Best Buy's iPhone-y "Deal"

While it's true that Best Buy is going to start selling iPhones on Sunday, making it the first independent retailer to sell the sought-after device, a look at their upcoming Sunday ad insert (click to enlarge) shows some more of their typically lame sales tactics.

The ad trumpets "Phone and email setup included" and then the fine print "when you buy the iPhone 3G and any accessory package." And those packages are on page 2, natch.

Packages are priced to sell (insert sarcasm here), starting at $106 and running to $234.

Just to be clear: go to an Apple Store and they'll activate your iPhone and setup your email for free. While I do realize there are far fewer Apple Stores and thus more people will have the opportunity to find a Best Buy, this is pretty lame.

Past instances of Best Buy's "deals" were "bait-and-switch" websites that differed in the store vs. outside the store (which eventually led to a lawsuit by the Connecticut A.G.), and tempting customers with faux "last" Wiis.

Oh, and waitasec. Setup your iPhone? Don't they have to activate it before you leave the store? If AT&T and Apple are now relenting on this, explain to me why we early adopters got stuck with it, and the long lines it produced.

Oh wait, I know. We're stupid.

[TechnologyExpert]