Deals
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
DEAL: 27” Acer Monitor only $229
If you’re tired of squinting at that little monitor and ready to step up to a BIG monitor – then Fry’s has the deal for you. They have a nice 27” Acer monitor for only $229, that’s a great deal for a monitor this size. It had DVI (digital) and VGA (analog) inputs and also has HDMI inputs, so you can even hook up a DVD player to it and listen over the built-in speakers. You can buy it online or in the store (check their site to see if your store has it in stock.) Here’s the link: http://bit.ly/TekChic0417
Deal: Basic Lenovo Laptop for Only $299
If you’re on a really tight budget and need a basic but capable laptop, then this is an excellent choice. Best Buy has a Lenovo 15.6” laptop with a dual-core Intel processor for only $299. Though this isn’t quite as fast as the newer i3 processor, it’s close and the other components inside are still utilizing the latest technologies. The laptop comes with 3GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive, a memory card reader, high-speed wireless-n, even a web-cam and a can output via HDMI to your television. Here’s the link to Best Buy’s site where you c an check to see if it’s in stock at a nearby store: http://bit.ly/TekChic0416
Amazon’s Tablet Forcing Competition to Offer Deals
With Amazon’s announcement this last week of their new $199 tablet (the Kindle Fire) we’re starting to see the pressure Amazon is applying to the competition, even though the Kindle Fire won’t be available until mid-November.
Best Buy is offering the 7” BlackBerry Playbook for $299, that’s a $200 discount from its regular price. http://bit.ly/TekChic0408
Target has the 1st Generation iPad with 16GB and 3G for $499. An iPad 2 like this is $629: http://bit.ly/TekChic0409
Tiger Direct has the 7” Dell Streak also for $299. That’s $100 off the regular price. http://bit.ly/TekChic0411
You may occasionally see some cheap (in every sense of the word) Android tablets for $150 or less, sometimes even under $100. These are cheap Chinese no-name tablets that are underpowered and don’t have access to the Android Marketplace, so without the Marketplace you’re really limited as to what you can do with the tablet. I would recommend you stay away from them, as tempting as it may be.
It’s expected that early next year Amazon will be bringing a 10” tablet to market, and so we can expect to see similar aggressive pricing from Amazon and price cuts from the rest.
Posted in Deals, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: deals, Dell Streak, iPad, Kindle Fire, tablets | 
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Deal: Wireless Epson All-in-One w/ Duplex Printing
Office Depot has the Epson Workforce 635 wireless printer on sale for $90. This printer does a great job scanning, copying, faxing and of course printing. Wireless is wonderful because you don’t have to connect it directly to any of your computers. Instead you connect it either wired or wirelessly to your network, then all your computers can print to it from anywhere on the network. The paper tray holds 250 sheets so you won’t constantly be refilling it. It can print up to 15 pages per minute and comes with separate red, blue, yellow and black ink cartridges so you only replace the color you’re out of. So if you need a printer, get out to Office Depot and pick one or get it online. Here’s the link to their page: http://bit.ly/TekChic0405
DEAL: Dell Core i5 Laptop for $500 Direct from Dell
With the coupon code TTVPDJNRLWDXBZ you can save $50 on this Dell laptop with an Intel Core i5 processor. The Intel Core i5 is a great processor and at this price is the best when you consider price vs. performance. It comes with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive.
Protect Your Android Phone With SeekDroid – Free Today at the Amazon App Store
SeekDroid is normally $.99, but today you can get it free at the Amazon App Store. SeekDroid will let you track your phone on a map if you misplaced it, sound an alarm to help locate it, and if necessary you can lock the phone with a new code and even wipe the phones memory and SD card to protect your data. One cool feature is that it will also show you the most recent calls made on the phone. If your phone was stolen and they made calls you can see the numbers. It’s easy to use and with the price of a replacement phone costing between $400-$600, even $.99 is a no-brainer. If you have an Android phone and you’re reading this the day I post it then you can get it for free.
Posted in Deals, Security, Smartphones/Tablets | Tags: android, lost phone, phone recovery, security, SeekDroid | No Comments »
DEAL: Gateway Core i5 Laptop for $449
Now be advised, I consider Gateway (owned by ACER) along with HP, Toshiba, ASUS and others to be 2nd tier compared to the cream of the crop, who these days is Dell and Lenovo. That being said, this is a great price for a laptop with this kind of power and this kind of storage – that’s why I’m telling you about it.
Best Buy has this Gateway laptop with an i5 processor, 500GB hard drive, 720p HD display, built-in webcam, HDMI port, gigabit Ethernet network port and wireless-n connectivity.
For the price, this is a great deal. It comes with a one year warranty, and if it doesn’t break in the first couple of months you’re probably ok.
Gateway isn’t the same company you may be thinking of from 10 years ago, but it’s not a horrible company or I wouldn’t be telling you about this deal (just try to find the last time I recommended an HP laptop.)
Here’s the link to Best Buy’s page: http://bit.ly/TekChic0400
DEAL: Epson Wireless All-in-One Printer $99.99
Office Depot has the Epson WorkForce 635 on sale for half-off. This is an excellent wireless printer, scanner, copier and fax machine. It also does double-sided printing to save paper. Being wireless you can 1) put it anywhere there is an electrical outlet since it doesn’t have to be next to your computer and 2) all the computers in your home or office can print to it, both Mac and Windows. This printer has a 250 sheet capacity, so you won’t be loading it with paper so often and a 2.5” screen that you can actually preview photos from a memory card on before printing.
School is about to start and this deal ends tomorrow, so if you need a printer, head out to Office Depot or go online a pick this one up. Here’s the link to the Office Depot page: http://bit.ly/TekChic0393
DEAL: Wireless Laser Printer Only $45
Newegg has the Samsung ML-1865w Workgroup Laser Printer on sale for $49.99 ($70 off). At checkout add the coupon code EMCKBJD85 and get another $5 off. This is a GREAT way to save on the cost of black ink for your ink jet printer, toner for a laser printer is much cheaper per page and will quickly pay for itself. Use your ink jet printer for color printing, and the laser for black and white and pocket the money you’ll save. This printer is also wireless so you’ll be able to print to it from all your computers anywhere in the house or office. So if you do much black and white printer, snatch up this deal. Here’s the link (and don’t forget the promo code at checkout): http://bit.ly/TekChic0392
DEAL: Dell Studio 15.6” Laptop with Core i5 $499
Walmart has the Dell Studio “Cappuccino” laptop with the Intel Core i5 processor for only $499. This is a really nice laptop with plenty of power and perhaps its best feature is that it comes with a 2-year warranty rather than the standard one. It also comes with 4GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, CD/DVD burner, 3 USB ports and a HDMI port for connecting directly to your HD television, webcam, Bluetooth, memory card reader, a 9 cell battery and according to a review posted on Walmart’s page a back-lit keyboard (very nice.) The Core i5 is a quad-core processor so it will handle pretty much anything you throw at it without a problem. When I started this write-up is was available online and now it says it is out of stock online, so you may need to check at your local store. It’s a really good deal and definitely will go fast. Get it if you can. Here’s the link to Walmart’s page: http://bit.ly/TekChic0390