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As announced a few months ago, the iPhone has officially made landfall in China. But even with such an enormous potential market, Apple may still have some problems selling the device. Apparently, due to issues with Chinese carriers, iPhones in China have no support for Wi-Fi. To add insult to injury among Chinese users, the price of the iPhone comes in at 4,999 yuan, or $730. If you buy the smartphone without a contract it comes in at a whopping $1,024, according to the Wall Street Journal. Fortunately, a ban on Wi-Fi by one Chinese carrier has been … Read more

URL shorteners may be handy for your tweets on Twitter. But they're also known security holes since they don't display the actual address of your destination. A free tool from security vendor AVG may provide a solution.

AVG has updated its free LinkScanner tool to detect malicious pages hiding behind shortened URLs. The company said the tool checks the actual destination of each URL link to make sure the page is legitimate.

More than a dozen URL-shortening services abound on the Net, including TinyURL and Bitly. With its 140-character limit, Twitter automatically shortens URLs in each tweet via … Read more

Update: This appears to be sold out already. (Check back later and even tomorrow, as Newegg often gets replenished stock.) My apologies to those of you who get Cheapskate via e-mail, as it's occasionally out of date by the time you receive it. All the more reason to visit the site directly!)

Update #2: As of 1 p.m. ET today (Thursday), the scanner is back in stock! The code still works, and the rebate is still available.

Scanners are insanely handy. They can turn old snapshots into digital photos, archive paper documents electronically, turn any printer into a … Read more

Multifunction printers are insanely handy. No more running to Kinkos every time you need to...

Wait a minute. This sounds familiar. Oh, right, I wrote up an MFP last Wednesday. But that deal on the Epson Workforce 500 all-in-one photo printer is long gone. And anyway, there was a rebate involved. Blech! Ptooey!

No rebates this time. Dell has the V105 multifunction printer for just $29 shipped. (You may have to pony up a couple bucks for sales tax.)

As you might expect, this is a fairly bare-bones model--but remember that it's more than just a printer. It also … Read more

Multifunction printers are insanely handy. No more running to Kinkos every time you need to make a few copies or send a fax. And right now, OfficeMax has an insanely good deal on the Epson Workforce 500 all-in-one: it's $59.99 shipped.

Now, I know the headline says $39.99, so what gives? If you're willing to sign up for a MaxPerks account (it's free), you'll get a rebate in the form of a $20 prepaid VISA card, which is more or less the same as cash.

The Workforce 500 (which is new, not a refurb) … Read more

All right, this isn't the flatbed scanner we are more familiar with, but more rightfully a stand for the iPhone. What it does is let you take 8.5 x 11-inch documents on a fixed pedestal, so your snaps look consistent. It seems like a DIY project cobbled together given the detailed pictures on the creator's Web site, but of course, there's always an easier way out of the manual hassle. Which is to buy it from his online shop for a hefty $45.

(Crave Asia via fosfor)

Falco Auto Image is a photo editing program with all the typical features and then some, but the accompanying advertising and data collection software make this program hard to love.

The software's interface is basic. We like that it contains a space for both the original image and the edited one; this allows for easy before-and-after comparisons. The editing tools are accessed through a series of check boxes and buttons that will seem fairly straightforward to experienced photo editors. Those who need explanations will find some guidance in the built-in Help file, but the information is very basic and … Read more

Subject Search Scanner offers users advanced search features to quickly locate important files. Unfortunately, an eyesore of a user interface and sketchy performance left few good impressions.

During the installation process, the program takes over your entire screen with an annoying PowerPoint presentation, complete with music and bullet points. The user interface features a white-on-black color scheme that is very hard on the eyes. The tabs let you navigate the program date, time, and advanced settings. Performing a search requires that you enter your keyword, select the files you want to include in the search, and choose the file extensions. … Read more

Shopping for a budget printer doesn't have to be an exercise in anger-management and self-abasement. Contrary to the stigma, many printers can produce great quality photos and documents without breaking the bank or eating up expensive consumables. Now release your fingers from your hair, put down that club, and check out these tips for getting the best deal for your money.

Before you even start shopping, decide whether you want a laser printer or an inkjet printer. Laser printers use bulky toner cartridges and are typically reserved for home offices that print monochrome text documents and presentations. Businesses also … Read more