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Droid Razr free at Best Buy today with new contract

The original Razr smartphone had a good run of a year before it became a giveaway in the eyes of retailers.

Eric Mack Contributing Editor
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
Expertise Solar, solar storage, space, science, climate change, deregulated energy, DIY solar panels, DIY off-grid life projects. CNET's "Living off the Grid" series. https://www.cnet.com/feature/home/energy-and-utilities/living-off-the-grid/ Credentials
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Eric Mack
The Droid Razr is still a solid Android phone. But after a year, it's become a giveaway. Screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET

Today is a sobering one for many Droid Razr owners like me. We're officially walking around with smartphones that are almost worthless, at least from the perspective of one major retailer.

Best Buy is letting go of the basic 16GB Droid Razr 4G LTE phone for free with a new Verizon contract for today only. I paid $199 for mine with the same strings attached about eight months ago.

If you're the kind of person who can live without the latest version of Android (the Razr comes with Gingerbread, but you should receive the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade over the air after activating and there's word Jelly Bean could be pushed out soon) and absolute top-notch hardware like the Galaxy S III or the Google Nexus 4, then this is probably the best deal going on a new smartphone right now.

Then again, there could be more big deals just around the corner with Black Friday coming up, although this year it starts early with a Black Thanksgiving evening. (That just doesn't sound right.)