Microsoft sure does some boneheaded things sometimes.

For example, on the surface, a free month of worldwide calls on Skype sounds like a great deal. You can call family overseas without spending a small fortune, or call anyone from your smartphone without burning through your monthly minute allotment.

But here's the rub: "Offer available only to existing Skype users who have been registered with Skype more than 29 days."

Hey, Microsoft, this is just what I remember from Marketing 101, but usually the idea behind promotions like this is to attract new customers. It's not to … Read more

There's no such thing as a free lunch, right? Actually, my favorite Chinese place gave me a punch card good for a free trip to the buffet after 10 punches, so there literally is such a thing as free lunch. (I know, you have to buy 10 not-free lunches first. Let's not ruin my analogy with semantics, shall we?)

There's also such a thing as free software -- if you know where to look. For a limited time, a site called AppyFridays is offering a free Mac software bundle. Combined value of the six included apps: $90.… Read more

This is an update of a deal I first wrote about back in June. With the holidays upon us, it's the perfect time for this "rerun."

Through the end of next week, and while supplies last, Roku is bundling the Roku HD box, a six-month Hulu Plus subscription, and an HDMI cable for $79.99 shipped. Those items would normally cost you around $128 if purchased separately.

A brief personal story: we're having a bit of trouble with our cable service. For some reason, the signal from ABC has degraded in the last couple weeks, leaving … Read more

It's my anniversary!

Five years ago this month (November 12, 2007, to be exact), I lucked into the best blogging job in the world. It was CNET's Matt Elliott who recommended me for the gig, Kelly Morrison who brought me onboard, and Margaret Kane who helped me through the Cheapskate's early stages. I can't thank them enough.

Of course, I'm most grateful to you, the readers. Sounds cliche, but it's true. So many people have sent me so many kind messages over the years -- words of thanks, words of support, and words of great deals for me to share! I actually keep a lot of those e-mails, referring to them when some crank tells me I'm a liar or an idiot. It's really gratifying to know that people value what I do, even more so when they reach out to tell me so.… Read more

I'm not scheduled to write another Cheapskate post until tomorrow (it's one you won't want to miss, by the way), but I couldn't let this go.

While supplies last, GameFly is giving away one of my all-time favorite games: BioShock (PC). I realize most serious gamers have played it by now, while others might have scooped it up when it was on sale for $5, but if you haven't yet had the pleasure (or the $5) -- well, now's the time.

What's the catch? No catch, except you will need to install the … Read more

Because I'm The Cheapskate, this is the time of year when people nudge me and say, "Bet you're getting pretty excited about Black Friday, huh?"

You know Black Friday: it's the day after Thanksgiving, the day when stores, both brick-and-mortar and click-and-order, serve up the very best deals of the year, slashing prices so low you'll be willing to freeze your butt off in an overnight line like you were waiting for Stones tickets.

But, frankly, I'm not that excited. In fact, allow me to confess: only once in my life have I … Read more

Quick housekeeping note: I've got something pretty sweet lined up for tomorrow. And next Friday. And the Friday after that. It's all part of a somewhat special occasion, and I'm really excited about it. Stay tuned!

If you ask me, there's no better gift item for a kid than an iPod Touch. Music, videos, games, e-mail, books, cameras, apps -- they're all there, all in one pocket-friendly package.

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Apple has cut prices on refurbished Touches. To wit: You can get a fourth-gen iPod Touch with 8GB for $129 shipped, … Read more

A couple weeks back I declared a moratorium of sorts on deals from 1SaleADay, citing a steady stream of reader complaints about slow shipping and poor communication.

Soon thereafter I heard from a friendly and apologetic company exec who agreed the company has "room to improve" in these areas and is working to improve response times. He also noted that 1SaleADay does provide tracking numbers, via both e-mail and the customer's account page.

A bigger issue is the slow shipping. According to 1SaleADay's FAQ page, most orders are processed within five business days, while delivery times … Read more

I've made no secret of my total hatred of lack of excessive fondness for Windows 8. I think unless you're getting it on a tablet or smartphone, the OS is best avoided.

That said, plenty of users have no doubt taken advantage of Microsoft's upgrade offer, and plenty more will end up with Windows 8 on their next desktop or laptop. And I think it's a safe bet that most of those users will need some help learning to navigate, operate, and, ultimately, tolerate 8.

To that end, Dell is offering a free copy of "Windows 8 for Dummies: Dell Pocket Edition" in e-book form. … Read more