I did a bit a research before I decided on my free upgrade phone from Verizon—the LG VX-8300. Why?

• It plays mp3's and wma's (just drag them into my_music on a Micro-SD card).
• It plays videos (use a free converter and place them into my_flix).
• You can add ringtones for free, either my e-mailing mp3's to yournumber@vzwpix.com, or by using a 99-cent USB cable and BitPim (instructions are on the BitPim site).
• You can sync various calendar types (Outlook, iCal, Google Calendar) using BitPim.
• You can change a text file on the phone to enable free internet access (requires BitPim and a Hex editor). I set up my own WAP using HoTTProxy.

More information on hacking the VX-8300 can be found here.

I bought a USB cable, a car charger, an extra wall charger, and an extra battery on eBay for around $9.

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