deals

FatWallet gets in on Black Friday craze

With just two weeks to go before Black Friday, online-coupon site FatWallet announced on Friday that it has launched a Black Friday page where Web users can track all the latest deals for the big shopping day.

Currently, the site lists all the latest Black Friday ads that have surfaced, as well as news and rumors surrounding the day. It also has information on Cyber Monday, the Web's big shopping day, which falls on the Monday after Black Friday.

Of course, FatWallet isn't alone in this space. Several companies, including BlackFriday.Info and DealTaker to name a few, … Read more

Wal-Mart unveils tech deals for November 7

Not content to wait until Black Friday, Wal-Mart announced Wednesday that it will deliver some great deals on assorted tech products this weekend.

Customers shopping in-store on Saturday will find several deals. The company said it will sell the 46-inch Panasonic TC-P46U1 1080p plasma HDTV for $788 that day. It also plans to sell the 42-inch Sharp LC-42SB45U 1080p LCD for just $498.

Besides that, Wal-Mart plans to sell a 15.6-inch HP notebook for $298, a Sony Blu-ray player for $148, and a Magnavox upconverting DVD player for $29.

But it might be the offer on the Xbox 360 Arcade … Read more

Be prepared for Black Friday tech deals

Although Cyber Monday--a big online-shopping day on the Monday following Thanksgiving--has caused some of Black Friday's appeal to slip, it's still a big day for deal-seekers.

But with the shopping day three weeks away, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm talking about it already. Well, the ads are already starting to emerge. And it's time to start figuring out where you want go and what you want to get. Use these resources to help you do just that.

Track Black Friday

Black Friday Ads Black Friday Ads features all the latest updates on Black Friday deals. The site also features buying guides and shopping lists for those who want a little more than deal-seeking.

So far, Black Friday Ads doesn't have many ads to look at. That said, you can check out details on becoming a Best Buy VIP or see what kind of deals Sears plans to offer on Black Friday. Where Black Friday Ads shines is with all the extras. You can discuss hot deals with others in its message boards, find discounts the site might have missed, and more. Keep this site on your radar when you get ready to buy on Black Friday.

Black Friday Black Friday features one of the most user-friendly designs of any site in this roundup. It makes it quick and easy to find what you're looking for.

Black Friday lists all the best deals from several well-known retailers. Simply click on one of the stores' names in the right sidebar and you can see its respective Black Friday ad. When you find an ad you want to search though, I think you'll like what you find. The site lists all the deals by department. Simply scroll to the category you're looking for to find the deals you care about. Next to those items, you'll see a "plus" icon. When you click that, you can add it to your shopping list on the site. I found that it's a great way to keep track of items. I really liked Black Friday. Try it out.… Read more

Bridge game simulation

Bridge Baron provides all the tools you need to enjoy the classic card game of contract bridge. The program's realism and teaching ability make for an excellent game of bridge for newcomers and old hands alike.

Bridge Baron's interface is simple and inviting, even to people whose bridge skills may be a little rusty. A navigable layout and excellent tutorials on the rules and specifics, such as convention practice, cover all the bases. From starting off bidding for the contract to unloading your deck and scoring against opponents, it does a fine job of mimicking real play. While … Read more

Ask launches Ask Deals for bargain hunters

Ask isn't giving up on efforts to expand its niche in the search market, this time hoping that coupon clippers will make it their search destination of choice.

Ask Deals is expected to launch Tuesday, blending links to coupons from a plethora of online coupon aggregation sites alongside search results for certain types of queries, such as "cheap jeans" or "plasma TV deals," said Scott Garell, president of Ask Networks. There will also be a link to a Deals page off the Ask.com home page, which will have a "deal of the day&… Read more

The Big Bundle: Donate to charity and get great software deals

Want some good deals on software and popular national services, plus do some good for the world, to boot? Then check out this great deal from TrialPay called The Big Bundle. In exchange for a $29.99 donation to the American Cancer Society, visitors to The Big Bundle Web site will receive more than $700 worth of products and services from participating companies.

Get software deals from Trend Micro, Skype, Corel, Siber Systems, Evernote, WinZip, Foxit, PopCap games, and many more, all as a part of this affordable package. You also get bargains from Zagat, Shoebuy, 1800Flowers, SmugMug, Picnik Premium, … Read more

Sony catalog comes to Amie Street--with fine print

Sony Music Entertainment's catalog is coming to indie music retail site Amie Street, in the New York-based start-up's first major label deal.

But here's the catch: Sony's catalog will not be participating in the "dynamic pricing" model that's been Amie Street's trademark--unpopular songs are the cheapest, and the price rises as a song is downloaded more. Instead, Sony songs will be available for a flat 69 cents, 99 cents, or $1.29 based on popularity.

"It wasn't a hard decision for us," Amie Street co-founder Josh Boltuch told CNET … Read more

Product management goes open source

One of the hardest parts about launching a new product is knowing what prospective customers want to buy. Sure, some companies like Apple can impose their product visions on the public, but most vendors need to fulfill pre-existing product requirements, not create new ones. For everyone but Apple open source offers a great way to perform product management.

When I was working on my juris doctorate, I signed up to be a guinea pig for Microsoft. (It's not as bad as it sounds.) The company would send people out to my house to observe me using my computer, and … Read more

Is AT&T losing its grip on the iPhone?

Apple's exclusive deal with AT&T to offer the iPhone may end within the year, according to a prediction from financial analyst Gene Munster, a senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray.

If Munster is correct, opening up the iPhone to other carriers in the U.S. could be a boon for Apple, which would likely see iPhone sales go through the roof. On the flipside, if this prediction were to come true, it would likely mean very bad news for AT&T, which has relied heavily on the iPhone to boost its own wireless sales and revenue.… Read more