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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.
Samsung
Ah, DailySteals, my old nemesis. We meet again.
Quick back-story: Once upon a time, DailySteals was a regular source of Cheapskate deals. But the company had, well, issues. A lot of readers complained about slow shipping, poor customer service and overall dissatisfaction.
That’s why you haven’t seen a DailySteals link in this space for quite a long time. But I believe in second chances. The company has a new owner, and I spoke with him directly about my concerns. His response: “Our new ownership and management comes from service backgrounds, so we understand the importance of transparency, consistency, and accountability.”
In other words, for all intents and purposes, this is a new DailySteals. And it’s kicking things off with a pretty sweet offer: While supplies last, you can get an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 (16GB) for $259.99 shipped. It’s new, not refurbished, and sells elsewhere for at least $320. It’s available in your choice of black, white or gold.
First things first: the new owner told me any orders placed before 12 p.m. will ship the same day — not in 1-2 weeks, as was the case with many previous deals. Also, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee (with a 15-percent restocking fee, which isn’t uncommon) and a 60-day exchange policy.
The Galaxy S5 was Samsung’s flagship phone for much of 2014 and the early part of 2015. Unlike its successor, the S6, it offers a removable battery and expandable storage — features guaranteed to help you squeeze the most from this handset.
Right now, it runs Android Lollipop, but it’s a good bet Samsung will push out a Marshmallow update sometime in the coming months — possibly even sooner.
Because the phone is unlocked, you can take it to any GSM carrier — ideally the one offering the most affordable no-contract service. I recommend checking out Ting, which charges you based on usage, and Cricket Wireless, which has plans as low as $35 per month.
As for the S5 itself, I’ll turn you over to CNET’s review if you want to learn more. Spoiler alert: it scored a 9.0 rating. I have no hands-on experience with this model, but everything I’ve read suggests it’s a winner.
The question is, are you willing to take a chance on DailySteals? If you’ve been burned in the past, I would totally understand your reluctance. But, again, new owner, new management, new focus on customer service. I’m inclined to give the company a second chance.
Enlarge ImageKmashi
Bonus deal: Many a modern laptop lacks a numeric keypad — a bummer for anyone who works with spreadsheets, Quicken or the like. Thankfully, it’s an easy thing to add! For a limited time, you can get the Kmashi Wireless Numeric Keypad for $12.99 when you apply coupon code 3ZLEBIO8 at checkout. It runs on a single AAA battery and connects to your PC with an included USB transmitter.
Bonus deal 2: If you were intrigued by yesterday’s 3D printer deal but didn’t want to spend quite that much, give thanks to reader cbshort, who alerted me to Monoprice’s Maker Architect 3D printer, currently selling for $299.99 shipped. That nets you only one spool of filament, but you also get a larger print bed, support for dual extruders, an SD card preloaded with 3D models and other benefits. It’s not nearly as cute (or compact) as the Micro 3D, but it’s definitely more versatile.
