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Get a Virgin Mobile Supreme 5-inch Android phone for $249.99

That's $50 off the regular price of this impressive 4G LTE handset, which you can operate for as little as $35 per month. Plus: three bonus deals!

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
3 min read
The Virgin Mobile Supreme is a steal at $249.99 shipped.
The Virgin Mobile Supreme is a steal at $249.99 shipped. Virgin Mobile

As someone who's thinking seriously about ditching his "tiny" iPhone 4S and pricey AT&T service in favor of a bigger phone and cheaper, no-contract plan, my ears pricked up a couple weeks ago when Virgin Mobile announced the 5-inch Supreme -- a ZTE-made Android phone reasonably priced at $299.99.

But what's this? There's already a deal to be had? Yep, for whatever reason, you can now get the Virgin Mobile Supreme smartphone for $249.99 shipped. And Virgin's no-contract plans still start at $35 per month.

I've been test-driving a Supreme for the last couple days, and let me just say it's a serious contender to be my next phone. The 5-inch display is gorgeous, even though it's "only" 720p. And the phone feels very speedy despite having a "mere" 1.6Ghz dual-core processor. Virgin bundles EA's Real Racing 3, and it's an excellent showcase for the phone because it looks fantastic and runs silky-smooth.

The Supreme is thin, light, and comfortable to hold, and I like the dedicated camera button, removable battery, and microSD slot (features that seem to be disappearing on a lot of higher-end Android phones).

It also offers a 13-megapixel camera (which I haven't tested much) and runs on Sprint's 4G LTE network, which is really the hit-or-miss proposition for most potential buyers. (Be sure to check coverage in your area.) Where I live, 4G coverage is zero, and even 3G is spotty. However, that's not a deal breaker because I spend 95 percent of my time in the warm embrace of Wi-Fi networks.

Although this may not have the cachet or horsepower of, say, an HTC One, I think there's an incredible amount of bang for the buck here. And Virgin's monthly plans are insanely reasonable; I can easily get by with the 300 voice minutes (and unlimited messaging and data) afforded by the $35/month option. That's less than half what I'm currently paying AT&T.

Speaking of which, my two-year contract ends in a few weeks. It's decision-making time for the Cheapskate. Your thoughts?

Bonus deal: If you're still rocking one of those old-fashioned camera things and you live reasonably close to a RadioShack, you can get an Eye-Fi Connect X2 4G Wi-Fi SD card for $10.48 plus tax. That's far and away the lowest price I've seen on any Eye-Fi card, which can wirelessly transfer photos from your camera to your PC or any number of online services. Click Find It Nearby to see if any of your local Shacks have it in stock.

Bonus deal No. 2: There's never been a better time to add a keyboard to your iPad: Dealfisher has the refurbished Logitech Ultrathin Bluetooth Keyboard Cover for $29.99 shipped, the lowest price I've seen. It lists for $99.99 and runs about $70 at Amazon. It comes in your choice of red, white, or black, and it's compatible with all iPad models except the first-gen (and the Mini, natch). Killer deal!

Bonus deal No. 3: In case you don't already have all the flash drives you could ever possibly need, today only, Best Buy is offering the PNY Compact Attache 8GB USB 2.0 flash drive for $4.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). It's an especially tiny drive, measuring just 1.75 inches long.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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