Where to get a smartphone *NOT* under contract?

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org>

|   I'm mostly interested in Wifi, and may not bother connecting to a
| phone provider.  (I already have a "POTS" candybar cellphone that I got
| in 2006.)

Sure sounds like a tablet will do for you.

They generally come unbundled.

If you didn't need a camera, I'd suggest that you look at the Nook Color.  
B&N (official) refurbs are a steal at the moment ($169 but you need to get 
them through a US friend).

The tablet market is changing very quickly at the moment.  Who knows
what it will look like in 6 months.  Apparently all manufacturers but
Apple have found sales to be less than shipments.  I would imagine
that this is a recipe for deep discounts to clear stock from stores.

Beware: the phone market is segmented by frequencies.  T-Mobile
apparently uses the same frequencies as Wind, different from Bell and
Rogers.  (There is overlap, but having the wrong frequencies causes
some problems.)

I bought a cheap Android phone (LG Optimus One) through Koodo.  Net cost 
somewhere around $50-75 (hard to figure out what to count) and no 
contract.  Price is a little higher now.  But this phone's capabilities 
are below your stated requirements.
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