin America is finally making its long announced entry into the world of in-flight broadband. The carrier, like American and Delta, will use the Gogo service from Aircell to provide its passenger with broadband connectivity and has teamed with YouTube to provide an air-to-ground video stream, from a plane flying over the San Francisco Bay Area, as part of the launch event tomorrow.

Virgin America’s in-flight Wi-Fi service will then remain in beta tests for one week before a planned commercial launch on December 1, with plans to have the system from Aircell deployed on all its planes by the middle of next year. Internet access won't be filtered for content or applications, except for VoIP, and the company will charge $9.95 for a flight of three hours or less and $12.95 for longer flights.
[Via: Jose Vilches ] [Tag: ]