While Virgin Mobile has so successfully differentiated itself as a low-cost leader in prepaid wireless service, so is the college-friendly cell phone carrier known for low-cost cell phones.
The April 6, 2009 launch of the Virgin Mobile X-tc by Kyocera Wireless, though, bucks the carrier’s low-cost cell phone trend.
Virgin Mobile, which has historically sold cell phones without contracts well under the $100 barrier, has priced the full-keyboard Virgin Mobile X-tc right at the $99.99 level which, for this carrier, is actually considered expensive.
The April 6, 2009 launch of the Virgin Mobile X-tc by Kyocera Wireless, though, bucks the carrier’s low-cost cell phone trend.
Virgin Mobile, which has historically sold cell phones without contracts well under the $100 barrier, has priced the full-keyboard Virgin Mobile X-tc right at the $99.99 level which, for this carrier, is actually considered expensive.
As of June 2009, the only more expensive Virgin Mobile cell phone is the 3G, dual-sliding and full-keyboard Helio Ocean 2 for $149. Helio, by the way, is now Virgin Mobile.
While the Virgin Mobile X-tc differentiates itself within Virgin Mobile as one of its most expensive cell phones, the handset is unremarkable when compared against other handsets for fast text messaging at competing cell phone carriers.
Such rivals for quick text messaging include the AT&T Quickfire, Samsung A767 Propel, Pantech Slate C530, Pantech Matrix C740 and the LG enV 2.
Price
A $99.99 price tag for the Virgin Mobile X-tc can be considered comparable with other quick text messaging cell phones at competing carriers.
That said, the $99.99 price tag of the Virgin Mobile X-tc is expensive in contrast with Virgin Mobile’s repertoire of other low-cost cell phones.
Feature List
Full QWERTY keyboard MP3 music player and games 1.3-megapixel camera Speakerphone MicroSD compatible for memory cards up to 8 gigabytes Bright, full-color screen at 240x320 resolution with 262,000 external-display colors Stereo Bluetooth for short-range wireless communications (i.e. for a wireless headset) Mobile email, instant messaging and Web access TTY/TDD enabled for the deaf or hard of hearing Real music ringtones Voice dialing
Battery
The Virgin Mobile X-tc’s battery neither impresses nor disappoints. The handset’s battery is rated at 4.17 hours (250 minutes) of talk time, which is the middle of the pack these days.
While the Virgin Mobile X-tc differentiates itself within Virgin Mobile as one of its most expensive cell phones, the handset is unremarkable when compared against other handsets for fast text messaging at competing cell phone carriers.
Such rivals for quick text messaging include the AT&T Quickfire, Samsung A767 Propel, Pantech Slate C530, Pantech Matrix C740 and the LG enV 2.
Price
A $99.99 price tag for the Virgin Mobile X-tc can be considered comparable with other quick text messaging cell phones at competing carriers.
That said, the $99.99 price tag of the Virgin Mobile X-tc is expensive in contrast with Virgin Mobile’s repertoire of other low-cost cell phones.
Feature List
Battery
The Virgin Mobile X-tc’s battery neither impresses nor disappoints. The handset’s battery is rated at 4.17 hours (250 minutes) of talk time, which is the middle of the pack these days.
Virgin Mobile X-tc
Image © Virgin MobileThe handset is rated at 200 hours of standby time (or 8.33 days) when not being used at all, which again is neither impressive nor disappointing.
Size, Weight
The Virgin Mobile X-tc measures in at 4.37 inches by 2.05 inches by 0.68 of an inch. The X-tc weighs in at an impressively light 3.89 ounces.
Differentiation in the Marketplace
The Virgin Mobile X-tc, which is one of the carrier’s few full-keyboard cell phones, differentiates itself within Virgin Mobile as one of its most expensive handsets for the low-cost leader.
Outside of Virgin Mobile, though, the X-tc doesn’t have a single differentiating feature when compared against other cell phones in the marketplace designed for quick text messaging.
The X-tc’s only impressive standouts include its light weight and its capability for a relatively large amount of media storage.
Size, Weight
The Virgin Mobile X-tc measures in at 4.37 inches by 2.05 inches by 0.68 of an inch. The X-tc weighs in at an impressively light 3.89 ounces.
Differentiation in the Marketplace
The Virgin Mobile X-tc, which is one of the carrier’s few full-keyboard cell phones, differentiates itself within Virgin Mobile as one of its most expensive handsets for the low-cost leader.
Outside of Virgin Mobile, though, the X-tc doesn’t have a single differentiating feature when compared against other cell phones in the marketplace designed for quick text messaging.
The X-tc’s only impressive standouts include its light weight and its capability for a relatively large amount of media storage.