Didja hear that RadioShack is rebranding? The hoopla will of course include some sales to drive traffic. Apparently the Pre will be part of this upcoming sale and will be only $150 for new customers. Nice.

We’ve seen it lower thanks to a Best Buy snafu and one website offering a one day rebate, but this might be the first legitimate price cut on the Pre. Now just to be clear, this is for new Sprint customers. Current subscibers eligable for equipment upgrades will still have to pay $219 for the handset, which is $20 more than what you’ll pay at a Sprint store, natch.

So RadioShack is now the Shack. They’re also going to put a huge laptop in New York and one in San Fran. You’ll be able to chat with people on these laptops. Homeless people will eventually pee on both.

I personally think this is one of the stupidest ideas ever but hey, what do I know. After all, naming your store after a place the guy from Sling Blade would hide out after he killed his momma might be a good idea for some marketing executives and remember. Clearly a ramshackle old cottage that has become a haven for crack fiends and pederasts is exactly what they want me to think about when I’m shopping for TVs. I, for one, probably won’t be going into any Shacks for the next few decades.

via Giz

Good for RadioShack. All 4400 stores are now drop-off locations for the company’s trade-in program, which sounds like a natural fit. Previous gadget trade-in programs generally involve sending your gear away to a random website where you just *know* that you will not get in return what the website advertises. Now you just head to your local ‘Shack and the associate determines the gadget’s value right away and hands you a gift card if you accept. Sounds like a good plan to us as every community has a RadioShack and everyone has old gadgets gathering dust that can now be used to buy new gear.

Stores are now accepting:

•  MP3 players
• Mobile phones
• Cameras
• Camcorders
• GPS receivers
• Gaming Media
• Gaming Consoles

The website accepts all those plus:

• HDTVs
• Car Audio
• Laptops

Starting Sunday, RadioShack will be selling the Acer Aspire One for $99 with a two-year contract from AT&T at $60 per month for 5GB of high speed data.

If $60 sounds like a lot to be paying for 5GB of wireless data each month, it is (if you ask me). Maybe you could wait for future offerings with carriers other than AT&T, right? Wrong. It’s $60 for 5GB of 3G/EVDO data across the board whether you go with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint unless you go with Verizon’s $39.99/month plan, which gives you a whopping 50MB of data.

My personal suspicions about price-fixing aside, if you’re a potential candidate for the Acer deal, you’ll get an Aspire One with an 8.9-inch screen, 160GB hard drive, 1GB memory, XP Home, built-in 3G, and a travel weight of 2.44 pounds. You’d save around $300 on the computer up-front, so you’ve got that going for you. Maybe someday you’ll be able to get one for free with a two-year contract, eh?

Full press release:

RadioShack Introduces 3G Netbook Utilizing AT&T’s Mobile Broadband Service to Help People Stay Connected

Innovative portable notebook technology for $99.99 when combined with qualifying AT&T mobile broadband service

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Starting Dec. 14, RadioShack Corporation (NYSE: RSH) becomes the first major U.S. retailer to offer an ultra-lightweight, mobile netbook Internet device with integrated 3G wireless technology. Netbooks, designed to fulfill people’s growing needs for mobile access to Internet applications, are widely expected to be a hot growth area for the computer industry. The unique combination of technologies created for this launch to help people stay connected enhances RadioShack’s reputation for offering innovative solutions at affordable prices.

The Acer Aspire one netbook is priced at $99.99 for customers who sign up for a qualifying two-year AT&T DataConnect mobile broadband service agreement with plans starting at $60 a month. Once activated, this netbook allows people to easily access the Internet anywhere within AT&T’s wireless network. The offer is available in 4,400 RadioShack company-operated stores through Dec. 24. Prices may vary outside the continental U.S. See stores or visit http://www.RadioShack.com for complete offer details.

"Many people internationally are already enjoying the portability, on-the-go connectivity and affordability of this emerging new technology," said Peter Whitsett, RadioShack’s executive vice president – merchandising. "We are proud to introduce this concept in the U.S. by offering a netbook with integrated 3G functionality in addition to full Wi-Fi capability.

"RadioShack is offering this innovative technology solution at a very attractive price through our collaboration with Acer and AT&T," he continued. "Helping people stay connected during these challenging economic times illustrates our continued commitment to meeting their personal technology needs affordably."

The lightweight, 2.44-pound netbook includes 1GB memory, 160GB hard drive, built-in memory card readers and Windows XP software that supports the portable connectivity needs of commuters, students, travellers and mobile professionals. This allows everyone to keep in touch via email, participate in social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, use the built-in Web cam and crystal-clear LCD screen for video conferencing with family, friends and business associates, conduct online research, and a host of other online functions.

The Acer Aspire one 3G netbook comes equipped with the following features:   

–  Weighs 2.44 pounds
–  Ultra-compact size measuring 9.8" x 6.7" x 1.1" (W x D x H)
–  Stylish piano-black finish
–  Built-in 3G capability
–  802.11b/g wireless (Wi-Fi)
–  8.9-inch LCD screen
–  Built-in Web cam
–  Intel(R) Atom(TM) processor
–  Windows XP(R) Home
–  1GB memory
–  160GB hard drive
–  Built-in memory card readers (dedicated SD and 5-in-1)

Tired of explaining to your friends and family about how they can watch “the big game” in high definition on their new HDTV? My advice is to ignore their questions and send them a link to this video HDTV explainer from Terry Schussler, a RadioShack store manager in California. It’s also a bit of an advertisement for Monster Cables (which you can find at your local RadioShack! I’ve been told they, the stores and online, have some great deals on flat-panel TVs and accessories from now till the Super Bowl).

My favorite part is Schussler explaining (in a bit of a condescending tone) that HD content doesn’t just magically appear on your HDTV simply because you plug your TV into the wall. I’ve been telling people this for years, but they still don’t believe me. Good luck gettin’ through to the masses, Terry. We feel your pain.
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