Electronics

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of flailing your body in front of your TV set, here's your chance to do it on the cheap.

I'm talking about the Xbox Kinect, of course, the motion-sensing camera system that "turns your body into the controller" for various games. I don't mind telling you, it's a blast.

And it's on sale! For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the refurbished Xbox Kinect for $59.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable).

A quick caveat before I go on: unlike … Read more

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

My Logitech Harmony One remote control has outlasted two TVs and one DVR. After a good three years of use, I can say without a doubt that it's my favorite clicker ever.

CNET agrees with me, calling it "arguably the best consumer remote control currently available" in its review.

Unfortunately, Logitech still sells it for $200, which is not much less than when it first debuted years ago. But for a limited time, and while supplies last, Radio Shack will set you up with a … Read more

Are you still using the earbuds that came with your smartphone or MP3 player? I'll wager they're not the most comfortable headphones to wear, and I guarantee they don't help block outside noise (unless you crank the volume, which is ruinous to your hearing.)

Do your ears all kinds of favors and switch to in-ear headphones. Like these: Newegg has the Sennheiser CX 485 in-ear noise-blocking headphones for $19.99 shipped when you apply promo code EMCNDHD65 at checkout. (As always, you need to be a Newegg newsletter subscriber to use the code.) That's a full … Read more

A Roku box is the single best way to bring streaming media into your home. It slings not just Netflix, but also Amazon Instant Video, CNET, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, MLB.tv, Pandora, and a host of other awesome channels.

For a limited time, you can get the refurbished Roku 2 XD for $59.99 shipped. That's a savings of $20, and the same price you'd otherwise pay for the lesser Roku 2 HD model.

Never mind that it's a refurb: it comes with the same 90-day warranty as new Rokus. (I'm a bit surprised that … Read more

Despite recent advances in audio technology, there's only so "big" sound can get when it comes from a smallish speaker. And a lot of the more popular speaker docks are, well, smallish.

The problem is, if you want big, rich, room-filling sound from your iPhone or iPod, it'll cost you at least $200.

Or not, if you jump on today's deal -- a Cheapskate exclusive! While supplies last, you can get the Fluance FiSDK500 iPhone/iPod speaker dock for $169.99 shipped when you apply coupon code FISDK5 at checkout. Regular price: $229.99.

This … Read more

Tired of your cable company's crummy DVR box? The gold-standard replacement has long been, and probably always will be, TiVo.

A typical refurbished TiVo runs $79.99, but while supplies last, Ben's Outlet has the refurbished TiVo Premiere HD DVR for $49.99 shipped. That's one of the lowest prices I've seen for the hardware.

Ah, but the service -- that's where they get you. TiVo charges $14.99 per month (down from the previous $19.99 per month, at least) and requires a one-year commitment. Alternately, you can pay for $499.99 for lifetime … Read more

Regular Cheapskate readers know of my fondness for Logitech's Harmony series of universal remotes. One of the better models, the 700, has a list price of $119.99. Ouch.

For a limited time, Logitech has the refurbished Harmony 700 universal remote for $59.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code logi_h700_61212 at checkout.

What's so great about the Harmony series? Thanks to Logitech's wizard-driven software, they're significantly easier to program than most universal remotes. Just choose your gear from a mammoth database and presto: you're good to go. They're also blissfully user-friendly, with … Read more

When it comes to home audio, do you like it old-school? By which I mean tower, surround, or bookshelf speakers paired with an actual stereo receiver? Then you've come to the right cheap-show.

While supplies last, Amazon has the Denon AVR-1312 5.1-channel home theater receiver for $139 shipped. It sells elsewhere in the $180 range, and had a list price of $250 when it debuted about a year ago.

This is not the receiver for hard-core audiophiles, but rather an affordable entry-level option for folks who want to vastly improve the sound quality of their TV audio -- … Read more

Summer is a great time to catch up on the shows you weren't able to watch during the regular TV season -- or weren't sure would survive the year.

For example, Mrs. Cheapskate and I are planning to check out "Revenge," "Scandal," "Once Upon a Time," and perhaps "Grimm." Unfortunately, these freshman series have yet to show up on Netflix, so the only viable option for watching them on the cheap is Hulu Plus.

And for my money, there's no better way to pair Hulu Plus with your TV … Read more