T-Mobile first to market with Galaxy Note II, but it will cost you

Craving Samsung's new Galaxy Note II but too impatient to wait for the Sprint or AT&T models? Head to your nearest T-Mobile dealer, where you can get your hands on one today.

As noted by CNET on Wednesday, T-Mobile has become the first U.S. carrier to offer the Galaxy Note II, Samsung's latest phablet device which sports a 5.5-inch display and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

On Tuesday, AT&T announced that it would bring its 4G LTE-equipped variation of the handset to stores on Nov. 9, with online preorders kicking off Thursday, Oct. 25.

While five U.S. carriers (including Verizon and U.S. Cellular) are scheduled to carry the Samsung Galaxy Note II, T-Mobile is the first one out of the gate - but you'll have to pay extra for that privilege.

Big phone, big price

T-Mobile announced a whopper of a price to go with the big-screen phablet: $369.99 with a new, two-year service agreement, available in either titanium gray or marble white.

The fourth-place U.S. carrier also offers a "value plan" option which brings the price of the Samsung Galaxy Note II down to $249.99, but customers will have to pay 20 equal monthly payments of $20 to get it that way, also on contract.

While T-Mobile's Galaxy Note II comes preloaded with several apps, including the full version of Electronic Arts game Need for Speed, Samsung fans on a budget might want to wait just a bit longer.

Earlier this month, Sprint announced an Oct. 25 launch for its version of the Samsung Galaxy Note II, while the aforementioned AT&T model priced just below $300 with two-year agreement will hit stores in just over two weeks.

Via CNET