Sprint, Best Buy: Get Netbook for $1

Best Buy has a cool plan that offer's the Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX netbook for one dollar.

Now this sounds like a great deal: get a 3G-enabled Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX netbook for less than a buck. With that kind of pricetag, it sounds like a piece of plastic junk pulled straight out of a gumball machine. However, for $.099, consumers get an Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz machine packed with a 160 GB ATA hard drive, 1 GB of RAM, and a 10.1-inch antiglare 1024 x 576 LED display. Other features include a built-in webcam, a 5-in-1 media reader, three USB 2.0 ports and more.

However, the price tag comes with a price: a 2-year EVDO Rev.A data service with Sprint that will cost around $60. Normally the netbook retails for $389.99 without any additional service; a Sprint subscription ultimately will cost consumers $1440 overall. For those who would rather avoid Sprint, the special also included Verizon and AT&T, but the cost jacks up to $199.99 plus the two-year subscription fee. The netbook will come supplied with the CDMA EVDO Rev.A module for the Verizon and Sprint plans, while the AT&T version will come equipped with an HSDPA module.

The 99-cent deal can be found on Best Buy right here, however the offer is only valid in-store only. While the final $1440 bill may sound a bit hefty, consumers looking for new hardware and mobile Internet service may find a great value here. It may even be cheaper to ditch a mobile phone plan and just use the netbook and Skype via the EVDO subscription, but then again, that may be difficult to maneuver with one hand on the wheel. The EVDO plans are limited to 5 GB/month.