Features Archives for 2008

What's all that racket?! Why, it's Christmas, celebrated USB-style!! We gathered together as many USB Christmas decorations as we could find, just to see what would happen. The results? Magical. (And loud.) It's a Christmas card, from us, to you. Happy Holidays!

Linens 'n Things, Circuit City, KB Toys ... all bankrupt. The current economic crisis is going to put more stores in bankruptcy or out of business. How can this affect you? What other pitfalls should you avoid as the holiday shopping season peaks? We'll break down the potential trouble spots and warn you of other potential problems. Plus, a list of stores to avoid.

Here at dealnews, we take multiple steps to ensure every deal we list is verified, price-checked, and sold by a reputable store. But what happens when we come across a deal from an unknown vendor? Here are some of the investigative steps we take that you can take too, to safeguard your credit card information before making that online transaction.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 45 is here! This week: Last minute gifts, expeditied shipping, the stigma of refurbished products, and more.

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We know, it sounds like an infomercial come-on. But you can actually make money online in your spare time, from Amazon, Google, and even The New York Times. We'll show you a few ways to save up for that flat-panel (or just earn some extra beer money) by doing what you do best: surfing the interwebs.

Worried that holiday shipping deadlines are coming soon? Don't panic! Expect a long list of stores to offer free or discounted last-minute shipping — as late as December 23 — with guaranteed Christmas Eve delivery. To ease your fears, we compiled a list of stores that had such offers last year. We expect an even bigger list this year, and we'll post last-minute shipping deals as soon as we find them. So sit back and relax. Your holiday shopping is under control.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 44 is here! This week: Listener feedback, luxury item deals, Christmas strategies customer service ratings on TVs, and more.

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Like it or not, cable TV prices are going up. Fortunately, new online TV sites have launched, and the old sites are improving. Budget-conscious couch potatoes have more options than ever for free Internet TV. We revisit this issue: Has online video matured to the point where you can ditch cable and just watch free TV on the Internet?

In case you missed it, here's our list of holiday shipping deadlines for Christmas Eve delivery. Browse through our list and mark your calendars, as these are the dates you can't afford to miss.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 43 is here! This week, we wrap up all things Black Friday: The cheers, the jeers, the surprises, and the let-downs. Plus, Yahoo!'s top Internet searches of 2008.

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(And don't forget to check out our Shownotes for links to the topics discussed in this week's show.)

The busiest shopping day of the year has come and gone, and as we did last year, we here at dealnews are taking a look back at some of last week's biggest bargains and biggest failures. We present to you, the best and worst of Black Friday 2008.

This year's holiday shopping season is expected to be a bargain hunter's paradise. With struggling vendors and a sagging economy, everyone's vying for your dollar. But unless you know how to score the best deals, chances are you can wind up spending more than you wanted. Follow our Black Friday Strategy Guide and you'll not only find the best deals, but you'll do so without breaking a sweat. Or possibly without leaving home.

In this, the season of giving, we thought we'd share some of our favorite family recipes for the holidays. Some have been passed down from generation to generation, others are new traditions. Either way, these are the recipes that would cause a revolt at the table if they were left off the menu. Enjoy!

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 42 is here! This week: Everything you need to know to survive on Black Friday. Follow along with the discussion by checking out our Black Friday Sales Section.

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Did you know that you can buy everything you'll need to make Thanksgiving dinner on the Internet? Well you can! Check out our Online Thanksgiving Buying Guide, in which we show you how you can shop for the "big day" from the (relative) safety of your own home.

The world's love affair with touchscreen smartphones continues as RIM and Verizon Wireless unleash the first touch-sensitive BlackBerry. But can does this button-less smartphone let you push out e-mail as fast as its counterparts? We spent 24 hours with the new BlackBerry Storm to find out.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 41 is here! This week: LCD price fixing, Black Friday fact and fiction, gift ideas, and more.

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Continental Promotion Group, Inc., a major rebate processing company that runs RebateStatus.com, filed for bankruptcy late last week. Here's what you need to know if you've recently submitted a mail-in rebate or received a rebate check from this company.

With consumers tightening their belts, it's hard to justify buying those cool, sought-after gifts this holiday season. So how do you fulfill those wish-lists without going bust? One option is to use the old-fashioned layaway method. We've reviewed six stores' layaway policies so you can see the pluses and minuses of this shopping option.

Finding the perfect engagement ring can be as difficult as asking your girlfriend to marry you. While we can't help you with the latter, we can show you how to pick a ring that will match both her style and tastes.

Oh Internet, you're such a gossip! Always saying things that might not be 100% true! Well, thanks, because we take what you say and put it all in our Rumor Roundup.

This week, the dealnews staff got together and decided what technology made the biggest impression on us this year. We've made our list, checked it twice, and here are our picks for 2008 Technology of the Year. Plus, vote for your favorite in our reader survey!

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 40 is here! This week: Circuit City's bankruptcy, MGM and CBS on YouTube, Blockbuster's set-top box, interesting gimmicks, and more.

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The 2008 Toys "R" Us Fabulous 15 list is out now - what toys will your kids have to have this upcoming holiday season?

In the market for a new smartphone? With their laptop-like features, today's all-in-one models can keep you entertained and connected no matter where you go. From the Blackberry Bold to the T-Mobile G1, we tested three of today's most sought after models to find out which mobile is worth your hard-earned cash.

Come on in and check out this week's Rumor Roundup. We search the web and bring all the crazy ideas that are out there into one, convenient location: here.

Need to replace a corrupted hard drive? Looking for a quick way to upgrade your laptop's memory? Why pay someone to perform these services when you can do them yourself for free. These do-it-yourself websites will show you how.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 39 is here! This week: Consumer Reports, Time's "Gadget of the Year", Netflix streaming for Mac, Amazon's Frustration-Free, and more.

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(And don't forget to check out our Shownotes for links to the topics discussed in this week's show).

Using your cell phone to find online deals isn't new, but T-Mobile's G1 is taking the concept to a new level. Currently, there are three barcode-scanning applications that use the Internet and the G1's GPS capabilities to zero in on low prices. We put the three Android-based apps to the test to find out how well they worked.

Our 1-month-long experiment to learn Italian is over. Want to know who in the office has the most "Italian cred"? Who did the best on the exam? Who did the worst? And, more importantly, which method of learning a language is most cost-effective? (Does the pricey Rosetta Stone have a chance?) Then click on through to find out!

We got our hands on the T-Mobile G1, the new Google Android-equipped smartphone from HTC. We've been putting it through the ringers over the past couple of weeks to see if it's truly an iPhone killer, if it's worth the switch to T-Mobile, or if it's just a lot of hype. See what our Features Editor Louis Ramirez discovered ...

Sony and Amazon are pushing digital books into the mainstream, but despite repeated attempts, eBook readers have remained a luxury rather than a necessity. We examine some of the benefits of owning a dedicated eBook reader, along with some budget-friendly alternatives Amazon and Sony don't want you to know about.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 38 is here! This week: A Blu-ray player price war, MP3 music price wars, 74-cent MP3s at Walmart, free music videos from MTV, a new way to browse Amazon, and more.

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dealnews' Chief Dealguy Dan de Grandpre discusses how what's been called the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression will affect Black Friday sales and retailers in general. It's a dark, threatening cloud with one silver lining: the deals.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 37 is here! This week: Quicken Online changes its mind, the must-have gadgets and toys for Christmas, Lala.com, and more.

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Have a weak spot for gadgets? So do we. But you can't always afford the gear you want. Or can you? We created a list of five daily expenses you can eliminate to help you save up for the tech gear you want. You'll be surprised at what you can save up for in just one week.

Our Rumor Roundup is back to fill your hearts with gladness. Come on in and see what kinds of madness has been circulating on the 'nets!

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 36 is here! This week: Apple offers some new laptops, Quicken Online is now free, Microsoft offers free Xbox upgrades, and more.

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(And don't forget to check out our Shownotes for links to the topics discussed in this week's show).

Apple's latest notebook updates have the tech world on fire, but are these upgrades worth your money or can you get a better deal by hitting the clearance bin? We compare the new models to their refurbished counterparts to find out.

It may look like a prop from a sci-fi movie, but Vuzix's futuristic video goggles claim they're like watching TV on a 62" screen — for less than half the price. We donned a pair to find out how much big screen real estate these goggles deliver.

Checking your e-mail on the road has never been easier thanks to a host of new mobile broadband services that keep your laptop connected when there's no Wi-Fi. But which of these data plans offers the most affordable rates? We looked at each carrier's bottom- and top-tier plans to find out.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 35 is here! This week we mourn RealDVD, scratch our heads at Gamer Grub, look quizzically at Sony, get left in the lurch by Fring, send drunk emails at google, and more.

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(And don't forget to check out our Shownotes for links to the topics discussed in this week's show).

Why spend good money on bloated software when you can find leaner, faster apps that can do the same job for free? We found 13 free alternatives for eight commercial apps you use everyday.

This weekend's best laptop deals include a $399 2GHz mid-size notebook from Acer, a 17" HP Pavilion AMD Turion 2GHz, a 15" Toshiba Satellite Dual-Core 2GHz, and more.

High definition is the holy grail of video. However, unless you're subscribed to a monthly cable or satellite plan, finding HD content can be difficult. Fortunately, the Internet has a growing number of sites that provide free (and legal) HD programming. From the Tonight Show to Grey's Anatomy, the following sites can help satisfy your HD fix

Don't call it a come back, the rumors never left. Our Rumor Roundup, on the other hand, is back for a new year of tearing apart those who would have us believe in nonsensical things.

Can a small device the size of a pack of gum save you money on your phone calls? That's what MagicJack, a phone service provider, promises. The USB-based device uses your Internet connection to let you make and receive calls without the hefty costs levied by traditional telephone operators. But can this device become your main phone line?

Itching to go somewhere new this weekend? TripAdvisor's new Gas Tank Getaways tool claims it can find inexpensive destinations you can reach with a tank of gas or less. Is it accurate? We put it to the test to find out.

Digital cameras let you unleash your inner Ansel Adams, but what you do with the pictures you take afterward is another story. To help you get the most out of your digital camera, we looked at five online photo-finishing services that let you store and share your shots, as well as buy prints and merchandise.