Comments on: Telstra Giving Away Free Laptops (Kinda)

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:53:19 +0000

Buy a decent laptop $1200-$1700-ish dollars (a lot better than a $700 one)

36 months on three mobile broadband @ $15 a month for 1GB: $540, plus the cost of the modem for 24 months @ $5 a month: $120

Total maximum cost with $1700 notebook: $2360

This is just another typical Telstra rip-off!

By: Reactive

Reactive — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:47:14 +0000

I’m with StevoTheDevo…Is this an ad in disguise? Sounds like a pretty horrible deal.

By: para

para — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:24:27 +0000

Sorry, I don’ like it when I hear about ‘good’ Telstra deals from a site with a big fat Big Pond sponsorship logo. Call me paranoid…

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:15:44 +0000

How is locking yourself into a $99/mth 3G plan that gives you a measely 1GB and outrageous excess usage charges a good deal?
Is it April 1st or have I missed something?

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:11:11 +0000

I've noticed a few carriers around the world doing similar deals but with the ASUS Eee PC.

At least then you only get weighed down by the bill.

By: David

David — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:02:45 +0000

When I was in Sweden earlier this year, subsidised notebooks sold with mobile phone plans are as normal as subsidised handsets with mobile phone plans. Anyone can buy one (there is no “ABN only” restriction), and you had a selection of notebooks in the same way you have a selection of handsets. Personally, the scheme makes sense to me and if more mobile providers follow suit, you’ll see prices drop and more choice for consumers.

By: Nick Broughall

Nick Broughall — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:43:22 +0000

If you're after mobile broadband (and let's, for arguments sake, say that you live in a rural area that only has NextG coverage), being able to roll your "laptop purchase" and your mobile internet into one monthly fee could be convenient. Especially if you can't afford the $700 up front.

Sure you could flexirent or some other process, but you're still going to be paying $90 a month on wireless broadband.

I think you need to look at this as a convenience, much like getting a phone for $0 up front on a plan. Sure, you'll pay more in the long run, but at least you can have that new phone (or laptop) now instead of months down the track.

By: StevoTheDevo

StevoTheDevo — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:31:31 +0000

Why is it great to spend $3600 on a $700 laptop??
or why is $2900 a good deal for a 36 month, 1Gb/mth data plan??
Are Telstra's Next G data plans really that expensive??
Surely anyone can buy a cheap laptop on finance if they can't spring for $700 up front, and still be better off buying their data plan separately!!
Even through Telstra!!

By: M K'dri

M K'dri — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:24:54 +0000

Wow, is this real?
This is great, but you have to have an ABN, What about people who don’t have ABN? They should allow this for private people too.

MK
http://www.multimediadevices.net