Google had another Oprah moment this past Thursday at the Google I/O conference, giving all 4,000 plus attendees the Evo 4G, the new HTC Android phone being sold via Sprint. The phone is set to be released to the public on June 4, but attendees have gotten a sneak peak of the impressive device. Of course, many of these lucky recipients have already been quick to start peddling the phone on Craigslist and eBay, for as much as $1200.
On eBay, ‘buy it now’ price points range from $600–$1200, with many at $650-$750 range. Prices are more reasonable on Craigslist’s San Francisco site, with many of the devices being offered at $500-ish (the range is between $450–$750). There were a few offers to purchase an Evo for $250, with one person willing to buy it for $500.
Of course, if you wait until June 4, the Evo costs $199 with a two-year contract with Sprint. Usage plans start at $69.99 a month plus a $10 charge for 4G service. The plus of buying now? You get a free month of service with the Google I/O phone. Also, many of the sellers may be international recipients who cannot use the phone outside of the U.S.
Google has a history of giving its phones away to attendees at events. Last year, all attendees were given special edition, I/O-themed HTC Magics. At TED this year, attendees were given Nexus Ones. Developers were also offered the choice between a Nexus One and a Droid during IO registration this year.