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.

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...

Save up to $5 on each game in Konami's impressive iPhone catalog.

I once wrote for an app review site where the guidelines insisted price shouldn't factor into a game's rating. Nuts, right? That's like saying as long as you like the car you're test-driving, forget about the sticker.

For a cheapskate like me, price absolutely matters, which is why I'm happy to see every game in Konami's iPhone catalog temporarily on sale for 99 cents each.

That includes Metal Gear Solid Touch, which is widely regarded as one of the top iPhone shooters. It normally sells for $5.99 (and was $7.99 at launch).

Other 99-cent titles include:

• DanceDanceRevolution S
• DanceDanceRevolution S+
• Field Prowlers Police Rush (a brand-new game)
• Frogger
• Krazy Kart Racing
• Power Pros Touch
• Silent Hill The Escape
• Silent Scope

These prices are good until Saturday (November 21), at which point they'll return to their previous levels: anywhere from $2 to $6.

Most of Konami's games have earned pretty high ratings from users, but there are some--like Frogger and Power Pros--that I just wouldn't buy for $2 or $4 (respectively). (Again: cheapskate.)

But 99 cents? That's my trigger point, the number that pushes me into what-the-hell mode. So I'm stocking up.

How about you? Does price factor into whether you'll buy an iPhone/iPod Touch game? If so, what's your magic number?

In the market for a new phone? You picked the right weekend to go shopping. I've got three pretty smokin' deals--something for everyone. Check 'em out:

• BlackBerry From November 14 to 20, Wal-Mart is offering a $100 gift card when you buy a BlackBerry. Eligible models include the AT&T Curve 8310, T-Mobile Pearl 8120, Sprint Curve 8330, and Verizon Storm 2. Given that some models are actually free (with two-year contract and activation, natch), you actually stand to make $100 on the deal. My buddy Dave over at Business Hacks has more details.

• Droid Forget that $149.99 deal on the Motorola Droid. From now until midnight, November 16, Overstock is offering the Droid for $119.99 shipped (plus activation and the obligatory two-year Verizon contract). Alternately, you can get the HTC Eris for just $19.99.

• Palm Pixi Normally $99.99 with a two-year Sprint contract, the Palm Pixi is available from Wirefly for just $24.99. (Actually, it will be available as of midnight Saturday.) If you've read any reviews of the new phone, you know it's pretty much a non-slider version of the Palm Pre. It also lacks Wi-Fi for some crazy reason. (What is it with Palm and Wi-Fi?!)

OK, phone fans, there you have it. My question for you: Will you pull the trigger on any of these deals? If so, which one(s)?

As you may have heard, Verizon Wireless' Motorola-made Droid smartphone goes on sale November 6. It's all anybody can talk about and arguably the most anticipated new phone since, well, the iPhone.

Verizon is selling it for $199.99 after a mail-in rebate, but Wirefly has the Motorola Droid for $149.99 shipped, no rebates required. (As always, there's that pesky two-year contract.)

Do you want to know more about this iPhone killer phone? Start with this CNET video, and then read the complete review.

When you're done watching, check out the Android Atlas blog for a lot of Droid-related goodness. (In case you didn't know, the phone runs Google's Android operating system--hence the name.)

I just got my first hands-on time with the Droid, and it's a mighty nice phone. It's a little heavy, but Android is really looking sharp and a lot of developers are starting to hop on board the platform.

Granted, it'll be awhile before we see 100,000 apps like there is for the iPhone, but you can already get cool stuff like Facebook, Foursquare, Slacker Radio, and the much-ballyhooed new Google Maps Navigation app.

So if you've been drooling over this phone and planning an early morning trip to your local Verizon store, consider Wirefly's deal instead. It'll save you 50 bucks and let you shop in your pajamas (always a plus).

Show of hands: Who's planning to bring home a Droid? If I weren't already an iPhone owner, I'd be very seriously considering it.

It's not very glamorous, but this battery pack delivers iPhone power on the cheap.

(Credit: Meritline)

The older your iPhone gets, the worse its battery performs. Don't blame Apple: it's just the nature of rechargeable batteries that they wear out over time.

Sadly, you can't just swap in a new one--not without some warranty-voiding surgery. But you can plug in external power, which is cheap, easy, and affordable.

For example, Meritline has an 1800mAh iPhone backup battery for $9.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code MLC262531102717A (which expires Oct. 29) at checkout.

The standard iPhone 3G battery has an 1150mAh capacity, meaning this plug-in pack should afford at least 50 percent more runtime all by itself. You can use it for emergency power if your battery's on empty or to recharge your iPhone on the go.

And, hey, 10 bucks? Grab a couple. Throw one in the glove box, another in your coat pocket, etc. That way you'll always have backup power when you need it.

This battery pack is compatible with all iPhone and iPod Touch models. Keep in mind that because it ships from Hong Kong, it could take a couple weeks to reach your mailbox.

NFB Films streams over 1,000 shorts and feature-length films to your iPhone.

Like indie films? Documentaries? Animation? Ho, boy, have I got an app for you: NFB Films lets you watch over a thousand movies on your iPhone. For free.

The "NFB" stands for National Film Board, a kind of Canadian PBS. The app taps the NFB's mammoth library of documentaries, animated films, trailers (for upcoming NFB releases), and more.

All the movies are streamed to your iPhone, but there's also an ingenious "watch later" option that downloads a selected movie for later viewing. However, these downloads expire after 24 hours, not unlike App Store movie rentals, but that hardly seems unfair.

NFB Films includes a Channels section where you can browse various categories, including Documentaries, Kids Cartoons, History & War, and Environment. There's a search option, natch, and you can add movies to a favorites (sorry, "favourites") list for easier access.

If you come across a film you want to share with friends, the app lets you send an e-mail that includes a link to the Web version.

A while back I went to see 10 Oscar-nominated short films--five animated, five live-action. They were all tremendously entertaining. Since then I've been a lot more open-minded to non-mainstream movie fare like this. So for me, NFB Films is pure iPhone gold. I reckon you'll love it, too.

In the market for a Palm Pre? Wal-Mart Stores is offering the smartphone through Sprint for $79 with a two-year contract.

As noted in CNET's review, the Palm Pre features a vibrant display with multitouch functionality as well as a solid Web browser and good multimedia integration. The Pre offered good call quality and wireless options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Palm has developed a solid OS that not only rivals the competition but also sets a new standard in the way smartphones handle tasks and manage information.

The Palm Pre took home both the Best in Show and the People's Voice awards at CES 2009, becoming the first cell phone/smartphone to win the Best in Show since CNET started presenting the Best of CES awards in 2006.

Keep BetterDeal on hand at the grocery store to figure out which size offers the best deal.

As I often tell people, it's not the price of the iPhone that bothers me--it's the monthly fees! (Grumble, grumble, AT&T, grumble.)

Alas, while there's no way to get around that $70/month minimum, at least I can use my iPhone to save money on other things: gas, groceries, books, DVDs, and even energy. Let's take a look at five killer apps that can help you pocket extra cash.

• BetterDeal Next time you find yourself standing in a supermarket trying to figure out which size box of corn flakes provides the best bang for the buck, fire up BetterDeal. This 99-cent app lets you compare prices for up to four packages to see which is, well, the better deal.
• Gas Buddy Saving a nickel or dime per gallon of gas may not seem like much, but it adds up over time. Gas Buddy ($2.99) shows you which nearby stations have the lowest prices (and provides maps if you don't know the area), so you can pocket that extra change every time you fill up. (Obviously this app works best for those who live in densely populated areas--and drive a lot.)
• MeterRead You know the mantra: Save electricity, save money, save the planet. But does turning off lights when you leave a room really make an impact? MeterRead helps you find out by keeping tabs on meter readings (which you record periodically) and projecting your energy usage. It's strictly an informational tool (one with a mediocre interface), but if you're serious about saving energy, this 99-cent app should help.
• pic2shop So you're at Target, about to plunk down your cash on Firefly: The Complete Series on DVD (good call), but then you wonder: Is this the best price? Find out fast with pic2shop, which scans product barcodes and quickly pulls up the prices from "thousands of online retailers" (according to the developer). The live (i.e. real-time) barcode scanning is seriously cool, and the app itself costs nothing. Win-win!
• Yowza Mobile Coupons In an ideal world, your iPhone will serve up proximity-based coupons, like "get $1 off now!" when you drive by a Jamba Juice. For now, Yowza (free) is the closest thing. It finds deals in your area, though only from merchants that have partnered with the service. That may limit its viability for some users (get more partners, Yowza!), but I found about half a dozen coupons within 15 miles--including one for Finish Line, and I'm in the market for new running shoes. Score!

I know a lot of people are partial to AAA Discounts, which serves up deals near your location. Great app, but only if you're a triple-A member.

I'm also a fan of the suggestion over at Wise Bread to use Pandora instead of buying music, though why limit yourself to one music-streaming app? Grab Last.fm and Slacker while you're at it.

OK, you've got my picks. Now tell me what apps you've used to save money--and how much you've saved!