best buy

A lot of times we get asked which Windows Phone is the best. That’s a big decision since no phone can truly be the undisputed winner when there are so many variables to consider.

A Lumia 920 could be perfect for me, but if you Skype a lot you might prefer the 8X and the extra space in your pocket. That being said, Nokia does like to differentiate itself from other Windows Phone OEM’s with software exclusives and some great customer service. For example, Windows Phone Central forum member lsmachado received some stellar customer service from the Finnish company and has shared the experience with us.

This story should fill you with warmth and tide you over until you’ve been stuffed with Turkey...

Mega-retailer Best Buy has invested some serious time into training employees at their brick and mortar stores about Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 8. Speaking to Forbes, Best Buy's merchant vice president for computing, Jason Bonfig, said that they have dedicated over 50,000 hours to making sure certain blue-shirts, Geek Squad consultants and "Microsoft Advisors" all have a working knowledge of Windows 8, so they can help customers feel comfortable with what is surely a change in what they are used to seeing on a Windows computer.

Best Buy is offering the Verizon HTC 8X for $199.99 when taken with a new 2-year contract. The flagship HTC Windows Phone 8 handset on offer supports 4G LTE, is tied to Verizon's network and comes in beautiful blue.

Looks like Best Buy heard about AT&T's announcement today as the electronics chain has unceremoniously returned the Lumia 920 to pre-order status on their site. What's more, it's at the lower price of just $99, meaning if you had BB gift certificates or like using their rewards system, you can now do so.

The devices are still not yet searchable, meaning we're kind of beating Best Buy to the punch here. But we imagine they will show up soon enough in all colors.

In this week's Windows Phone Roundup, we focus on apps that could come in handy with your shopping needs.

From taking care of purchases from your Windows Phone to monitoring auctions to even buying/selling an automobile or just trying to find the best deal the Windows Phone Store has a healthy selection of shopping oriented apps.

Update: The Lumia 920 is still hidden from the Best Buy system but if you use this link, you can still find it and evidently pre-order it. Thanks, anujtwp, for the link

Just this morning we woke up gleefully to find that Best Buy was finally taking pre-orders for AT&T’s Lumia 920 and the HTC 8X. Even better was what seemed like a fair price for the Lumia 920: $150 on contract, coming in below the normal $200 mark for high-end smartphones.

But alas, something is awry and the Lumia 920 has gone missing from Best Buy’s site. Even more odd is how the HTC 8X is still listed for pre-order. Glitch? Error? Sold out? We really have no idea and hopefully tomorrow either we’ll wake to find it fixed or we’ll ask Nokia if they know what’s going on with the whole deal.

In addition, some people who have pre-ordered the Lumia 920 mentioned to us a ship date of October 23 or 24th. While we don’t have any knowledge if that is accurate, we’re leaning on this being an error from Best Buy. We’re not expecting that phone to ship until November 4th—but hey, we like surprises just like anyone else.

Thanks for everyone who sent this in!

We recently touched on Best Buy gearing for its pre-orders of the HTC 8X, which is likely to be available in-store (and online) on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. As well as this tip, Windows Phone Central also received captures of upcoming promotion material that detailed Windows 8 hardware, both pricing and specification highlights.

Are Live Apps just Metro Apps renamed?

Now that some third-party stores are getting their marketing and display setups for the big Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 co-launch at the end of the month, some new questions are being raised.

First and foremost is what are “Live Apps”? The term comes via a display sign that asks users to swipe up, down, left or right on the screen to explore them at a Best Buy store. The questions is, we just don’t know what they are exactly.

Two possibilities naturally present themselves: this is a new, unannounced feature for Windows Phone 8 or this is just a display-unit addition for demonstrations with no serious implications for the platform. (The tipster who sent the images into Neowin does not believe it’s a demonstration tool, but rather an actual feature for what it’s worth.)

Though the past few days have looked fairly grim for Nokia, who posted a €590 loss for Q1, there is some positive news for the Finnish manufacturer.  It appears that signs of strong sales of the Lumia 900 have proven true, especially for the cyan model, which has now sold out completely on Best Buy's website.  We saw the same thing happen a few days ago over at AT&T, who initially sold out of both the black and cyan, but has since restocked their black models.  The cyan, however, still remains "temporarily out of stock." 

The Best Buy and AT&T sellouts are important both to consumers and carriers alike.  Carriers are beginning to see that Windows Phone can be a viable option in the marketplace.  Verizon recently said in a conference call that they see a place for Windows Phone and hinted at a future increase in offerings, though some European carriers remain skeptical.  Consumers are seeing that there now a clear alternative to Android and Apple.  In fact, our online poll indicated that the majority of people who became Lumia 900 owners were in fact converts from iPhones or Android devices.  Sure, it's not the most scientific evidence, but it's surely a positive sign.

Source: Best Buy; Thanks for the tip, kylengai!