The Cheapskate

Real Tennis 2009 is one of eight games now on sale for 99 cents.

(Credit: Gameloft)

Remember a few weeks back when Konami cut its iPhone/iPod Touch game prices to 99 cents? (They're still available, FYI.)

Now Gameloft has followed suit, offering some (but not all) of its game titles for the appetizing price of a buck apiece--a significant savings in some cases. Here's the rundown (links are to CNET reviews where applicable, otherwise to the App Store):

• Blades of Fury (originally $6.99)
• Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes (originally $9.99)
• Castle of Magic (originally $4.99)
• Hero of Sparta (originally $5.99)
• NFL 2010 (originally $4.99)
• Real Tennis 2009 (originally $4.99)
• Shrek Kart (originally $4.99)
• Terminator Salvation (originally $9.99)

These prices are good until Sunday, November 29, so act fast if you want to stock up on some seriously good games for some seriously low prices.

Me, I'm grabbing NFL 2010, Terminator, and maybe Castle of Magic for the kiddos.

Is that a printer in your pocket, or are you just happy to see the $29 price tag?

Happy Black Friday, everyone! As promised, I spent the morning avoiding retail stores, though I did see a few advertised items that were mighty tempting. Anybody brave the cold, the crowds, the 4 a.m. alarm clock?

Anyway, remember the Dell Wasabi pocket printer from a couple months back? It was a killer deal at $29 shipped, but it sold out quickly.

Amazon is offering the Wasabi's kissing cousin, the Polaroid PoGo Instant Mobile Printer, for $29.99 shipped.

This is one of those zero-ink (a.k.a. ZINK) printers that made headlines last year. That means it uses, duh, zero ink, instead heating the crystals embedded in special photo paper (like this $8.67 30-pack, which is worth tossing in the cart).

Consequently, the printer itself is tiny, measuring just 0.9 inch thick by 4.7 inches long by 2.8 inches wide and weighing a mere 8 ounces (with its rechargeable battery installed).

So the PoGo can literally ride around in a pocket and churn out prints on-demand. Prints from where? Any PictBridge-compatible camera or, better yet, most Bluetooth-equipped camera phones.

I bought that virtually identical Dell Wasabi back in September, and while the reviewers are right that print quality is only so-so, I gotta say I love the little thing. (Just wish I could print via Bluetooth from my iPhone!).

Because the paper has peel-and-stick backing, my whole family is having fun pasting little photos all over the place.

Consequently, I think this makes a great gift. And it's available in black or red (oooh, red!) for that same price.

Like just about everything I've posted this week, it'll probably sell out fast (grrr), so if you want one, hurry up and get clicking.

This 25-inch LCD sports a pair of HDMI inputs and an impossibly low price tag.

(Credit: CompUSA)

Update: Unsurprisingly, this is sold out. Sorry if you missed it! Killer deals like this rarely last long.

You all know my motto by now: "Cheap things come to those who wait." The last time I posted a 25-inch LCD monitor was in July. The price back then: $199.99.

Today, CompUSA is offering a 25-inch I-Inc LCD monitor for $149.99 shipped.

D'oh! Wasn't it just yesterday that a 24-inch Synaps was selling for $159.99? (Yes, yes it was.)

So, to amend my motto, cheap things come to those who wait--a whole entire day. The I-Inc is not only $10 cheaper and one inch larger (diagonally speaking) than the Synaps, it also comes with an HDMI input. Two of them, actually.

That means if it's not destined for PC duty, you can pair it with a game console and a Blu-ray player. It also has built-in speakers, natch, though don't expect room-filling volume or Dolby-quality sound.

Other noteworthy specs include 1,920 x 1,080 resolution (aka 1080p), a 2ms response time (faster than most), and a one-year warranty (this is new, not a refurb).

Without putting too fine a point on it, this is the best monitor deal I've ever posted. Consequently, it'll probably sell out seconds after I click Publish, and then everyone will be mad at me (and I wouldn't blame them--even though it's not my fault :).

On the other hand, maybe we'll all get lucky and CompUSA will have enough supply to last the day--because I guarantee you these will sell like hotcakes. And rightly so.

Update 2 (10 a.m. PT): Looks like it's back up again. See? Told ya. Crazy Dell. Why do you torment us this way?

Update (8 a.m. PT): Well, I am NOT giving thanks for Dell this year, as this deal has already expired. My apologies, peeps. Watch for something even better later today--you have my word.

Still on the prowl for a Netbook? Sorry for all the grief with that Lenovo deal last week. (Anyone actually get one?) Hopefully this one makes up for it.

Dell is offering the Inspiron Mini 10v Netbook for $229 shipped. That's after removing the Bluetooth card from the configuration (switch to List View and scroll all the way to the bottom).

Of course, if you need Bluetooth, the $249 price tag is nothing to sneeze at. Indeed, it was nary a few months ago that finding a 10-inch Netbook for under $300 was virtually impossible.

I have little use for Bluetooth, but I'd probably think about dropping an extra $30 to get Windows 7 Starter (the Mini 10v comes standard with Windows XP Home). That'd get you out the door for $259--still a solid deal.

The system's other specs are fairly standard: an Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a 1.3-megapixel Webcam. It comes with a three-cell battery; an extra $35 buys you a six-cell--another upgrade worth considering.

CNET had lots of good things to say about the Mini 10v, which, incidentally, was $334 (with the six-cell battery) when we reviewed it just three months ago. Not sure why we dinged it for a lack of configuration options, though--Dell offers more than most Netbook vendors.

I'm hoping this doesn't sell out, like, five minutes after I post it. (We've been down that road, right?) If it does, check back later in the day and even in the days to come; Dell often gets replenished stock.

I'm off tomorrow, so let me take this opportunity to wish everyone who celebrates it a happy Thanksgiving. I'll be back on Friday (and Saturday), and in the meantime you can catch me embarrassing myself almost daily on CNET's Holiday Help Desk, which airs live at 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET. (Here's yesterday's show if you just can't wait.)

This 99-cent app serves up a wealth of free Redbox rental codes.

Good news for fans of Redbox movie-rental kiosks: the new Redbox app (free) lets you browse and reserve movies and find the kiosk nearest you. Cool.

Better news for Redbox fans: the new Red Box Free Rental Promo Codes app (from third-party developer Neese) means you may never have to pay for another movie.

The app aggregates codes from around the Internet and various promo mailings, updating them every 12 hours so you're sure to have the latest and greatest.

When you get to the Redbox checkout screen, just tap "Rent with a Promo Code," then type in any of the codes listed in the app. If one doesn't work, try another.

Red Box Free Rental Promo Codes costs 99 cents, so the first time you nab a free rental, it pays for itself.

I haven't had a chance to put the app to the test just yet (it does require a visit to a kiosk--you can't use the codes when reserving movies), but I'll update the post if I run into any problems. To me it seems like a can't-miss way to score free movie rentals.

While we're on the subject of using your iPhone to save money, be sure to check out "Five iPhone apps that can save you money," "iPhone apps for Black Friday shopping," and eBay's new holiday-deals app.

All this gets me wondering: Could your iPhone actually start paying for itself? I mean, if you can rack up 70 bucks' worth of savings per month by way of various apps, that would cover the cost of AT&T's low-end plan. Hmmm...

The 720p-shooting Kodak Zi6 is on sale for just $99.

(Credit: CNET)

The deals are coming fast and furious this week, to the point where I couldn't pick just one for today. Instead I've rounded up a little cheapskate trifecta. (Note: All have a high sellout risk!) Take a look:

1) CompUSA has a 24-inch Synaps LCD monitor for $159.99 shipped. It's a 1080p display with VGA and DVI inputs (no HDMI, alas), built-in speakers, and a 5ms response time. User reviews are overwhelmingly positive. And this is almost an all-time low for a 24-inch monitor.

2) Amazon is offering the Kodak Zi6 HD pocket camcorder for $99 shipped. It can record 720p video on inexpensive SD/SDHC cards (here's an 8GB card for just $15.45). CNET liked its "solid video quality" (read the full review here), and Amazon customers collectively rated it 4 stars out of 5.

3) At US Appliance you can score a new LG BD270 Blu-ray player for $94, plus $5.99 for shipping. (Use coupon code welcome10 to get that price.) That's not the best Blu-ray deal I've seen, as this model doesn't do BD-Live or Netflix, but it's definitely rare to see an LG for under $100. CNET hasn't reviewed it, but user reviews on Amazon are very high.

Anything strike your fancy? If not, be sure to check out Five Black Friday deals you shouldn't miss (if you haven't already). And if you spot anything awesome that I've missed, by all means post it in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. Happy shopping!

Microsoft's second-gen Zune isn't quite as sexy as the new Zune HD, but it's still a versatile, feature-packed media player and a worthy iPod alternative.

And now it's a cheap one, too: Buy.com has the refurbished Zune 80 player for $129.99 shipped. It sold for $249 when it debuted a couple years ago, and is still running around $200 new.

Obviously a big draw here is the whopping 80GB hard drive, which should be enough to hold even the largest music libraries, with room left over for photos, videos, podcasts, and the like.

You get to view all that stuff on a 3.2-inch glass LCD--way bigger than the screen on the only comparable iPod, the Classic.

Other perks include an FM radio, wireless syncing/sharing, support for Microsoft's Zune Pass subscription service (one of the few such services left), and a terrific interface.

What's more, a free firmware update endows the Zune 80 with many of the features added to the third-gen Zune, so be sure to read CNET's review of that model.

If you have a lot of media you want to keep in your pocket, the Zune transports it in style. My only complaint is with the 90-day warranty--a far cry from Apple's 1-year coverage for refurbished hardware.

The 10.1-inch Acer Aspire One.

(Credit: Acer)

This Sunday we have a pair of old-school Netbook deals for you.

First up is a 10.1-inch Acer Aspire One with a 1.6GHz Atom processor at Target for $199. It's listed at $289.99, but the price drops to $199 when you add it to your shopping cart. That's a savings of 28 percent.

It comes with a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), 802.11g, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, a three-cell Lithium ion battery, and a built-in Webcam. This Netbook runs Windows XP Home (for those of you who are quite happy with XP, shied away from Vista, and not ready for Windows 7).

So what so old school about this deal? No rebates, no coupons, no secret handshakes, no hoops to jump through. Also, no shipping--meaning you gotta head to your nearest Target store and pick it up.

Besides the no-shipping, there's one potential drawback. At this price, it's available in only one color: blue. But at a price less than $200, you could probably put up with any color.

The 10.1-inch Gateway LT2005u.

(Credit: Gateway)

If the color is an issue, Best Buy has the 10.1-inch Gateway LT2005u for $230. It comes with the same 1.6GHz Atom processor, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, 802.11g wireless, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, Webcam, and Windows XP Home.

So what's better about this model? It's in "NightSky Black" and comes with a six-cell Lithium ion battery. Is that worth $30 more? That's up to you to decide. But you can also have it shipped, which adds $12 to the deal, but you can opt to pick it up at your local Best Buy if you want to have it now and avoid the shipping costs.

The lust-worthy Sprint MiFi 2200 will be free on Black Friday.

(Credit: Sprint)

Here we go: one week until Black Friday. Am I excited? Pumped? Polishing the ol' credit card for a day of deal-crazed madness?

Eh.

Don't get me wrong: I enjoy BF as much as the next cheapskate. But I'm weary of the month-long hype machine, what with all the "leaked" ads, pre-Black Friday sales, and so on.

What's more, I have never, and will never, set foot in a retail store on Black Friday. I don't enjoy crowds, especially the deal-crazed variety. Oh, and 5 a.m.? That's sleep time, not stand-in-line-in-the-freezing-cold time.

My other issue: Like last year, the deals I've seen so far just aren't that great. Know why? Because everything's already dirt-cheap all year. Regular Cheapskate readers have seen the $50 GPS, the $80 Blu-ray player, the sub-$300 32-inch HDTV. Sadly for retailers, there's just not much room to go any lower.

All that being said, what kind of cheapskate would I be if I didn't give this hallowed shopping holiday a little love? So here you go: five deals/offers/promotions I'm liking this year. Want more? Dealnews has some of the best Black Friday coverage around--including these tips on using price-matching in retail stores.