Features Archives for 2009

Like it or not, online video streaming is about to change. In an effort to attract more viewers, Hulu, Joost, TV.com, and other online video destinations are adding social networking features to their respective sites. But are these features worth checking out or will they simply bombard your viewing experience with chat widgets and emoticons? We hit our favorite sites to find out.

With the holiday season long gone, your chance at buying an inexpensive, new LCD HDTV is over. Or is it? We analyzed the past nine months-worth of TV deals — with price trend graphs — to find out if now is still a good time to buy.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 60 is here! This week: Listener feedback, VuDu Player, 10 things to buy NOW, netbooks, 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.)

Still haven't filed your taxes? Don't panic. With more than 24 hours to go, you still have several options for filing your 1040. One of our editors tried out three different methods to do his federal taxes — see which worked out the best.

Dell's new Adamo is the company's most aesthetic laptop to date. But is this luxury notebook worth its $2,000 asking price? We compared it to its biggest rivals — Apple's MacBook Air and Voodoo's Envy 133 — to find out which machine offers the best value.

This weekend's most popular laptop deals include a 10" ASUS 1.6GHz netbook for $350, Compaq's 15" 2GHz Presario laptop for $450, Acer's 14" 2GHz Aspire laptop for $500, and more.

Someone once said, "Man cannot live on facts alone." Even though we're pretty sure that person was lying when they said that, why take the chance? Check out our Rumor Roundup to see what the Internet is probably lying about. What else have you got to do for the next five minutes, anyway?

If not properly maintained, household appliances can bleed money via expensive repairs and replacements. We spoke with Marshall Brain, founder of Discovery Communications' tutorial site HowStuffWorks.com and Monica Teague, spokeswoman for appliance manufacturer Whirlpool to find out how to keep your household appliances running like new.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 59 is here! This week: Listener feedback, iTunes pricing, more Time Warner bandwidth caps, cheaper Wiis, Mooch, TV recall scandal, a new Segway, 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.)

Paying too much for your smartphone's data plan? At $19.95/mo, the Peek Mobile Handheld delivers one of the least expensive data plans we've seen. But can this e-mail- and text-only handheld pry us from our smartphone? We spent a week with the device to find out.

Eating out can be expensive, especially if you live in a major city. Fortunately, the following food sites can help you keep track of food deals from New York to San Francisco.

This weekend's most popular laptop deals include a 16" HP 2GHz laptop for $600, Toshiba's 15" 2.16GHz Satellite L305 laptop for $430, Asus' 16" 2.13GHz gaming laptop for $900, and more.

More fiction than fact, that Internet continues to go above and beyond to deliver all sorts of false information direct to your computer terminal. Well, we've taken these falsehoods and rounded them up in what we like to call our Rumor Roundup.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 58 is here! This week: YouTube gets new features, iPhone adds Skype, Netflix raises the cost of Blu-ray, recording artists raise their own money, 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.)

From ultraportable laptop recommendations to advice on overpriced A/V cables, we answer our first batch of reader mail.

This weekend's most popular laptop deals include a 15" Compaq 2GHz laptop for $400, Toshiba's 15" 2GHz Satellite A305 laptop for $600, HP's 15" 2GHz media laptop for $700, and more.

Ever wonder what news would be like if it were reported without worrying about facts? Then check out our Rumor Roundup to see what the Internet can "report" while turning a blind eye to reality!

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 57 is here! This week: Listener questions, the New York Times and Newsday to charge for online content, and free academic lectures are available at Academic Earth.

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

Tired of spending your money on items you only use once? From unwanted CDs to used apparel, the following sites will let you swap your old media with others for free.

This weekend's most popular laptop deals include a 16" Toshiba 2GHz laptop for $650, Lenovo's 13" 2GHz IdeaPad U330 laptop for $900, Gateway's 13" 2.16GHz laptop for $550, and more.

Heading out to the Game Developers Conference? We've put together a list of advice and etiquette for you to follow that will make your n00b self seem just a bit more 1337.

The Internet is like rice pudding. Rumors are like raisins. Some people like raisins in their Internet, some prefer their pudding to be rumor free. No matter how you feel, we still think you'll enjoy our Rumor Roundup in which we mock all of the raisins.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 56 is here! This week: iPhone 3.0, new shuffle, Dell Adamo, "green" shopping, "green" batteries, Best Buy, 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.)

This weekend's most popular laptop deals include a 15" Gateway 2GHz laptop for $550, Apple's 13" 1.6GHz MacBook Air laptop for $999, Everex's 13" 1.6GHz StepNote for $448, and more.

When the Internet gives you rumors, you make rumor-ade. Check out all of the sweet, sweet items that we've freshly squeezed for this week's Rumor Roundup.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 55 is here! This week: Amazon and BestBuy enter the used game market, Hulu fights with everyone, Time Warner wants to stream, 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.)

Despite the recession, about 13,000 different wines are still on sale in the United States, and that's one thing people are not likely to give up on. So if we can't live without it, how can we find a good bottle for little money? We spoke with the experts to find out.

The Internet is to rumors as New York City apartments are to cockroaches. Each is crawling with the other, no matter how many times you spray. So, why beat 'em when you can join 'em? Enjoy our cockroach roundup Rumor Roundup.

Purchasing concert tickets is getting increasingly expensive, but what if you could stay at home and watch your favorite concerts for free? Thanks to the Internet, music fans can do just that. From Radiohead to The Rolling Stones, we've found several websites that let you stream live and pre-recorded concerts so you don't have to deal with overpriced beers and sticky floors.

Want to reconnect with distant relatives and friends? Unless you're aware of your carrier's international calling plans, you may want to think twice before picking up the phone. We've compared some VoIP-based calling plans that can help you make inexpensive calls across the globe.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 54 is here! This week: Mortal Kombat gets sold off, Toys "R" Us gets a buy-back, Macs get upgraded, and Hearst gets digital.

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

Do you need advice on how to buy a refurbished laptop? Or have you ever wondered how we pick the deals that make it up on our site? Drop us a line — we want to hear from you. Read on to find out how you can contact our editors.

Someone once said, "Man cannot live on facts alone." Even though we're pretty sure that person was lying when they said that, why take the chance? Check out our Rumor Roundup to see what the internet is probably lying about. Your life might just depend on it.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 53 is here! This week: Hulu gets pulled, Netflix gets streamed, Vudu gets (HD) purchases, Blu-rays get bundled, iTunes gets Passed, U2 gets leaked, and Tropicana gets redesigned.

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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 MagicJack phone adapter is the least expensive VoIP plan we've seen. However, numerous complaints have hit the blogosphere, from both press and customers, claiming the company lacks proper customer support. We revisited MagicJack to find out what the customer support experience is like.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 52 is here! This week: Economic woes for Pioneer, Charter Cable, and Midway Games; new revenue streams for Blockbusters and Microsoft; new smartphones from Microsoft and Android; 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.)

Mainly "who is laying off how many" and "which company is going to close forever" rumors were the norm for the past couple of weeks. It was quite depressing. But, we come to find out that tech rumors are recession-proof! So we've rounded up a smattering of the good stuff for you. Enjoy!

Your desktop PC is about to get a makeover. The same companies that refined the netbook have set their sights on the all-in-one in hopes of dethroning today's models with lower prices and smarter features. But are these new desktops better than their current counterparts? We compare three incoming models to find out.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 51 is here! This week: Online sports, the Kindle 2, and confusing product lines.

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

Flowers and chocolates are the classic staples of Valentine's Day, but there's plenty more gifts to get for your sweetie, especially if she's sweet on gadgets and tech. For the wired woman of your life, this list will help get you through this year's day of romance.

The Kindle 2, Amazon's eagerly-awaited follow up to the Kindle, has made its official debut. With a lower price tag and slimmer design, it's already won the hearts of Kindle fans. However, can it help the average book reader save money too?

This weekend's most popular laptop deals include a 15" Toshiba Satellite 2.16GHz laptop for $430, Gateway's 15" 2.1GHz AMD laptop for $550, Sony's 1.5-lb 8" 1.33GHz VAIO P for $900, and more.

Saving money doesn't mean having to give up on your daily indulgences. With a little creativity and some ingenuity you can beat the gloomy economy and still afford to buy the things you like. We've gathered dozens of tips to maximize your money.

From outdated laptops to aged iPods, when it comes to trading in your old tech for cash, there are plenty of options to choose from. We checked the policies of a few major manufacturers to find out which company offers the most lucrative trade-in program for your worn out tech. Plus, recycling options for greener disposal.

Our super-spectacular, super-sized dealnews Podcast - Episode 50 is here! This week, we are honored to have tech luminaries Leo Laporte and Dick DeBartolo join our panel. They add their insights into our discussions of Hulu, Netflix, and the state of digital content distribution, netbooks, 3D television, VIZIO becoming a name-brand, the world's worst gadgets, the cost of invention, 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.)

Looking to get rid of an old PC? Before you send it to the recycling bin, chances are you can still get some use out of it. (Like turn it into a security monitoring system.) So before you trash ol' reliable, here are six ideas for extending the life of unused systems.

The dealnews Podcast - Episode 49 is here! This week: Jim gets infested; RIM is unapologetic; Apple upgrades and refunds; Wired gets thin; 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.)

MSI's forthcoming X-Slim 320 laptop has all the characteristics of a MacBook Air competitor. With its $700 starting price, it's also one of the most affordable ultraportables we've seen. But is MSI's new system a better value than a refurbished MacBook Air? We put them side by side to find out.

Contrary to popular belief, most liquidation sales generally increase rather than decrease store prices. It's been a week since Circuit City's liquidation sale started and we were wondering what kind of prices we'd find in-store, so we went to our local Circuit City in Union Square, NYC, to find out what kind of deals, if any, we'd find. Here are our findings ...