$99 Galaxy S2: How and Where to Get One

T-Mobile is offering the Samsung Galaxy S2 for $99 on their Web site only, but the sale ends today, Dec. 18. Only the white version is being offered, and the $99 price is after a $50 mail-in rebate. Of course, you still have to sign a new two year contract and buy a data plan on top of that, but if you were thinking about grabbing a Galaxy S2, you might as well get this one.

Specifically, if you want the deal, you have to go through the T-Mobile Web site or call 1-877-387-4324 and buy a promotional data plan called Even More. There is an individual or family plan, and they offer unlimited Web access on top of 1,500 minutes of talk time and text for $80 per month (family plan is double the minutes for $150 per month).

Furthermore, you get the mail-in rebate after you activate the phone. If you've ever had a mobile phone before, you probably know how all this goes, but at least you get one of the best selling smartphones in the world for your trouble. Galaxy S2 has a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen, 4G, eight megapixel rear-facing camera, 16 gigabytes of on board storage and a microSD card slot for expanding the storage up to 32 gigabytes.

It's also super thin and lightweight, though the light weight can be partly attributed to its entirely plastic body. Some people may think the device feels chintzy or flimsy because of this, but that is a matter of personal preference.

A couple of other handy features that don't get nearly enough publicity are Galaxy S2's DLNA compatibility and the fact that its micro-USB port is really an MHL port. DNLA allows you to use your Galaxy S2 as a remote control for devices that are DLNA compatible. For example, your HDTV or Blu-Ray Disc player may have this function, but you'll need to check the device. The MHL port is at the base of the phone and it functions like a micro-USB port for charging, but also can send video and audio out to HDMI-equipped displays. The MHL jack recognizes USB or MHL impedance and will switch the phone into USB data/charging or MHL audio/video/charging modes. You do need a special cable to run your HDMI devices, though.

Let us know in the comments if you're thinking of grabbing one of these powerful smartphones.