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Compaq CQ62Z speeds past Atom for $380, jury's out on battery life
We won't lie, the last time we bought a standard Compaq was in high school -- approximately eight months before the LCD hinge broke -- but it's not everyday you find a notebook for a netbook price. (Okay, it might not last as long on a charge.) This week, HP's silently launched the Compaq CQ62Z, which comes with AMD's new 2.2GHz V120 CPU, ATI Radeon HD 4250 graphics and a 15.6-inch LED-backlit display at a legitimately fantastic $380. 2GB of RAM, 802.11n Wi-Fi, a 250GB hard drive, DVD burner and a 6-cell battery round out the package, and you can grab a dual-core processor for a few ten-spots more. Personally, we're still hesitant, but it's been years now... forgive and forget, right?
Dell Inspiron 14z dips to $399, for now
It may be nearly a year since we first got our hands on Dell's thin-and-light Inspiron 14z, but the laptop still certainly holds its own in its class, and Dell has now made an offer that's awfully hard to refuse -- it's lowered the price to just $399. That will of course get you the lowest-end, Pentium Dual-Core SU4100 model, but you can upgrade to a Core 2 Duo for $65 extra, and the rest of the basic specs aren't too shabby, including 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and a DVD burner. Anyone thinking of taking the plunge better act fast, however, as the deal is apparently part of a 48 hour sale, and quite a few of those hours have already ticked away.
Dozen Daily Deals for December 28, 2009
'Tis the season to shop until your brains melt (or skip it all entirely, depending on your interpretation of the term holiday). In that spirit, for the next few weeks we'll be rounding up a dozen daily deals courtesy our friends at DealNews.com. Each afternoon tune in to TUAW for this handy summary. Keep in mind that while our posts will live on, the deals won't. Each is lovingly generated by the deal-bot every day, so get 'em while they're hot. Enjoy! OfficeMax: [Bluetooth Headsets] Up to 92% off headsets at OfficeMax: Jabra JX-10 Wireless Bluetooth for $20 + $8 s&h Skype: Skype.com: Unlimited calling from $3 per month Buy.com: [Keyboards] Kensington Ci70 Wireless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse Set for $21 + free shipping eBay: [Networking Cables] Cables To Go Retractable USB 2.0 Cable Kit for $7 + free shipping Staples: [Office Furniture] Up to $100 off Computer Desks at Staples: Z-Line Aura for $70 + free shipping, more Meritline: 5-Foot Flat HDMI Cable 2-Pack for $6 + free shipping ExperCom: [iMac] Apple iMac Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz 24" Desktop with AppleCare for $1,399 + $17 s&h Shop4Tech: [USB Hubs] 7-Port USB 2.0 "Squid" Hub with built-in cables for $8 + free shipping Buy.com: [USB Hard Drives] LaCie Petit 320GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive for $61 + free shipping Meritline: [CD/DVD Cases] White Paper CD / DVD Sleeve 100-Pack for $2 + free shipping eBay: [Keyboards] Foldable USB Keyboard for $8 + free shipping Dell Small Business: [Networkable Hard Drive (NAS)] Netgear ReadyNAS Duo 1TB Gigabit NAS for $250 after rebate + free shipping
Direct2Drive offering $10 off Dragon Age: Origins through Nov. 30
Starting now until November 30, Direct2Drive is offering $10 off either the standard edition or Digital Deluxe Edition of BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins. The exclusive sale kicks off an upcoming Thanksgiving price drop on unnamed titles from the digital download service. The standard edition is priced at $39.95, while the Deluxe edition is priced at $54.95 for the promotion. With the savings we recommend you look into purchasing the (somewhat controversial) downloadable content already available for the title. If paying for storage space is your thing, that is.
Palm Pixi one step closer to free, now $25 on Amazon
Start placing your bets folks,'cause it now looks like its almost certainly no longer a question "if" the Palm Pixi will drop to a free-on-contract price, but "when?" The latest stop on the saga is none other than Amazon, which is now offering the webOS-based phone for a mere $24.99 with a service plan, beating Walmart's already bargain price by a full five dollars -- which should be just enough to let you buy a second Pixi next month at the rate things are going. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Walmart's $300 HP G60 laptop gets real, detailed
There wasn't exactly much secrecy left around this one after ads started popping up online, but Walmart's now set aside any doubt about its $300 HP G60-519WM laptop with a listing for it on its website, which also thankfully includes the complete specs for it. Apparently built exclusively for Walmart by HP, this particular model packs a 15.6-inch WXGA display, along with previously rumored specs including a 2.2GHz Celeron 900 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, a LightScribe DVD burner, and some basic Intel GMA 4500M integrated graphics -- not to mention Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit edition for an OS. Not exactly the worst deal for someone looking for bigger, more full-featured alternative to a netbook, to be sure, but we have a feeling this is just a taste of what's to come for bargain hunters on Black Friday. [Thanks, Luigi]
Save $100 on a T-Mobile myTouch 3G, thanks to Oprah
What could possibly cause T-Mobile to knock a full $100 off a successful smartphone less than two months after it started shipping? A lapse in judgment? A freewheelin' new CEO? A brand new Android phone set for release? No, it's something far more momentous: a new season of Oprah. While it's not quite a new car, folks tuning into the show today will apparently be treated to one of the biggest celebrity android sightings to date, and be given the opportunity to snag a myTouch 3G of their own for just $99 (on a two-year contract with data, of course). Can't wait another minute? Then it looks like you're in luck, as the discount code is already up on T-Mobile's website, and is valid until September 24th.[Thanks, Jeff]
Pre-order Halo 3: ODST through Amazon, get $20 in credits
If you already know for a fact you're going to buy Halo 3: ODST (and you're not planning on hocking games with GameStop for it) this may just be your best bet. Slickdeals points out that pre-ordering the $60 game from Amazon will net you a $10 video game store credit (plus $5 extra with coupon HALOODST) and a $5 Amazon MP3 Credit . In case you're not so hot with math, that effectively brings the price of the game to thirteen dollars. We're not sure how anyone could pass that up.
Bigwords.com app provides a cheaper way to buy textbooks
As a parent of two adult children, with one just having left school and the other finishing a Master's degree, I know that buying textbooks at their staggeringly high prices adds insult to the injury of tuition, housing and living expenses. Over the last few years, the market has made historic my remembrances of going to the bookstore and paying whatever was marked on the shelf while often vainly trying to find used titles of popular books. Things have changed: Bigwords.com and its little friend the Bigwords.com app [iTunes Link] are welcome additions to the quest of buying books and still having enough left over for food. The Bigwords.com app tries to find the cheapest way to buy textbooks. Whether it's one book, or a long reading list, you will save money using this app. You can also make money by using it to sell unwanted books, but being a teacher, I have a problem with that, having never re-sold or thrown away a textbook. Of course,that's just me. A good way to explain Bigwords is to take you through the process. The Bigwords.com app lets you set a bunch of preferences, each one reducing your options a bit. You can choose books that are new only, new or used, high quality new or used, set shipping preferences, consider eBooks or rentals (along with rental terms) and whether you require a guaranteed buyback from the vendor. You further customize it by telling it if you are a member of B&N.com, Booksamillion, ECampus.com, whether you have used Half.com, and whether you are an Amazon Prime member. Amazon Prime is a service where for a yearly fee, most everything you buy comes with free 2nd-day shipping. The answers to all of these questions help determine your final price.
Walmart offers decently-spec'd Compaq laptop for $300
Not sold on the whole netbook craze? Then you might want to consider paying a visit to your local Walmart, which is set to offer a surprisingly well-spec'd Compaq Presario laptop for the low, low price of $298. As you might expect however, that model (the CQ60-419WM) isn't entirely new, but it did just debut in January of this year with a significantly higher $470 price tag, and packed enough features to make it a not terrible deal even at that price. That includes a 15.6-inch 1366x768 display, an AMD Sempron SI-42 processor, NVIDIA GeForce 8200M graphics, 3GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a DVD burner and, of course, Windows Vista for an OS. Good enough for ya? Then look for it to hit Walmarts on July 26th and be available "while supplies last."[Via FatWallet]
Nokia N97 and Dell Vostro bundled for $730: make one mistake, get one free
The N97 might not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're still tempted to pay the $700 entry fee, you could sweeten the deal by throwing in a free-ish laptop -- Dell's currently bundling the Vostro A860 with Nokia's latest for $730 after a discount coupon. Flip that sucker on eBay for anywhere close to its $379 list price plus some "handling fees" and you might just come close to paying a reasonable price for the N97. Well, sort of reasonable. Those still interested should hurry past the read link, as the full discount will only be available through tomorrow or until stocks last.
Sony to leave the "battle to the bottom" of Blu-ray player prices alone, for 2009 at least
Just in case you were wondering whether Sony would get down and dirty with the low-priced rabble this year, word from its community blog is the company predictably held its premium brand mantle high, proclaiming during a recent industry analyst meeting that it wouldn't be launching a value-priced Blu-ray player. Still, after turning around and selling TVs bearing its name at Wal-mart of all places, we would be surprised to see Sony flip on this policy and offer price-conscious shoppers a Vizio alternative sooner rather than later.
Xbox Deal of the Week: Tiger Woods '09 Spyglass Hill DLC
Couch athletes, rejoice! This week's Xbox 360 digital deal is aimed directly at you. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 fans looking for some new scenery can pick up the Spyglass Hill golf course DLC for 400 ($5), down 33% from 600. The downloadable course brings players through one of the toughest stops on the PGA tour on the historic Pebble Beach Golf Links. It's the perfect DLC if you love the outdoors but hate leaving your home ... and can you really pass up a chance to fist-pump all over more Pebble Beach green?
Poll: Did you purchase an HD DVD player post-format war?
While scads of HD DVD adopters took advantage of extended return periods in order to rid themselves of the defunct format, we wonder who ran out to acquire a player at rock-bottom prices? Even now, the cost of entry into Blu-ray is still ridiculously high, and it's not like we ever had any issues with the image / audio quality of HD DVDs. Rather than beating around the proverbial bush, we'll get right down to it: did you rush out to buy an HD DVD player soon after the format war concluded? Did you stock up on HD DVD titles at bargain basement prices? Are you still enjoying your HD DVD player right now? Tell us how your unit is faring after a few months of being shunned by everyone else, and don't even think of being shy. %Poll-17883%
Deal of the day: Two UK platinum titles for 25
What's better t han a cheap game? Two cheap games, obviously. Not only has Play.com cut all their platinum PS3 game prices by £5, but they're also offering two for £25. A saving of £15 off the RRP. Not bad at all, when you consider these games were the cream of the crop in 2007. You can choose between Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Heavenly Sword, MotorStorm, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Resistance: Fall of Man. So what are you waiting for? Go get some cheap games. Oh yeah, there are also a few Blu-ray movies included in the deal, in case you already have the titles listed above.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Amazon lets loose a Blizzard of bargains today
At this point, we work under the assumption that there are probably very few people reading this blog that haven't had the pleasure of playing a Blizzard game from start to finish. But even if through some extraordinary happenstance, there was somebody out there who hadn't played World of Warcraft, there's s chance that they haven't yet had the opportunity to play some of the other Blizzard classics. Though Diablo 3 didn't turn out to be an MMO as we'd hoped, its progenitors are still fantastic games to have on call in the odd occasion that your internet goes down.That's why we recommend that you take a peek over at Amazon today, as they'll have 5 of the latest Blizzard games on sale today through their Deal of the Day and Lightning Deal promotions. The WoW Battlechest (which includes the original game, Burning Crusade, and a guide) will be up all day, but the Diablo Battlechest, the Burning Crusade expansion, the Warcraft III Battlechest, and Warcraft III proper will be on sale for a limited time and in limited quantities. You can't beat that with a stick.[Via Cheap Ass Gamer]
What will you do with your old iPhone?
So like a gadzillion people have asked me: "What do I do with my old iPhone now that I'm upgrading to a spiffy new 3G unit?" I thought about doing a top ten list. I thought about clever and amusing ways to use an old iPhone. But seriously, it just comes down to this. So read my lips. Jailbreak it. Unlock it. Give it away or sell it. The end. Get yourself a copy of iLiberty+ or ZiPhone or whatever tool you like. Once unlocked, you can sell it for a badzillion dollars on eBay, because contrary to what I originally thought, AT&T isn't going to let you walk away with a new 3G iPhone without signing over your first born, your personal bank account and possibly your soul. So the demand for 1st gens is going to go through the roof (as will the demand for posthumous mobile air conditioning units once AT&T is through with you). Over at Google, those $250 refurb iPhones from a few weeks back are going for $500 and up. Ebay has relative bargains at $350 and up. If you have a child, a spouse, a dog or any other loved one, you can now give them the phone with a T-Mobile or AT&T SIM and they're good to go. If any of these loved ones are foreigners ("votre chien", for example, in the case of those north of the border but within the Quebecois borders), they should be able to use a non-US SIM in the unlocked unit (i.e. "Le Rogers Fido"). As we've posted before, AT&T says it will reset your contract to 2 years once you get the new iPhone, so your old one will be completely free, clear, and contract-free. No one (except, perhaps, your dog) will sanction you for unlocking it.
German retailer discounting Sony BDP-S300 for HD DVD player trade-in
We're not exactly sure what German retailer Saturn plans to do with any HD DVD players that are surrendered as folks waltz in to take advantage of its latest offer, but we suppose the refurbished section could receive a boost in inventory if nothing else. Judging by a recent flier from the store, it's offering consumers a €150 ($221) discount on Sony's BDP-S300 -- which is overpriced at €499 ($734) -- if they trade their HD DVD player in at the time of purchase. Also of note, we can't seem to find if there's any fine print about what HD DVD players are acceptable, but it is certain that this deal is only available overseas at the moment. Not a bad idea to get customers to jump ship, though.[Via Blu-ray, thanks Bhargav N.]
Toshiba HD-A3 with 12 free movies available at Wal-Mart "secret" sale
There's certainly been no shortage of HD-DVD deals lately (or Blu-ray ones, for that matter), but it seem like those looking to get the biggest movie collection right out of the gate won't be able to do much better than Wal-Mart's upcoming "secret" sale, which includes a Toshiba HD-A3 player with twelve free HD-DVDs for $298. That, of course, includes the usual two movies in the box and five more by mail, plus an additional five that you'll get "instantly" when you buy the player (no word on what you'll have to choose from). You'll have to get up early if you want to walk away with that stash, however, as the sale gets underway tomorrow at 8 am sharp, when you'll also be able to snag a 50-inch Vizio plasma TV for $998 or a 40GB PS3 with a free $50 gift card for $399, among other slightly less notable deals.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Analysis: Is the WoW laptop worth it?
So as you've probably already heard, Dell is releasing an ultraswank gaming laptop computer, bedecked in WoW paraphernalia like no computer ever has been before. If you're a WoW fan, this is the clearly the ultimate bling in laptops to own-- the kind of computer that Mr. T plays his Night Elf mohawk on. But it retails at a whopping $4500, which makes it too rich for my blood, and probably too rich for yours.Still, it does come with a lot of stuff-- not just a sweet 17" laptop, but also lots of Blizzard swag, and even that FigurePrints coupon. But the burning question is: when you add it all up, is the WoW laptop really worth it? I could probably think of better ways to spend $4500, and I'm sure you could, too. But if we really did want all of this stuff, and had the money to buy it with, would the Dell deal really be a bargain?That's what I'm planning to find out. After the jump, we'll break down what you get with the set, what it costs, and whether or not this Dell deal really is the WoW fan's biggest dream, or whether or not you could save some cash just by buying it all separately.%Gallery-11285%
