401-600 for me. I will never buy locked phones again.

starting back in the late 90s I have always purchased unlocked phones. it all started with the Nokia 9290, which I got for around $800, then I moved on to the Nokia 9500 for a few cents under a grand, I an now using the htc Advantage x7501 which I have had for two years. I am wating for the nokia n97, even though it won't cost as much as the others im ready for something new. so yes, I would and still do pay high prices for unlocked phones.

In all honesty, I have been waiting for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. And while I voted in the $401-$600 category... I will probably buy the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 as soon as my budget recovers from Christmas.

@Pony99CA, thanks for picking up on my error. Whatever version of IE I used back then, is what I was talking about. I have no idea why IE6 was on my mind. But what I did mean to say was that, as outdated as that version of IE was, I was able to browse websites really well over the Wifi connection.

I can't imagine paying more than $400 for a phone, locked or unlocked. Yes, I paid $600+ for my old iPAQ 3870, but that was when iPAQs and PDAs were fairly new and very hot (and laptops cost a lot more).

@Jim Haynes:

[...]I used to use my iPaq 4700 (true it could not make phone calls) but I used to watch many movies on it, use it to take notes in class with my external keyboard, browse the full web on the outdated IE6[....]

You didn't use IE 6 unless you've used that 4700 very recently. Microsoft just released it late last year, and hasn't made it available for older devices (unless you have a cooked ROM). ;-)

Steve

I am actually looking to get the X1 from one of the Sony Style stores here in the US. Have to pass by and try the keyboard to make sure it feels o.k. I do agree that $800 + tax is a hell of a lot of money and I agree with heybhouse, but I have looked at the Blackberrys and the iPhones and the variants of the HTC Touch Pro from Sprint, ATT and Verizon and they just don't cut it. And honestly, I have never actually bought a locked phone before, although in the last 6 years I have only had two HP handhelds and 1 Motorola phone. But that is life sometimes and you simply have to fork over that cash. Most people I know only use their phones for texting, phone calls and to see the "stripped down web". But when I used to use my iPaq 4700 (true it could not make phone calls) but I used to watch many movies on it, use it to take notes in class with my external keyboard, browse the full web on the outdated IE6 and even logged into my desktop server via ftp to stream video (or download the video first, then watch it, cannot remember). And the latter one (streaming video from my desktop) to watch tv episodes or movies or whatever while sitting at Starbucks or at work, isn't something that I can seem to find on the Blackberry or the iPhone right now. But if you can do this on these devices, please let me know.

even though i'd like an unlocked phone these prices are totally unreasonable. think of what else you could buy for $800 - laptop, food for a few months, maybe a used car, pay for food and schooling for a kid in a third world country for three or four years. they most not know the economy is hurting.

I usually buy the refurbished phones from at&t. I got my tilt for 149 without having to buy a pda plan using media net instead. I have given up to 330 for a phone but probably would not again.

My max would be $400 if its not under contract....less if it is.

Same here. I don't think I'd want to drop that much, particularly since the phones offered by (in my case Verizon) are pretty capable as they are. I got my Moto-Q for about $70 with my 2-year contract extension. It would be hard to justify spending $300+ on a phone just because it's "hot". I could afford it - I just don't think that would be a wise use of the bucks.

-CB

When I read the title of this I was sure we were talking about stolen phones. I'm a little relieved.

As a gadget nut, if I had loads of money I would get one of these "hot" phones but as a regular working stiff I had learned to live with less-than-cutting-edge gear. My limit would be around $200 depending on the phone.