5

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. And find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.

Happy Friday, friends! In case you didn’t know, I’m on “the Twitter” (so dubbed because it drives my kids nuts), where I occasionally share not only bonus bonus-deals, but also things I think are worthy of your time: podcasts, books, TV shows and so on. If you feel like you could use a little more me in your life, why not follow along?

Oh, and speaking of shameless self-promotion, did you know I co-host a Battlestar Galactica recap podcast? It’s true! (If you’ve never seen the show, you can stream all of it on Hulu. Definitely one of the all-time great TV dramas, let alone sci-fi series.) We’ve had some pretty cool guests on the podcast, with more to come. (Helo, you guys! Helo!)

On to business. Today the interwebs are just lousy with deals, so I thought I’d kick off your weekend with five of them. Starting with a downright-amazing monitor.

Best monitor deal ever?

Sixty bucks! While supplies last, of course.

HP

Good heavens. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the HP 22es desktop monitor for $59.99 shipped (plus tax), which I think is the lowest price I’ve ever seen for a 22-inch (well, technically, 21.5-inch) display. (Incidentally, I first spotted this on Ebay, where the only delivery option is in-store pickup. Not sure why, but I wanted to make that link available just in case.)

The 22es is a pretty typical desktop monitor, with VGA and HDMI inputs, an anti-glare IPS screen and, um, a power button. (Seriously, I can’t find much more to say about the specs.) Of particular note, it has a 4.6-star average from over 200 buyers. Sixty bucks, people!

Best phone deal ever?

Best Buy is on a roll today. Also for a limited time, and also while supplies last, the store has the Moto G4 Play for Verizon for $37.99 shipped, plus tax. (Actually, turns out Amazon is currently selling it for the same price. It’s listed only as “G Play,” but the model number is the same: MOTXT1609PP.)

I’m not seeing any difference between this and Amazon’s unlocked Moto G4 Play, save for the fact that it’s not unlocked — but also isn’t a Special Offers model. All else being equal, the G4 Play is a really impressive entry-level phone: 5-inch screen, 16GB of expandable storage, Android 6.0, even a built-in FM radio. On top of all that, it has very positive user reviews all around.

And at this price? Somebody tell me the catch, because I’m not seeing it.

Light up your life for less

I don’t miss incandescent bulbs one bit, not now that LEDs have improved so much — and become so much more affordable. Case in point: Neon Mart via Amazon has a 12-pack of Lighting Ever 60-watt equivalent LED bulbs for $16.99 when you apply coupon code LELIGHT2 at checkout.

Designed for home use, these 2700K, warm-white bulbs should last for many years, though a few user reviews suggest that there’s some inconsistency in the longevity. The seller does back them with a two-year warranty.

It’s worth noting that these are non-dimmable. Beyond that, seems like a solid deal, though it might be worth spending a few dollars more on a known brand?

Ultra HD TV for ultra-cheap

Should your next TV be a 4K TV? My thinking: Why not, so long as it’s cheap? There’s not much content available today, but there might be tomorrow.

And check this out: Walmart has the Avera 55EXQ 55-inch 4K Ultra HD TV for $278.04 shipped (plus tax). That would be a pretty amazing deal for a 1080p TV of this size, let alone one that can do 4K. Update: D’oh! Walmart is already sold out. The listing is now from a third-party seller, with a price tag that’s much higher. Sorry about that!

I have some experience with off-brand TVs purchased from Walmart. The Sigmac I snagged there many moons ago is still chugging along just fine, though obviously this is a completely different brand and model, so your mileage may vary. I’m just saying, don’t let the fact that this isn’t, say, a Toshiba discourage you.

According to a few of the reviews, the speakers are uniquely terrible — but that’s why I always encourage a sound bar or sound stand (which I did just yesterday). You’ll want one anyway.

The Avera has three HDMI inputs, which is good, and it’s wall-mountable. Even if you don’t supply it with 4K content, it’s a a pretty amazing deal on a big TV.

Free game!

Of the many benefits afforded by an Amazon Prime membership, one that’s often overlooked is a free membership to game-video service Twitch Prime.

And for a limited time, Twitch Prime members can get a free copy of first-person shooter Hard Reset: Redux. Normally $20, this robots-run-amok game is totally in my wheelhouse: single-player running and gunning with oodles of gorgeous pew-pew and kablammo!

Note that you’ll need the Twitch game launcher in order to play.

Check Also

The M2 MacBook Air Is the Ultimate Laptop Gift

This story is part of 84 Days of Holiday, a collection that helps you find the perfect gift for anyone. Over the years, I’ve often described Apple’s MacBook Air as the most universally useful laptop you can get (or in this case, give). The latest version, now with Apple’s new M2 chip inside, hits the fresh …

5

Well, cheeps, you’ve got about one more week to finish up your gift shopping. With that in mind, I’ve rounded up five items I think would make great gifts. Of course, you don’t have to give them away — you can always splurge on yourself. I won’t tell.

The gift of flight

The Skytech TK110HW looks sweet even when it’s folded up and *not* flying.

Skytech

I’m amazed at how good quadcopters have become, even at the low end of the market. I’m still having fun with the little folding JJRC H37 I wrote about a couple weeks ago, but now I’ve found a model I like even better for practically the same price — and with a remote control, no less.

Quick caveat: It won’t arrive in time for the holidays because it ships from China. But I daresay it’ll be worth the wait.

Tomtop has the Skytech TK110HW folding quadcopter for $45.99 shipped when you apply promo code RM5510 at checkout. That’s $10 off the regular price of this model, which is brand new and not even available on Amazon yet.

The best things about this flyer, in no particular order: It looks really cool. Its arms fold in for easy transport. It auto-hovers and has a headless-mode flight option. It can stream live video to your phone or tablet. And it’s substantial enough that you can fly it outdoors, though I wouldn’t do so on windy days.

I was only able to do a few quick indoor test flights (I live in Michigan, after all), but I was duly impressed with the design, features and performance of the TK110. I just wish it didn’t have a 2-3-week delivery time.

The gift of password management

I have two missions in life: Get people to dashboard-mount their phones for safer driving and get people to use a password manager for safer (and easier) computing.

Want to join me in the latter? There’s something in it for you: When you buy a Sticky Password lifetime license for $29.99, you get a second one for free. In other words, one for you, one to gift. Currently a single lifetime license would run you $99.99!

Why pay for Sticky Password (or any other password manager) when Lastpass now lets you sync passwords for free? Two reasons. First, the Premium subscription entitles you to priority support, always a plus for less tech-savvy users. Second, Sticky Password is among the few products in its class to offer local, no-cloud syncing — and I know there are many users who loathe the idea of their passwords floating around online (however encrypted those passwords might be).

I should also note that Sticky Password Premium received an Editors’ Choice nod from PC Mag, in case you want some deep-dive coverage of the software.

The gift of power

Stocking-stuffer alert! For a limited time, you can grab the Inateck 2-port USB car charger with built-in Lightning cable and 4-foot microUSB cable for $6.95, shipped free with Prime. That’s after applying promo code PRED9LLL at checkout. The code should work with either the black or white variant.

This cigarette-lighter power plug can charge up to three mobile devices simultaneously. I asked the vendor about some of the negative reviews and a rep admitted that an early batch of units had some defects but they’ve all been replaced and customers have reported no issues with those replacements. Plus, the charger comes with a one-year warranty.

For what it’s worth, I’ve got a couple of these. They work as advertised. A fairly boring gift, to be sure, but definitely a practical one.

The gift of gaming

If there’s a gamer in your life who prefers PCs to consoles, here’s one of the best gift deals I’ve seen, well, ever: Citizen Goods has a 3-month Steamcrate subscription for $19.99. Last time I wrote about it, that same subscription was $39.99. (You can also get six months for that same $39.99, or a full year for $79.99.)

What the heck is Steamcrate? It’s like a monthly mystery-box service, but delivering game codes (redeemed on Steam) instead of physical goods. Each “crate” ranges in value from $40-700 (about $100 on average, according to the company). Will you (or the recipient) like every one of the games? Maybe, maybe not, but the whole point here is to be surprised, to have the fun of a mystery box.

The only thing I can’t figure out is how to give this as a gift. Citizen Goods doesn’t seem to have that as an option. So you’ll need to get creative — or maybe just gift this one to yourself.

The gift of an unlocked phone

The Moto G Play is arguably already the budget-phone deal of the year. So when there’s an even better deal to be had, it’s like icing on the cake.

For a limited time, and only for Prime subscribers, Amazon has a fourth generation unlocked Moto G Play for $79.99 shipped. It’ll show up at $99.99, but the sale price will appear once you get to checkout.

This model hits you up with lockscreen offers and ads, but I say “big deal” to that. It’s compatible with GSM and CDMA networks, it comes with 16GB of expandable storage, it runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and it earned the title of CNET’s “second-favorite super-budget phone.” The bang for the buck here is just ridiculous.

OK! Who’s buying what?

Check Also

The M2 MacBook Air Is the Ultimate Laptop Gift

This story is part of 84 Days of Holiday, a collection that helps you find …

5

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. And find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.

Hi, cheeps! Let’s kick off the weekend in style with five, five, five sweet deals.

1. Watch yourself, buddy

Everyone has different reasons for wanting a smartwatch. For me, it’s notifications. For others: fitness. A crazy few just want to tell the time.

While supplies last, Daily Steals has the refurbished first-gen Motorola Moto 360 for $69.99 shipped. It’s available in your choice of three styles: black with a black leather band, stainless steel with a matching metal band and stainless steel with a light stone leather band.

(There are some additional variants shown on the product page, but it appears only the first three are actually available to purchase.)

What can I say about the Moto 360 ($99 at Amazon) you don’t already know? It’s still one of the most beautiful smartwatches to date, and it does pretty much everything — including heart-rate monitoring. I can’t say I love the Android Wear OS, but it’s no worse than the train wreck that is Apple‘s Watch OS. This is a steal indeed.

2. Old games never die, they just become free

Electronic Arts‘ Dungeon Keeper is widely regarded as one of the best strategy games of all time. Shockingly (to me, anyway), it’s nearly 20 years old.

For a limited time, EA’s Origin is offering Dungeon Keeper (for Windows) for free. You’ll need an Origin account and the Origin desktop client, which is also free.

The game flips the usual dungeon-manager concept on its head: Your job is to muster and control monsters (by slapping them) in order to keep out invading heroes. In other words, you get to be the bad guy! Dungeon Keeper has a rabid fanbase — here’s your chance to see what all the fuss is about. For free.

3. An amazing Surface alternative

I was originally going to share a deal on a refurbished Microsoft Surface Pro 2, which seemed like a solid deal at $319.99. Then I noticed that the accompanying photo shows it with a keyboard, as most of Microsoft‘s promo photos do, but the keyboard is definitely not included. So I got mad and decided to rerun one of the my favorite Surface alternatives.

Now playing:
Watch this:

HP Spectre x2 is a Surface-like tablet, keyboard included

2:18

While supplies last, Groupon continues to offer the refurbished HP Spectre x2 for $399.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). That’s already a killer deal given that it sold for literally twice the price just a few months ago.

However, if you start your shopping trip at Ebates, you can score a 9-percent rebate. That brings your final pretax price down to $363.99! (Don’t have an Ebates account? It’s free to sign up.)

I’ve gushed about the Spectre x2 before; it comes with a keyboard and affords the option of 4G LTE service via Verizon. Read CNET’s review to learn more.

4. Wi-Fi. I repeat: Wi-Fi

Having trouble getting your Wi-Fi signal to reach all corners of your house? For many folks a repeater handily solves the problem.

Like this one: Today only, and while supplies last, Newegg has the Netgear WN3500RP wall-plug Wi-Fi range extender for $24.99 shipped. It’s new, not refurbished, and normally sells for $50. Even a refurb is normally $35.

This works exactly the way it sounds: Plug it into a wall outlet, ideally somewhere near the spot you need a Wi-Fi boost, and presto: Wi-Fi boost. The WN3500RP has mostly favorable reviews on both Amazon and Newegg.

5. Like Apple’s AirPods, but only $40

The D900 wireless earbuds recharge in their little wireless charging box.

Syllable

If you like the idea of Apple’s totally wireless AirPod earbuds but don’t like the $150 price tag, check this out: Syllable Direct has the Syllable D900 Mini Wireless Earbuds for $39.99 shipped. That’s after applying promo code 9ZHD9IF5 at checkout.

These little black buds have zero wires. One goes in one ear, the other in the other. They can play for only about two hours before needing to return to their charging box, but that box can recharge the D900s up to seven times before needing to be recharged itself.

How do they fit and how do they sound? No idea. The reviews are very positive, but Fakespot, a consumer review analysis site, gives them an ‘F’ because most seem to have been in exchange for a free or discounted product. I don’t think that’s always a fair indicator of the actual product quality, but it’s something to consider.

I think if you want totally wireless ‘buds, this is one of the most inexpensive options I’ve seen.

OK! Who’s buying what today?

Check Also

8 New Google Products We Expect to See This Year

Google’s device line could end up having a particularly important moment in 2023. The company …

5

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.

Let’s kick the weekend off right with five — count ’em, five — deals!

1. Meet your new ‘buds

Cheap earphones are exactly that, right? Not always: Jokeret (via Amazon) has the Magnet Sports RM-S2 Bluetooth headset for $22.99 when you apply coupon code OFLCG958 at checkout. These behind-the-neck earphones come in green or black (the first two colors; the others are different versions of the product) and feature inline controls, a zippered carrying case, three earbud sizes and a mountain of ear hooks.

I got some ears-on time with these, and they sound surprisingly good. Like, way better than I expected given the price. That said, I probably wouldn’t go running with them, as the inline control unit, though slim, tends to bounce around uncomfortably.

Also, the instructions don’t explain how to use the ear hooks, which can require a maddening amount of experimentation.

On the plus side, my music played without interruption when I was outdoors, even when my phone was way down in my pocket. Other Bluetooth headsets I’ve tried experienced occasional dropouts. For the price, these are hard to beat.

2. Dime is on your side

Quick! Check the couch cushions. If you can scrounge up a dime, you can score a great game from the Google Play Store.

That’s because, for a limited time, EA and Chillingo are offering a baker’s dozen Android games for just 10 cents apiece. I’m not familiar with all of them, but I will say that Contre Jour, Dead Space, Monopoly and Need for Speed Most Wanted are, at this price, must-buys.

3. Today your prints will come

I can’t pass up a good deal on a multifunction printer, especially one with wireless savvy.

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Adorama has the Canon Pixma MG3522 wireless all-in-one printer for $29.95 shipped. That’s after applying coupon code 1CHEAPSKTE at checkout. (Yep: Cheapskate exclusive! And nope: I did not misspell that code!)

This super-compact MFP can print, copy and scan, and it supports AirPrint for easily wireless printing from your iPhone or iPad. It also offers duplex printing, a surprising (and awesome) feature for such an inexpensive model. (The last I dared to suggest that was a non-essential, readers took me out to the woodshed.)

4. Winter is coming…

…so you should be prepared for a dead battery. In your car, I mean. If you don’t already have a mobile jump-starter, consider the Aukey PB-C2 multifunction car jump-starter for $50 shipped when you apply coupon code EAP8LOB2 at checkout. Regular price: $69.99.

This thing looks like your average mobile device charger, but apparently it can also start a car! It packs a 12,000mAh battery that Aukey says can deliver up to 20(!) jump-starts. It also has an LED flashlight (handy because car batteries only ever die at night) and two USB ports: 2.1A and 1A.

The whole thing comes in a car-friendly plastic carrying case, complete with jump cables. I’ll confess I have zero experience with mobile jump-starters like this, so if you do, hit the comments and share your thoughts. I’m pretty tempted to grab one.

5. The host with the most

Need an online home for your new blog, business or political-rant site? Plenty of hosting services have cheap deals, but they don’t get much cheaper than this: StackSocial is offering six months of Doteasy Web hosting for free.

This is the company’s “Unlimited SSD 100” plan, which would normally run you $11.95 per month — or about $72 for six months. And although the storage isn’t unlimited (you get 100GB), pretty much everything else is: domains, mail accounts, data transfer, etc.

After your six months, you can always hop to another host, or just keep on going at the regular rate. Which is very competitive, if you ask me.

Thoughts?

Check Also

The M2 MacBook Air Is the Ultimate Laptop Gift

This story is part of 84 Days of Holiday, a collection that helps you find …

5

Move over Samsung and LG, there’s new evidence that HTC may be readying a “phablet” of its own for Verizon.

According to a trusted insider close to HTC Source, the smartphone is slated to boast a 5-inch 1080p HD display with a screen resolution of 1794 x 1080 and a ludicrous 480 pixels per inch (ppi). Inside it will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and boast other top features.

Before going any further, I have to address the handset’s name, which is reported to be DIx, which is short for Droid Incredible X. That makes sense when you consider the black and red color scheme that has long been a hallmark of past HTC Droid models.

Getting back to specs, HTC Source advises that the DIx will come with a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1.5GB RAM, and 16GB internal storage. Like its 2012 brethren, it will eschew the removable battery and microSD expansion in favor of a slim and sexy design. Additional details for the smartphone are said to include a rear notification LED for charging, messages, and calls.

As to whether this competes directly with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and LG Intuition, things are not so clear. The source of this new information tells us that the DIx did not support the Scribe stylus that came with the HTC Flyer, positing that the feature may not have been enabled. HTC Source, on the other hand, thinks this may just be a simply massive phone experience.

With HTC set to make some noise in New York on Wednesday, this is one handset that could certainly steal the show. Look for CNET’s coverage on the HTC press event and check back for initial impressions.

Check Also

8 New Google Products We Expect to See This Year

Google’s device line could end up having a particularly important moment in 2023. The company …

5

Related Articles

Best monitor deal ever?

Best phone deal ever?

Light up your life for less

Ultra HD TV for ultra-cheap

Free game!

Check Also

5

Related Articles

The gift of flight

The gift of password management

The gift of power

The gift of gaming

The gift of an unlocked phone

Check Also

5

Related Articles

1. Watch yourself, buddy

2. Old games never die, they just become free

3. An amazing Surface alternative

4. Wi-Fi. I repeat: Wi-Fi

5. Like Apple’s AirPods, but only $40

Check Also

5

Related Articles

1. Meet your new ‘buds

2. Dime is on your side

3. Today your prints will come

4. Winter is coming…

5. The host with the most

Check Also

5

Related Articles

Check Also

Leave a Reply Cancel reply