Features Archives for 2011

Happily, camcorders today are light years ahead of those bulky devices from decades past. And instead of heavy machines that require advanced weight training classes to carry, we've rounded up a handful of sleek, lightweight camcorder models to capture your everyday moments at the drop of a hat. (Just remember, the little red light is on for savings.)

Netflix announced today that it no longer plans to split its DVD and streaming services into two separate sites. The company hopes the decision will please its numerous jilted users, but does the news fill you with joy? Take our poll!

There's no stopping the cold of winter, but there are many things we can do to ready our homes for the brutal weather. Green Dad gives us eight eco-friendly tips and nifty products to save you as much as $500 in heating costs this year — which means they're well worth their weight in energy savings.

Pumpkin prices have skyrocketed this year, as crops have been destroyed by bad weather. What is the Halloween hopeful to do if he or she needs a Jack O'Lantern and can't find a gourd for a reasonable price? Our latest feature gives you several creative solutions to this pumpkin-y problem.

Known for its white sand beaches, bright blue waters, and near-perfect weather, the Cancun and Riviera Maya region is the choice for thousands of vacationers year-round. If you're a first-timer or even a seasoned traveler looking for that once-a-year visit, we've found several budget-friendly travel packages and hotels to get you to this hot spot.

Pump up your living room entertainment experience with a deal on a home theater receiver or media player from the likes of Yamaha, Sony, Boxee Box, and more.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing about the iPhone 5? The future of Apple, Facebook, and Amazon? Well neither are we! That's why we put all the latest buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup! Go on, indulge your guilty pleasures!

For the first time ever, three mobile carriers will offer Apple's newest smartphone, the iPhone 4S, when it debuts on October 14. But while the phone may be the same across all carriers, the plans are not. We stacked them side-by-side to find out which carrier offers the best iPhone data plan.

Got a new set of wheels and want to add on some bells and whistles to make it a tech nerd's dream? We've got deals on convenience gadgets — like GPS tracking setups and remote start systems — that will help turn your ride into a car of the future, today!

The dealnews Podcast announces that Episode 179 is ready to be heard by all! This week, our panelists talk all about the recent Apple announcement of the iPhone 4S.

This week, we've got gizmos that will boost your electronic embrace of fun. From bomb clocks to spy pens, these contraptions will bring out the kid in even the most mature of our readers.

Apple's next-generation iPhone is officially here. Sporting an upgraded dual-core processor and a suite of fancy new features, the new wonder phone is due to hit shelves October 14. But with no mention of an iPhone 5, is the iPhone 4S worth the upgrade? Let's take a look and find out.

The weather may be pleasant today, but looming all too soon are snow, sleet, ice, and the general deep freeze of winter. A little bit of advance planning will help you avoid massive inconveniences down the line. So, check out these car winterizing deals, and don't get left out in the cold.

October is here, and in between sipping pumpkin-flavored drinks and carefully planning the perfect costume for an upcoming Halloween party, you'll be doing a bit of shopping. So we've mined our extensive deal archives to guide your purchases. This month we've got the scoop on Halloween items, denim and lingerie, HDTVs, laptops, and more!

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing about the iPhone 5? The future of Apple, Facebook, and Amazon? Well neither are we! That's why we put all the latest buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup! Go on, indulge your guilty pleasures!

Every day, the dealnews editors uncover myriad refurbished deals that offer great savings when compared to buying new. But perhaps you're one of the numerous shoppers who is fearful of the word "refurb." Our Green Dad columnist, a big supporter of reconditioned goods, gives us the low-down on what consumers should look for when shopping for refurbs.

Step into the frame, give us your best bargain-snagging smile, and check out these camera deals we've lined up for you. Because if you think about it, getting a fabulous price on camera equipment should be as simple as point and shoot.

Following months of speculation, Amazon finally launched its Kindle Fire this morning. While it offers intriguing features and access to aggressively-priced content via Amazon stores, it also boasts modest specifications. So how does it compare to the king of all tablets, Apple's iPad?

The weather's changing. Leaves are falling. And so are the prices on bikes. As we get set to say goodbye to September, let's say hello to five bike bargains from this week that should put your deal-hunting skills into high gear.

In terms of sales over the past year, Walmart ranks supreme. But does that mean it also offers the most enticing deals for online shoppers? We dug into the dealnews archives to see which online stores offered the highest number of deals for the discount-seeking consumer.

For many tech savvy people, it may seem like a somewhat obvious statement that buying your own RAM and installing it into your desktop or laptop, DIY-style, is cheaper than configuring a new Built-To-Order (BTO) system with the upgraded RAM option. But is it always? To be sure, dealnews did a bit of investigating to see if this hypothesis was correct — and if so, just how much better it might be to go DIY.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing about the iPhone 5? The future of Apple, Microsoft, and Nicolas Cage? Well neither are we! That's why we put all the latest buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup! Go on, indulge your guilty pleasures!

If our Black Friday Predictions piece didn't already give you heart palpitations about the upcoming shopping season, then this should at least! Toys "R" Us just released its list of the most anticipated toys for the holidays. (And yes, it is still September.) If you have a kid in your life, you better familiarize yourself with this selection of playthings. To make it a tad easier, we've cherry-picked our favorite five.

Want to keep the forests lush and your wallet plump? Try trading in paper towels for a dishtowel, switching to paperless billing, or investing in a grab-n-go coffee mug. This week Green Dad Lou Carlozo details the best ways to cut paper use in your home and save more than $600 a year.

The dealnews Podcast proudly presents Episode 178. This week, our panel rips into discusses Netflix and their latest consumer-hating tactics corporate strategies. Also: Is Blockbuster poised for a comeback? (The answer might surprise you!)

Are you an iPad-toting, cash-conscious, and stylish techie? Then these bargain iPad cases, stands, and more will appeal to your sensibilities. Plus, if you don't already have that enviable Apple device, we've got a roundup of discounted refurbished iPads to get you started.

Although it's still only September, it's already time to start thinking about Black Friday and the holiday season, and the best way to make the most of upcoming deals is to be prepared. So dealnews is kicking off the shopping season early with our fourth annual Black Friday deal predictions. Read on to find what prices you can expect for HDTVs, laptops, Apple products, and more.

Last night, Netflix announced it will be splitting its DVD and streaming services even further by creating two separate brands: Netflix and Qwikster. This will supposedly improve both services, but does it change your opinion regarding this summer's controversial price hike? Take our poll to weigh in!

The kids have already started school, and the next major shopping holiday on your radar is, probably, Black Friday. But there's still time to focus on other worthy shopping goals — like rethinking your child's knapsack. Everything a kid touches has a short life span, so it makes sense here, more so than in any other area of your life, to focus on being eco-friendly. Green Dad Lou Carlozo has six tips to bring savings and the environment together under one schoolhouse roof.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing about the iPhone 5? The iPad 3? The future of Google, Hulu, and AOL?! Well neither are we! That's why we put all the latest buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup! Go on, indulge your guilty pleasures!

If you like the sound of a Caribbean-style party with historic flare, consider taking a trip to the Dominican Republic. We've rounded up deals for various hotels and activities that will bring the tropical destination within financial reach.

Ever found an item on a merchant website that requires a rebate, then found that same item sold by the same merchant through eBay or Amazon? Sometimes, the latter listing won't include mention of the rebate; does that mean it won't apply? Laura Heller has the skinny on this and other rebate redemption issues.

Turning an old muffin tin into an organizer for your button collection is OK, we guess ... but we're geeks. The kind of things we have cluttering up our house are tech gadgets: Monitors, tapes, hard drives, etc. So we started thinking, "How could we put old tech gadgets to new uses?" Then we thought, "Why bother making any of it practical?" The result is our very creative guide to giving new life to old tech items.

The dealnews Podcast proudly presents Episode 177. This week, our panel discusses Google's acquisition of Zagat (as well as how the heck you even pronounce "Zagat", in the first place), Zagat's Fast Food Survey, Sprint possibly getting the iPhone 5 and giving it unlimited data, Amazon's all-you-can-read eBook subscription plan rumor, IKEA bookshelves, the future of humanity, and more. Click here, if you know what's good for you!

At the end of a long work day, everyone needs to unwind, and there's no better way to do that than with a good movie or hilarious video. Consider boosting your entertainment system with one of our Blu-ray disc player or media receiver deals.

We see great deals on men's dress shoes all the time, but just because you found a style for cheap doesn't mean you should treat them like any old pair of sneakers. Leather shoes require proper care if you want your deal to hold up for years to come. Luckily, we have the tips and products you need to keep them shining.

This week, it's time to break away from our normal tropical hot spot deals and pave the path for a wider variety of destinations, to Europe, Asia, and beyond. To make it easier on the wallet, we've rounded up the hottest travel deals from the past week, and you can grab a quick sojourn to Puerto Rico, visit three countries in one inexpensive trip, and more.

Green Dad is back with more eco-friendly products that save energy and money in the long run. Some such products don't pan out, but others, like these air conditioners and programmable thermostats, offer valuable energy savings.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing about the iPhone 5? The iPad 3? The future of Google, Hulu, and AOL?! Well neither are we! That's why we put all the latest buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup! Go on, indulge your guilty pleasures!

If you're looking to keep the summer party going during those cooler, start-of-fall nights, consider taking a trip out to New Orleans. We've rounded up deals for various hotels and activities that will bring the Big Easy within financial reach.

Once the dominant smartphone platform in the U.S., Research in Motion's humble BlackBerry now finds itself in grave danger of becoming extinct, as both Apple and Google continue to swallow its market share. To find out just how severe RIM's drop in popularity has become, we analyzed our past BlackBerry deals — and the results are not good.

Here's the chance to get your hands on home theater electronics that will blow you away. From Dolby 7.1 surround sound systems and refurbished all-in-one remotes, we've gathered up five deals for superior entertainment at home.

Roughing it in the wilderness can be expensive — especially if you care about getting back alive. So when we saw a bunch of camping items at Meritline for rock-bottom prices, we thought it might be too good to be true. Watch our video review to find out which cheapie items actually prove useful in outdoors-y settings.

We frequently see daily deal sites that offer credits to online wine stores (like a $70 credit to Wine.com for $30, for example), and it's hard not to think they're an indisputable deal. But are the wines on these sites good deals to begin with, even when you factor in shipping costs? What about when your credit runs out? We talked to an expert and searched the dealnews archives to find out.

If you scored a deal on a high-quality digital camera recently, that's great! But as you go forth with your fancy new device, keep in mind that there's more to optimizing your photo-taking experience than remembering to keep your finger off the lens. Be sure to check out our roundup of some hot deals on camera accessories that will bring your pictures to the next level.

Any handyman hopeful should have an arsenal of tools at the ready to attack household problems whenever they spring up. From cordless drills to sanders, Tom Barlow gives us the details on five power tools that will help you get the job done.

Last week, Lenovo released details about its Lenovo IdeaPad A1 7" WiFi Android Tablet, including the price tag: The device will only cost $199 for an 8GB model. Knowing how well the HP TouchPad sold once the prices were slashed to something more affordable, could the A1 experience a similar popularity once it's released? And does this mean other manufacturers will follow the lead with similar pricing for Internet tablets?

With white sandy beaches that seemingly extend into the horizon, Mexico is a tropical paradise right in our own backyard. Best of all, there's an abundance of vacation packages for every budget, regardless of which area you choose to visit.

Many of us own so much stuff that figuring out ways to simplify, store, and condense should rank as a top priority. This week, Green Dad Lou Carlozo looks at some handy deals that streamline storage and simplify living and working spaces.