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Cyber Wednesday brings half price Peek service, discounted Wii
Ever heard of Cyber Wednesday? Yeah, same here. But seriously -- when's the last time you heard us kvetch over a deal? Effective today only, Peek's email-only handhelds are being offered up with lifetime service for half of the normal price. Buy any Peek handheld and you'll get service for just $9.99 per month for as long as you keep the device, which is certainly a bargain compared to the $19.99 that's typically charged. In other news, Wally World has announced that from December 5th through the 12th (while supplies last, obviously), a $50 gift card will be handed over when you purchase a Wii console in-store. Just think -- Walmart is actually incenting you to buy a Wii. Man, how the times have changed.
12-year-old Make-A-Wisher designs GameStop's holiday gift card
Rather than choosing something selfish like the opportunity to ride Donald Trump like a pony or a trip around the Moon with the original Apollo 11 astronauts, 12-year-old Make-A-Wish Foundation wish recipient Emily Adkins instead chose to give back to the foundation. In designing the Holiday 2009 GameStop gift card, Adkins secured $1 per card purchased (up to $100k) for the Make-A-Wish coffers. Though the design will be featured amongst other gift cards this year, GameStop is offering the donation deal across all card designs. Any gift cards purchased from now until December 26 will go towards the donations, though none of the proceeds will bring Emily any closer to riding Donald Trump like a pony. Isn't that just a crime?
Barnes & Noble accepting gift cards for ebook purchases starting mid-December
A few nasty rumors were circulating that Barnes & Noble wouldn't accept its own gift cards for ebook purchases, but thankfully, the outfit has come clean today to refute those claims. 'Course, it's possible that this change in policy was a direct result of all the bickering, but either way, the company will be accepting physical gift cards and online gift certificates as payment for ebooks really, really soon. The cards will work on purchases made at B&N's website and through the Nook itself (not to mention "other devices using the B&N eReader software), and we're told that the new policy will be in full effect come "mid-December." In other words, all those gift cards you just purchased as stocking stuffers for to-be Nook owners are good to go. Phew. [Thanks, David]
Walmart offering $100 gift card with any BlackBerry purchase (but only next week)
We're onto you, Wally World. Granted, you already confessed that you'd be dishing out a deal a week until sometime in the future, but hey, we'll feign surprise without thinking twice. Next week's bargain is a good one for those in the market for one of RIM's handsets, as Walmart shoppers will be given a $100 gift card (to Walmart, obviously) if they purchase practically any BlackBerry phone on a 2-year contract from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless. The offer begins at 8AM local time this Saturday and runs through November 20th, and if you're looking to see exactly which handsets are included in the deal, have a look past the break.
New Target preorder program offers gift cards upon purchase
Target has been taking pre-orders on games for a while, but the retailer's updated program may just lure customers in with the promise of free money. In Target, the store pays you! Stores will offer these $1 "Reservation Cards" for popular titles. When you return with the card to buy the game (as long as it's within seven days of the game's release) you'll get not only the reserved item, but a $5 Target gift card.The list of reservable games includes Punch-Out!!, EA Sports Active, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, and UFC 2009 Undisputed. Is the prospect of one of these games buying you free salsa (or duct tape, or Diet Coke Plus, or whatever) enough to get you into Target's electronics section?
hhgregg continues to scoop up Circuit City business
We wouldn't have predicted that when hhgregg started its Circuit City gift card program months ago that it would have come to this, but it's really just a natural extension of what the Naptown-based retailer has been up to. Circuit City customers left in a liquidation lurch can turn to hhgregg (assuming one is nearby) for factory authorized service on items purchased from the big red plug that are still under the original warranty. Additionally, hhgregg is extending its Circuit City gift card amnesty program to April Fool's Day -- a fitting date to end the cakewalk music, we think. It's good to see a retailer stepping in to help out consumers, and this kind of action might score some loyalty points redeemable in more flush economic times.
hhgregg extends Circuit City gift card deal through Super Bowl weekend
Apparently buoyed by the initial response to its Circuit City gift card offer and now happily sitting on top of a pile of the red and yellow plastic cash substitute, retailer hhgregg is extending the program through the Super Bowl weekend. It's all about lemons and lemonade, we suppose, but the conditions of the deal haven't changed -- your Circuit City card is good for up to 20-percent off your hhgregg (brick and mortar only) purchase, and the card gets handed over to hhgregg when used. Still, if Black Friday ended with you holding a Circuit City card and no toys, you could do worse than to pass the buck on to hhgregg.
Apple gives developers the ability to use promo codes
Apple has now given developers the ability to use promo codes to give away copies of their applications on the App Store. Previously, developers had to build a special version of their application (i.e. Ad-hoc copy) that included a mobile provisioning file and the actual application. These two files were then dragged onto iTunes to install them. With the Ad-hoc model, developers were limited to giving away 100 copies of their applications. Plus, users needed to find & supply the UDID information for their iPhone/iPod touch. With this change, developers can give away a special code that, when typed into the iTunes Store under the "Redeem" section, will give the user a free (or promotional) copy of the application. However, there are some caveats to using the promotional codes: The developer can only give away up to 50 promotional codes per application version Currently the promo codes can only be used in the US iTunes Store We're sure that this will fill the gap between developers looking to get reviews and users eager to do the reviewing. Nice work, Apple! [via MacRumors]
hhgregg accepting Circuit City gift cards, some strings attached
In case you can't make it to the bargain hunting unfolding at Circuit City stores, or just don't want to face the frenzied atmosphere tinged with gloom, retailer hhgregg will gladly take any Circuit City gift cards you have lying around off your hands. So if your local Circuit City just got closed, or if it just doesn't have that model you're craving, you can cash in your gift cards at hhgregg, to the tune of (up to) 20-percent of your register total. The offer does not extend to online purchases, and you better make sure you use up the entire card value, too, because you'll have to surrender the card to hhgregg before they hand you the goods. Use it or lose it, friends![Via TV Lamps N Bulbs]
Best Buy's holiday gift cards now double as speakers, still a lazy present
Not to be outdone by Target's camera gift card gimmickry -- or perhaps to be exactly outdone -- Best Buy is offering gift cards this year with built-in speakers and a 3.5mm hookup. This is ostensibly to rock some tinny tunes while pondering how best to spend a $50 card on a $4,000 home theater system -- there's an alternative, highly discouraged usage after the break. What's absolutely clear here is the incredible margins these retailers enjoy on gift card purchases, and while we'd love to stick it to the man and buy real presents for our loved ones, we're probably looking at another mad dash on [respective holiday] Eve to gather up an assortment of cards to be accompanied by misattributed scribbles and perhaps a bow. We can't wait![Thanks, Oscar]
Target gift card for the holidays multitasks as adorable digital camera
Okay, we don't know who came up with this idea, but we have to give them some credit for innovation, not to mention (in our opinion) some pretty attractive design sense. Yes, Target's new gift card gimmick this holiday season is that it doubles as a cute, disposable digital camera. The little device runs on two AAA batteries, has a self-timer, and is packaged with a USB cord, driver disc, instruction manual and a voucher for 40 free prints from Target. The camera itself is a 1.2-megapixel affair with 8MB of memory on-board, which means it can store about 50 images. Now, we know this just a ploy to get us to buy Target gift cards, but we're kind of smitten with this little thing. Oh, and: Bah! Humbug![Via Coolest Gadgets]
Pick up a $10 gift card by purchasing Blast Works
We're still shocked that Blast Works finally came out after all those delays (and according to a few emails that we've been getting from you guys, some retailers are also feeling disbelief). If you can manage to track down this content-packed shooter, though, we recommend trying your luck at Circuit City. This week, the folks at the good ol' city of circuits will hand you a nice $10 gift card with a purchase of Blast Works. Yet, don't fret if you're having trouble finding this game at brick and mortar locations, since you can also head to the retailer's online store. For a game that's only $40 to begin with, we have to say -- this deal is mighty tempting. Any takers? Gallery: Blast Works [Via CAG]
Amazon Falcon Punches Brawl price to an effective $30
Amazon is now offering Super Smash Bros. Brawl at a reduced price of $40. We doubt this markdown is permanent (since demand is still awesomely high) but we don't know how long the new sale price will last. Brawl for $40 may indeed be awesome, but it gets better! The $10 gift card offer we mentioned last week is still in effect, bringing the price down to (basically) $30. That's as cheap as you're likely to see it -- until the next unexpected markdown, which will probably be next week (judging from recent history). Oh, and while you're shopping at Amazon, why not throw a $20 copy of NiGHTS in?
Wal-Mart throws in $100 gift card with Blu-ray player purchase
Given that $100 at Wal-mart is essentially as good as cash, we can only imagine how titillating this offer may seem for Blu-ray holdouts. Announced today, the mega-retailer will be offering a $100 gift card with the purchase of any Blu-ray player from June 8th through 14th -- and yes, Sony's PlayStation 3 is included. In case this wasn't enough to maybe-possibly get the general public to actually pay attention to the format, Wally World will also sell "select" BD titles for $15 starting on the 8th. Since the format war ended earlier this year, we've seen report after report proclaiming that Blu-ray adoption just wasn't taking off here in America, but with a theoretical net price now close to $200 (albeit for a few days only), we can certainly see the masses taking notice at long last.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Wal-Mart offering $100 gift card with PS3 purchase
We've received documentation from one of our reliable sources that the $100 gift card Walmart.com is currently offering with the purchase of a PS3 isn't the whole story. According to images shown us (one of which we've placed after the break) from the "Wal-Mart Wire," between June 1-7 Wal-Mart stores will give a $100 gift card to customers who purchase a PS3. The interesting part is that the following week, June 8 - 15, many Blu-ray players will offer the $100 gift card, and this apparently also includes the PS3.The kicker here is if you're looking to pick up a PS3 with your purchase of Metal Gear Solid 4, the smart money would be to pick up the 80GB PS3 MGS4 bundle available June 12 because you'll get a $100 gift card out of the deal. Sure, you could be all about the Wal-Mart hate, but we'd take the free $100.
Walmart fattens Wii Fit with $10 gift card
With preorders already sold out at Amazon, we can bet that Wii Fit will share the same success in North America that the game has seen in Europe and Japan. But, is it just soccer moms and casual gamers who are spending the hefty $90 for this nongame, or do readers like you have an interest in the product as well?While some core gamers might not have succumbed to the Wii Fit hype, we're sure quite a few of you are more than intrigued by Nintendo's latest innovation. If so, you might be interested to know that Walmart is offering a $10 gift card with Wii Fit preorders. Of course, since shipping and tax will amount to more than $10, you're not actually saving anything. Yet, should you want to avoid the angry mom rush in brick and mortar stores and get something in return for your troubles, it might not be too bad of an idea to take advantage of this offer.If you're considering this deal, just keep in mind that it ends on May 11th (or possibly earlier if Walmart runs out of stock).%Gallery-4745%[Thanks, Tristan and bakk!]
He's a demon on USB
Are you likely to be spending some money at Target in the near future? Then you might as well head on over there sometime soon and pick up this Speed Racer-themed gift card (which you can use later to buy what you actually wanted in the first place). Even if you're not interested at all in the upcoming game (or movie), you'll still land yourself the free mini USB 2.0 Flash drive that comes with it. The drive only holds 62.8 MB worth of stuff, but should that bother you, you're missing the key word here -- free.Initially, 51.6 MB will be taken up by promotional Speed Racer goodies, but that stuff can always be deleted. Those of you who are looking forward to seeing the Mach 5 in action soon enough, though, might enjoy some of the extras provided. According to GamerTell, the drive includes: Five coloring book-style pages featuring the Mach 5 and Racer X's car (PDF file) A coupon for $1 off a Speed Racer Powerburst racer and $3 off a Speed Racer Powerburst figure-8 track set (PDF file) Two Speed Racer desktop wallpapers A Speed Racer family movie (MOV and WMV files) A special code for the Wii version of the video game (we wonder what that will do/unlock?) Due to the nature of the internet, we're sure you'll be able to find the game code without buying the Flash drive-bundled gift card. Still, we recommend getting one of these pseudo-free sticks if Target is one of your regular stomping grounds.
Best Buy offers HD DVD owners $10 million in gift cards, trade in, shoulder to cry on
Best Buy is following Future Shop, Circuit City and others in reaching out to casualties of the format war. In this case, anyone who bought an HD DVD player from Best Buy before February 23, 2008 can request a complimentary $50 gift card for each player. For those too traumatized to even look at their discontinued hardware and software, Best Buy also announced it's adding HD DVD players and media to its Trade-In Center program, starting March 21. No word on how much a player can net you, but once it's updated, check BestBuyTradeIn.com to get an estimate and decide how much holding onto the past is worth.[Thanks, Harmin C.]Update: Best Buy just issued a press release with additional information about the more than $10 million in gift cards it plans to distribute, and details on how to make sure you get yours, check out the full PR after the break.
Guess what Zack & Wiki's universal price drop means?
Remember how a bunch of you promised that you'd buy Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros Treasure as soon as it hit the bargain bin (sub-$20)? Well, we remember, so you better not go back on your word ... Now that the adventure game has been marked down to around $29 at most retailers, if you've received one of those $10 gift cards Wal-Mart gave out to apologize for its Brawl preorder mess, you can use the $10 to order Zack & Wiki online for only $19.82! Who could have expected that a blundered Super Smash Bros. Brawl reservation would lead to you buying a cheap copy of Zack & Wiki? Masahiro Sakurai works in mysterious ways! %Gallery-3283% [Via NeoGAF]
All is forgiven (Thanks for the ten bucks, Wal-Mart)
Unwilling to honor its erroneous $19.82 pricing listed last Friday for Super Smash Bros. Brawl preorders, Wal-Mart has done the next best thing to appease the gamers who felt entitled to more than just an apology -- they've given us all free money.If you haven't received it yet, this is the message you'll receive soon, provided that you took advantage of Wal-Mart's too-cheap reservation: "As we are always striving to provide a positive customer experience, we will be sending you a $10 electronic Gift Card toward a future purchase as an apology for your recent experience. (One Gift Card per affected customer; this card can only be used online at Walmart.com. Look for details in a separate email.)."Alright, so a $10 gift card only valid online isn't nearly as great as a ten-dollar bill in your hand -- or a twenty-dollar copy of Brawl, for that matter -- especially considering that every game or accessory at Wal-Mart that's worth a damn will run you much more than $10. You could always just use the card to offset the cost of an expensive purchase, or you could purchase one of these cheap alternatives we've picked out for you from the online store instead: Soho Cooler 4-Piece Glassware Set, Clear - $7.97 ReliOn Ultima Blood Glucose Monitor - $8.88 Disney - Men's Grumpy Love Boxer Shorts - $7.58 Puddles Rainwear - $6.97-$9.97 Spice Girls CD: Greatest Hits - $8.82 Playtex One Step Breast Milk Storage Kit - $9.62 Doodle Dinosaurs: Draw-Ruptor - $9.00 [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
