Electronics

One quick (and hopefully final) note about the SiriusXM Internet Radio fiasco from a couple weeks ago: It's over. The company appears to have pulled the plug on nearly all the giveaways, even if you received a confirmation e-mail. Fortunately, you can still get Pandora, Slacker, Songza, and plenty of other music-streaming services for free. Let it go, OK?

If you're unhappy with the audio quality from your TV's built-in speakers, you may have considered the Vizio sound bar I've written about countless times in this space. It often dips below $50, a hard bargain to … Read more

This is an update of a deal I wrote about earlier this year.

If you own an iDevice, you've got access to an embarrassment of music-streaming app riches. To name a few: Pandora, Slacker, Spotify, and my new favorite Songza, which streams music based on your mood or activity.

(And don't forget SiriusXM Internet Radio. That deal from Friday is still active, provided you remove the promo code from the form and leave that field blank.)

Of course, to really make the most of those kinds of apps, you need a powerful stereo to which you can beam … Read more

Our present isn't nearly as wireless as our past promised our future would be. (Oh, it does too make sense.)

For example, planning to mount a TV on the wall or a projector on the ceiling? Be prepared for a mess of wires to go with it, what with the cable box, Blu-ray player, game console, Apple TV, and other goodies you'll want to connect.

Ideally, you'd be able to wirelessly beam all your video sources to your video destination, with little to no lag and HD fidelity intact. And you can, with today's deal.

For … Read more

Well, yesterday was kind of a train wreck, huh? Believe me that I get just as frustrated as you when a vendor suddenly jacks up the price on a product, as TigerDirect did yesterday on the Vizio sound bar. It's worse than a sellout, because it smacks of bait-and-switch tactics (even though the company's own promotional e-mail showed it at the higher price, so that accusation doesn't hold water).

Anyway, I still feel bad about it, which is why I'm giving you five -- count 'em, five -- deals today. Without further ado:

1. Wal-Mart has … Read more

And now for something completely different.

Need a wireless speaker to complete your home-theater surround system? How about a Pandora-friendly speaker for the living room? Maybe you're just tired of sitting in the dark.

Whatever the case, here's a product I didn't even know existed until this morning, but now feel I must have: today only, 1SaleADay has the Soundolier DUO-CP lamp with wireless speaker for $129.99, plus $4.99 for shipping.

The Soundolier has a list price of $379.99, and that's exactly what you'd pay for one at Amazon. Elsewhere I've … Read more

Blu-ray players are notoriously unreliable. Check the user reviews for just about any model and you'll see any number of "died after a week!" and "died after two months!" comments. It's the unfortunate nature of the beast, I guess.

So call me maybe crazy, but why not keep a spare on hand just in case your primary player croaks -- which will invariably happen just as you and the kids are sitting down to watch "The Avengers." That way, boom, you just swap in the backup and dry everyone's tears.

And … Read more

When it comes to portable speakers, most products cram a couple drivers into a small brick of the Jawbone Jambox or Logitech Mini Boombox variety.

Many of them sound pretty good for their size, but the best stereo comes when you've got two speakers spaced farther apart.

On the other hand, you still want portability, and, ideally, Bluetooth.

Problem solved: Abe's of Maine has the DBest Duo Bluetooth mini speaker set for $49.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code CNET20 at checkout. (That's right: This is another fine exclusive just for Cheapskate readers.)

Update: The … Read more

I've written many times about the merits of augmenting your TV's crummy built-in speakers with an external sound system. Even if you add lower-end speakers, the difference is night and day.

I've also written many times about Vizio's sound bar, which has sold for as low as $50 (refurbished). It's pretty good on its own, but if you really want to kick your TV sound system up a notch, you need a subwoofer.

Today only, and while supplies last, JustDeals has the refurbished Vizio VHT210 sound bar and wireless subwoofer for $109.77 shipped. That'… Read more

Speaker docks rock. They not only amplify your playlists and Pandora stations, but also power and recharge your docked device at the same time.

In my house, where pretty much everyone owns an iPhone or iPod Touch, that dock is in constant demand -- mostly for charging purposes. That's why I'm enamored with today's deal, which supplies two, two, two docks in one product.

While supplies last, Ben's Outlet has the Altec Lansing Octiv Duo speaker system for $34.99 shipped. It's new, not refurbished, and it originally sold for $99.

True to its name, … Read more