Deals
Laptop Prices–They are a fallin’!
Lenovo has a GREAT deal on their 14” Z series IdeaPad. I think Lenovo is overall probably making the highest quality laptops today. 14” is big enough to easily read and yet small enough to be easily carried. For $579 you get an Intel Core i5 processor at 2.5 GHz (tops out at over 3 GHz) so you’ll have no performance issues at all, 6 GB of memory, a 500 GB hard drive, webcam, Bluetooth, HDMI out and Windows 7. Use the coupon code DOORBUSTRSZ470 to get the price. This is a NICE laptop. If you’re in the market, go for it. http://goo.gl/goqkC
DEAL on a 2 TB Hard Drive – $109
If you’re running low on storage space on your desktop computer, Newegg has a GREAT deal on a 2 Terabyte drive (that’s 2,000 Gigabytes.) Note this is a 3.5” drive and won’t fit in a laptop. If you’ve been looking at the price of hard drives, you’d have seen how much they’ve gone up (as much as doubled) in the last few months since the flooding in Thailand where many are assembled. Newegg has this Seagate drive for only $109 when you use the coupon code EMCNHNC42 at checkout. Your regular desktop usually has room for more than one drive (unless you have one of those slim/skinny cases) so you could just pop this in and you’re ready to go. With Windows 7 it’s pretty easy to move your documents, photos, music and videos to the new drive without having to reinstall Windows or your programs. Of course, you could always call your friendly, neighborhood Tek-Chic to help with the installation.
Here’s the link to Newegg: http://goo.gl/jXQOA
Lenovo Deals on High-Power Laptops
Lenovo has a deal on their Z series 15.6” laptops with the Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. All the laptops have a HD display, 8GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, webcam, DVD burner, built-in Wi-Fi, built-in Bluetooth and HDMI out. The Core i5 is a dual-core processor that can clock up to 3.1 GHz and the Core i7 is a quad-core also able to run up to 3.1 GHz.
Lenovo makes excellent laptops and is known for paying attention to things like the keyboard and it’s feel. The i5 version is $599 and the i7 is $699. So if you’re thinking up upgrading to a nice laptop, I’d jump on these.
Barnes & Noble Nook Color Reader for $139
If you’ve been going back and forth trying to decide between the Amazon Kindle and B&N’s Nook Color, then this might make your decision easier. Though I’m not a huge fan of refurbished gear, and when I do suggest one it’s usually because you’re buying from the manufacturer, I can make an exception in the area of tablets which other than a couple of buttons have no moving parts. This means it’s probably going to work or it won’t.
The Nook Color is an Android based reader that has been highly customized for Barnes & Noble, is an excellent reader, handles pdf files Word files and is very well built. If you’re wanting a fuller, a more “pure” Android experience in a tablet, it is not very hard to “root” the device (giving you full control over the operating system) and you can even replace their version of Android with the more current and standard Honeycomb. But even out of the box, this is a great deal on a nice tablet.
Buy.com has it for only $139, WAY below the $249 list for a new one, here’s the link to their store: http://goo.gl/7NxOa. At this price it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
If you want more information about the Nook Color, Engadget did a rather extensive review in November and you can read it here: http://goo.gl/mnVjZ
Deal – Nook Color Tablet for $179
Buy.com has the Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet on sale for only $179 (it’s being sold by Barnes and Noble.) There has been debate back and forth as to which was the better tablet – the Kindle Fire for $199 or the B&N Nook for $249. The Nook has slightly better specs but the Kindle has easy access to Amazon, so many felt it was a toss-up. Well, at $179 it’s a pretty easy decision. If you like to read and couldn’t decide, now you can. The Nook has more internal memory and you can slide in an SD card to add more storage. Here’s the link: http://goo.gl/2NwUP
Monopoly on Android is FREE Today at Amazon
If you have an Android phone or tablet, the Amazon App Store has Monopoly free today (normally $5.00.) You’ll need the Amazon App Store on your device, so go here first to get it http://goo.gl/qmYIc, then download Monopoly. Be sure to check the Amazon App Store because every day they have a free app.
Posted in Deals, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: Amazon App Store, free android app, Monopoly | 
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DEAL: If You Have a REALLY Big Stocking – Here’s a Monitor to Stuff in It
Newegg has an Acer 23” monitor on sale for only $120. This is a nice LED backlit, full 1920×1080 HD resolution monitor. It has a standard VGA connector (blue) and 2 HDMI inputs. It doesn’t have the digital DVI input (a white connector), but if by chance that’s all you have on your computer (just look and see what color the connector is) then you can always get a $5 cable or adapter to connect to a HDMI port, but for most of you that won’t be necessary. Here’s the link to Newegg’s site:
Here’s how to get it in time for Christmas – sign up with Shoprunner for their free 30 day trial, with Shoprunner you get free 2-day shipping with many companies, including Newegg. Now with your free 30 day trial, go back to Newegg and have it shipped using Shoprunner. If you order it today (Tuesday), it will ship on Wednesday and will arrive on Friday. That gives you just enough time to get a stocking suitable for Bigfoot (well, I guess you COULD wrap it and put it under the tree instead.)
Here’s where to sign up for Shoprunner: http://goo.gl/Hu43m
DEAL: Wireless B/W Laser Printer for $50!
If you print mostly black and white pages – as in documents, email, etc. or you have kids who think printer ink grows on trees, then take advantage of this deal at Office Depot. They have the Samsung ML-1865W on sale for LESS than half price at only $49.99. Laser printing is cheaper than ink-jet printers. Keep your ink-jet printer for color jobs, but use the laser printer for reports, email or just general purpose printing that doesn’t require color. This is a wireless printer, so of course you can plug it in via USB, but even better you can connect it to your wireless router and then you can put it anywhere you have an electrical outlet and then all the computers on your home network can print to this. If you order it online – you need to spend a penny more to get free shipping, so buy something like a pencil, or here’s an eraser for $.79 http://goo.gl/8lQrF
Go here first for the printer, then get the eraser or something else so you get free shipping: http://goo.gl/AvKQJ
DEAL: Lenovo Laptop for $299 Direct from Microsoft
Though Microsoft doesn’t build computers, they do SELL them, and this is a deal when you consider “Microsoft Signature” is included, in which junkware and trialware that you might normally find on a new computer has been already removed and the system is optimized to run at peak performance. In addition you get a full 90 days of Microsoft support
This is a great first-time laptop or maybe for your kids in school. It will be good for doing email, surfing the web and watching videos. It has a 15.6” high-definition display, dual-core Intel processor, large 500GB hard drive, webcam, 4GB of memory, media-card reader, DVD burner and Windows 7. Here’s the link to Microsoft’s page with the deal: http://goo.gl/7g93p
Deal: Canon Multi-function Printer for $29!
That’s right kids, I said $29. Walmart has the Canon Pixma MP280 for only $29. And the deal gets even better! When you order it online, you get an extra black and an extra color cartridge, a USB cable AND a 4GB USB flash drive to use any way you wish. If you don’t know what you would do with a USB flash drive – use it as a Christmas gift.
Here’s how to make it an ever BETTER deal. The price alone is less than the price of replacement ink (around $40), so buy 10 of them. For $290 that’s the price of a single high-end ink-jet printer, but now you’ve got the original ink AND and extra ink that came with each one. Just stack the boxes in the closet. When you run out of ink – open another box and grab the ink. You can now donate a brand new printer minus the ink to Goodwill or your favorite charity and take the tax-deduction. The ink costs you less than half-price AND you get the write off – what’s not to love about that!
Keep in mind this isn’t a top of the line printer – but if you just have basic printing needs along with copying and scanning then this will get the job done at a great price. Here’s the link to Walmart’s page: http://goo.gl/r1oGe
Update 12/11 – It seems any reference to extra ink is gone – not sure I would count on getting extra ink with this deal.
My Own Black Friday Deal – 40% Off All Services
Not wanting my clients to feel left out, I decided to have a Black Friday deal of my own – so here it is. For all appointments that are made on Friday, Nov. 25, I will give 40% off of all my services. You don’t have to have me come to you on Friday, just book the appointment. If you call and get my voicemail, just let me know that you would like to schedule an appointment – and if I don’t get back to you on Friday, you’ll still get the discount when we do talk (probably on Saturday.) If you have friends who need help with their computer, have them call me and not only will I give them 40% off, I’ll give you 25% off the next time you need me. So here’s a Black Friday deal you can get and all you need is a telephone.
If your system has been running slow and it’s time to give it a fresh start, there is no better time to get it done. There are some certain “geeks” at a big-box store that are offering 20% off that day, and they charge more than me to begin with. So save some money and get your computer happy-happy for the Christmas shopping season.
So call on Friday: 512-981-7835 and get that appointment booked. After 11:59 PM Friday I’m back to my regular pricing (consider this a reward for being a regular reader of my blog.) Happy Thanksgiving to all my clients and friends!
Save 10% on an iPad! Really!
iPads are almost never on sale anywhere, so when you can pick one up at a discount – it’s a deal! Newegg is giving a full 10% off all new iPads when you use the coupon code EMCJJJB74. At the time of this post they are sold our of iPad 2’s, but they still have 64GB 1st generation iPads that you can apply the discount to. With the discount you can get the 64GB wi-fi only iPad for only $432, they also have the 64GB version with 3G (that’s AT&T) for only $495! That’s less than the original 16GB wi-fi only version – now THAT’S a deal! So if you (or someone you know) has their heart set on an iPad, this might be your way to get one without breaking the bank.
Though you don’t get the 10% discount on these, Newegg also has refurbished iPad 2’s at great prices also – so follow the link to check them out (and if you’re buying a new on don’t forget the coupon code.) http://goo.gl/uekRH
Deal: Dell Vostro Laptop for $386
Dell has their Vostro 15.6” laptop with an Intel Core i3 processor on sale for $386 when you add the coupon code 4J?W56DPHGN09N at checkout. This is a nice, basic system: 2GB of memory, 250GB hard drive, DVD burner and webcam. The big plus for this laptop is the one-year next business day on-site warranty, which means if they can’t fix your computer over the phone they will send someone out to you the next business day – that’s worth a lot. The Vostros are part of Delll’s business line, so it doesn’t come with a lot of garbage software. It’s worth checking out if you’re on a budget but want a solid laptop from one of the best in the business. Here’s the link: http://goo.gl/s0jyw
Deal: Desktop PC with Core i3 for $349
I’m very picky when it comes to laptop computers because the quality of the build has a lot to do with the longevity of the laptop. Desktops are a little different – you set them down and you’re done. You don’t move them around, you don’t open and close the screen, it’s just on or off. Pretty simple. I think twice about a Gateway laptop as a deal but as a desktop – it becomes a real possibility.
Gateway (now owned by Acer) has a desktop with a 3.1 Core i3 Intel Processor for only $349, and that includes a 1 Terabybe hard drive (that’s a thousand Gigabytes) and 6GB of memory. It also comes with built-in wi-fi (rare in a desktop system). can handle most camera memory cards and even has an HDMI port for connecting directly to an HD television. It comes with a 90 day warranty (less than I normally like), but in this case, if it works out of the box it will probably work for a long time.
I just set up a client with a similar system and it is a screamer. If you need a new computer and you’re still running on Windows XP, this is a great system to upgrade with at a minimal cost. Go check it out…. http://goo.gl/VkUgX
DEAL: Performance Laptop on a Budget
Gateway is not what I would call a top-tier builder. They were bought by ACER and a Lenovo or Dell would probably be a better built PC. That being said, getting an Intel Core i5 processor in a laptop for $449 is a GREAT deal. This laptop has 4GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, plenty of USB ports including one USB 3.0 high-speed port, an HDMI port, a memory card reader, DVD/CD burner and built-in web-cam.
If you need a rugged laptop, then you probably need to spend more, but if you’re gentle with your computer and maybe most the of the time your laptop actually just sits there on a table or desk, then this would be a great deal. Check it out at Best Buy (of all places): http://bit.ly/TekChic0418