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Back in January, Peek, the e-mail and texting handheld device, was on sale for $299.95 complete with lifetime e-mail service for one day only. 

What’s the story?

Lifetime service from Peek for $399.99 at Costco.  The offer runs out in 10 days on March 22, 2009.

Peek is an e-mail and text-messaging handheld device that normally costs $49.95 plus a $19.95 monthly charge to receive and send data via a cellular network.  This deal is a one-time charge that gives you access to your e-mail without the need for Wi-Fi. 

Why should people care about this?

The device normally costs only $50.  The service charge would be approximately $350.  That’s equivalent to a little under 18 months of service if you buy the Peek under normal circumstances.

An alternative to grabbing a Peek is getting a data plan with your cell phone.  Peek has put together a site called “Peekonomics” which compares its service charges to AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon.  The site shows the device to be a much cheaper alternative when compared to those telecoms’ plans. 

Why shouldn’t people care about this?

If you plan on getting rid of the device in less than 18 months, maybe you are better off with Peek plus a service plan.  Also, at almost $400, you could pick up any number of cool toys like a Kindle, a netbook, or a video game console like a PS3. 

Bottom Line:

The Peek is definitely not for everybody since it is very limited in its functionality.  If you hate the phone feature on your phone, this may be the way to go.

Read: [Peekonomics]
The deal: [Costco]