5 top smartphones in the 48-hour Amazon Unlocked event

For the next 48 hours, Amazon will be hosting a sale event with crazy deals on a number of unlocked smartphones. The key word here: unlocked.

There are several benefits to purchasing an unlocked smartphone. The major one is the flexibility and freedom customers have across carriers and distances. Unlocked phones are not tied to any provider and recognize SIM cards from all networks, which allows for international calling free of roaming charges.

Most smartphones today are purchased "locked," meaning they are limited and only work with a specific mobile carrier's SIM card. Plus, locked phones often have complicated payment plans. With unlocked phones, you usually pay the whole cost upfront — meaning that once you pay the Amazon sale price below, there is no need to fork over additional payments in the future (aside from your phone bill, of course). Read more...