The Cheapskate

It's a match made in heaven: the Eye-Fi card and Google's Picasa.

(Credit: Eye-Fi)

About a month ago, Google made some serious price cuts to its Picasa Web photo-storage service. For example, a mere $5 per year now buys you 20GB of online storage.

In other news, Eye-Fi memory cards are really cool. They wirelessly upload photos from your camera to your PC OR online storage service of choice--like, say, Picasa.

Right now, if you sign up for a 200GB Picasa account for $50, you'll get a 4GB Eye-Fi Home card for free.

That card, which works in most digital cameras, normally sells for $69.99, so here's another way to look at the deal: Buy a 4GB Eye-Fi Home for $50, and get 200GB of Picasa storage for free.

Either way, I think it's a smokin' offer. Picasa effectively gives you an online backup of your entire photo library, along with basic slideshow, sharing, and print services.

I'm also an Eye-Fi fan, as manually copying photos from card to PC--and then PC to Web service--is a huge hassle. This is a great gift item, in my opinion.

This is a while-supplies-last offer, and I suspect it'll sell out quickly. So grab it while you can!

Backup deal: If you've been eyeballing "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" (and what avid gamer hasn't?) but unable to stomach the $60 price tag, the Microsoft Store has it for just $41.99 shipped. That's the lowest price I've seen anywhere.

Inside this shiny black monolith: a whopping 1.5 terabytes of storage.

(Credit: Dell)

Storage junkie that I am, I loved seeing terabyte hard drives dip below $100 this year, and then drop as low as $75.

Today we've reached another milestone: Dell has a Western Digital Elements 1.5-terabyte USB hard drive for $99.99 shipped. Yowza.

That's an awful lot of storage for less than $100. In fact, it's probably more than most people need, though I'd rather have too much space than too little.

The Elements sports a USB 2.0 interface. Curiously, Western Digital doesn't list the speed of the drive itself, which leads me to think it runs at 5,400 rpm, not 7,200. Consequently, it's probably not a performance dynamo, though I reckon it's fine for everyday tasks.

You can pair the drive with a Mac or Windows system; I believe it comes preformatted for the latter. (Thus, Mac users would need to reformat it, which is no biggie.)

The only real catch here is that Dell shows a ship time of "6+ weeks." Sheesh! Well, as long as you're not in a hurry, this is without a doubt the most bang you can get for your storage buck.

Bonus deal: Today only, you can get a refurbished Epson Stylus NX110 multifunction printer for just $19.99 shipped (with coupon code SAV40). Unreal, right? Amazingly, it includes a one-year warranty. Sadly, I've seen some fairly scathing user reviews of this model, so even at $20 it might not be worth it.

Unlike most drive enclosures, this one has a built-in USB cable.

(Credit: Froobi)

If you've ever upgraded the hard drive in your laptop (or thought about doing so), you've probably wondered what to do with the old drive. After all, it's still perfectly good storage.

Answer: Turn it into an external, USB hard drive. All you need is an enclosure, a sturdy casing for the drive that provides an IDE interface and USB connection.

Today only, deal-a-day site Froobi has a SimpleTech 2.5-inch USB external hard drive enclosure for free (plus $5.95 for shipping).

The enclosure is very compact, measuring roughly 0.75 inch thick by 3 inches wide by 5.1 inches long. It'll slip easily into any carry-on bag.

What I like most is the built-in USB cable, which tucks away inside the enclosure when not in use. That's one less cable to remember to bring along, to potentially lose, or to add extra clutter to your carry-on.

I've performed laptop hard-drive transplants before; they're a cinch. And trust me when I say you'll love having a small, lightweight, portable hard drive. They're perfect for on-the-run backups, transferring large files, and extra storage when you need it.

This deal expires at midnight tonight (ET), and it could definitely sell out before then. If you're planning a laptop upgrade (or you've already got a naked displaced drive lying around), this is a no-brainer buy.

(By the way, if you miss out on this offer, there's a vendor on eBay selling similar enclosures for $7 shipped--though they don't have the built-in USB cable.)

Rebates: Love 'em or hate 'em, they're still a ticket to great deals.

(Credit: Zazzle)

This morning I was going to post a Fantom 500GB eSATA/USB external hard drive for $44.99 shipped--but then I saw the $20 mail-in rebate that's required to get that price.

Rebates. I know from reading nearly two years' worth of comments that many of you hold them in the same regard as telemarketing and tax audits.

Indeed, it's the rare rebate-oriented post that doesn't draw at least one "rebates are a scam!" response.

But are they? Many years back, rebates started earning a deservedly bad reputation owing to woefully complicated forms, delayed or unfulfilled claims, and at least a few disreputable fulfillment companies.

That was then. Today, I think it's safe to say that rebates are easier to deal with (some let you complete the forms online, track status on a Web site, etc.), and it's been ages since I've heard of any major controversies.

This begs the question: Here in late 2009, how do you feel about rebates? Have things improved? Do you trust rebate deals more than you used to? Is it worth jumping through a few hoops to get a check for $20? $50? More?

Or, do you still think they're scams, a pain in the neck, not worth the hassle?

Whatever your opinion, I'd love to hear some real-world background. If you've gotten a raw rebate deal recently, tell me about it! Or if you've had a great rebate experience, let's hear about that, too. Keep it current if you can; we're talking about the status of rebate deals in 2009, not 2005.

As I've mentioned before, I've never had a problem with a rebate. And while my preference is for instant-gratification coupon codes, I don't mind the minor inconvenience of filling in a form, cutting out a UPC, and mailing an envelope if there's at least $10 hanging in the balance.

You?

Score this shiny silver 1TB hard drive for just $75, no rebates required!

(Credit: Iomega)

The last time I posted a 1TB hard drive in this price range, there was a mail-in rebate involved. Well, good news, rebate haters: Dell has the Iomega 1TB Prestige Desktop Hard Drive for $74.99 shipped (plus sales tax in some states). No rebates!

Compatible with PCs and Macs but preformatted for NTFS (i.e. Windows), the Prestige features a 7,200rpm drive and a USB 2.0 interface.

It comes with no software, but you do get a license for downloading EMC's Retrospect HD backup app. You also get a free 2GB online-backup account from MozyHome--but, let's face it, anybody can get that.

Well, that's about it. It's a pretty unglamorous drive, but definitely a great deal for anyone needing extra storage. Lots and lots of extra storage. Or a backup drive. You are making regular backups, aren't you?

By the way, as part of this new 100 Days of Deals thing CNET's got going, the Cheapskate will now have deals on weekends. So check back tomorrow and Sunday!

The super-slim, USB-powered Samsung drive makes a perfect Netbook companion.

(Credit: Newegg)

Got a Netbook? Then at some point you've probably longed for an optical drive, whether to install software, watch a DVD, burn a CD, or whatever.

Newegg has a Samsung SE-S084 portable CD/DVD drive for $48.99 shipped. It's perfect for netbooks, though obviously it's compatible with desktops and laptops as well.

The SE-S084 is about as compact and lightweight as an optical drive can get, weighing 14 ounces and measuring just 0.75 inch by 5.5 inches by 6.2 inches (HWD). You'll barely notice it in your travel bag.

Better still, the drive runs on USB power, so there's no AC adapter to bring along. However, it does require two close-proximity USB ports; if your Netbook has one on either side, you'll need a cable extender (not included) to reach both.

(Or maybe not: A few of the user reviews on Newegg's product page indicate the drive needs that second port only for power-intensive tasks like burning discs.)

I haven't tried this drive firsthand, but there's a fairly extensive review over at Hardware Secrets. Verdict: very positive.

What do you think, Netbook owners? Have you been dying for a drive like this, or do you get by fine on downloads and other CD/DVD workarounds?

This is the lowest price yet on a 1TB external hard drive.

(Credit: Buy.com)

First up, some important business: I'm on vacation this week! But I couldn't leave you hanging without one more sweet deal, so here's my farewell post. See you next Monday! (Unless I just can't stay away... you never know.)

Holy ridiculously cheap storage, Batman! Buy.com has a Fantom G-Force 1-terabyte external hard drive for $69.99 shipped.

The catch? Yep, you guessed it: There's a $20 mail-in rebate [PDF]. I know that's a deal-breaker for some, but even in the unlikely event you get the short end of the rebate stick, $89.99's a pretty awesome price, too.

As for the drive itself, it features USB 2.0 and eSATA interfaces, Mac and Windows compatibility, and a one-year warranty. Fantom bundles no backup software to speak of, but there are plenty of great freeware backup utilities out there.

CNET hasn't reviewed the drive, but it averages 4.5 stars out of 5--from a whopping 342 users--on Buy.com's product page.

If you don't mind waiting a month or two on those 20 rebate dollars (the offer expires Aug. 23), this is the best deal yet on a 1TB external hard drive.

This bracelet supports a unique cause: 8GB of wearable storage!

(Credit: Meritline)

It's rare enough to find an 8GB flash drive for less than $20, but one you can wear? Meritline (yeah, it again) has the 8GB Bracelet Wrist Band USB Drive for $12.35 shipped.

That's after applying coupon code MLC40142835P, which is conveniently listed right on the product page. That code will also work for the blue, yellow, red, and orange versions of the bracelet.

As you'd probably expect, this is a USB 2.0 drive that's compatible with virtually every operating system. (Linux and Mac aren't listed, but I can't see any reason the drive wouldn't work with them.)

So, you tell me: Is a wearable flash drive more or less convenient than a typical thumb drive that rides on your keychain or in your pocket?

If you're the kind of person who uses a flash drive all day, every day, I think this might be seriously handy. Definitely a conversation piece (to say nothing of a geek badge of honor).

In any case, it's hard to argue with the price. The coupon code expires Friday, August 7, and I desperately hope these don't sell out in five minutes like yesterday's Meritline deal. (Again, sorry about that.)

Also, I should note that after yesterday's mention of problems with the vendor, I received several e-mails from readers. Some said, "Meritline, never again!" Others: "Meritline, love 'em!"

Because I haven't had any problems with the company myself, I'll simply pass along what others have told me: Customer service via e-mail is poor, but much better if you pick up the phone.

Though still pricey, the 4GB Eye-Fi card is now a much better deal.

(Credit: Eye-Fi)

I really dig Eye-Fi memory cards, which wirelessly beam photos from your digital camera to your PC (and/or an online sharing service). But I always thought they were overpriced.

They still are, but at least you can score a deal on one: Costco has the Eye-Fi 4GB Anniversary Edition for $59.99 shipped. Nonmembers pay an extra $3, and nearly everyone pays sales tax.

In case you're not familiar with it, the Eye-Fi is a standard-size SDHC memory card (meaning it's compatible with most cameras) that happens to have built-in Wi-Fi.

When it's in range of your home network and your camera is on, the Eye-Fi automatically transfers photos to your PC. Alternately, it can upload photos directly to the online service of your choice: Facebook, Flickr, Snapfish, Photobucket, etc.

Ultimately, it's a convenience. A pricey one, yes, especially considering that you can get an ordinary 4GB SDHC card for about 8 bucks. On the other hand, the last time I posted this product, it was $99.

So now that it's $40 less, will you jump on it? Or are you satisfied with your perfectly cromulent SD card reader and/or USB cable?