buying

Best Buy sends five iPads in error, says 'keep them'

Our lecture today is entitled "Ethics and the Holiday Spirit."

The question at hand is this: if you order an iPad from Best Buy and the company sends you five, what do you do?

Do you phone Best Buy and say, "Hullo, you've sent me four too many"?

Do you phone Best Buy and say, "Gosh, just wanted to thank you for the holiday gifts" -- and not mention which gifts you're talking about?

Or do you say nothing, do nothing, and hope Best Buy doesn't notice? … Read more

Best Buy ad suggests that Santa's an Apple fanboy

This is the time of year when children display their strongest credentials for adulthood.

They find ways to manipulate their parents and suck up to their uncles and aunties -- after first, of course, examining all the ads for the most exciting gift options.

Why, only today I saw a Christmas wish list from an 8-year-old called Miles who had highlighted certain gifts in black (Things I Need"), as well as gifts in green ("Things I Want").

Best Buy clearly believes it understands these kids. It understands, it seems, that they all want Apple products.… Read more

So where will people shop today that isn't Amazon?

Today is expected to be one of the biggest days ever for online shopping, but where will people be making some of their purchases may be surprising.

According to Deepfield, which provides technology to track and analyze network performance, some of the top Internet retailers are the usual suspects, like Amazon, while some others, such as Shopify, are more unexpected.

The company conducted a large-scale study of online shopping infrastructure over the past several months, using data from its ongoing study of Internet backbone traffic.

What it has found is that Amazon, of course, dominates Internet retail. About 14 percent … Read more

Best Buy trims prices on iTunes gift cards

Holiday shoppers looking for iTunes gift cards can save a bit of change via Best Buy.

The retail outlet is offering 15 percent off the full cost of cards ranging in price from $15 to $100. So a $15 card will cost you $12.75, a $25 card $21.25, a $50 card $42.50, and a $100 card $85. A 3-pack of $10 iTunes gift cards will run you $25.50.

Beyond opting for an iTunes card, you can choose an App Store card or a iBookstore card, giving you the full gamut of Apple's offerings for iOS … Read more

Best Buy trims $50 off 3rd-gen iPad, kicks in $75 gift card

iPad buyers can score a decent deal on a 3rd-generation model through Best Buy, but the offer is good only for today.

The retailer is selling the 64GB Wi-Fi-only black version for $649 and the 32GB Wi-Fi black and white variants for $549. Both prices are $50 off the original retail price for the 3rd-gen model, which Apple discontinued after introducing the 4th-generation iPad.

Apple does offer refurbished editions of the third iPad, selling the 64GB Wi-Fi model for $549 and the 32GB Wi-Fi model for $469.

But Best Buy has sweetened its deal by throwing in a $75 gift … Read more

Despite earnings report, Best Buy not a lost cause -- yet

"It's like rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship." So goes the oft-used simile that references the legendary 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. The phrase has been used to describe everything from government disfunction to professional sports disappointment. (Andy Reid, I'm looking at you.) But today, I will apply it to the business of big box, brick-and-mortar consumer technology retail. And there's no bigger ship in this shrinking sea than Best Buy, the American electronics retailer.

First, the facts: Best Buy posted disappointing third-quarter results this morning. The company recorded a loss, fed … Read more

How to buy a cell phone as a gift

Cell phones can make fantastic holiday gifts, but purchasing one for someone other than yourself is more complicated than shopping for other gadgets. Unlike a laptop or a shiny new camera, a cell phone requires a service plan to use any voice or data features (otherwise you wind up with a very expensive paperweight). In most cases, you won't even be able to leave the store or complete your online order until you get that angle set up. And beyond just being an additional expense, that service may require a long-term commitment.

There's no reason to stress, though, … Read more

Some find problems with Wii U update

You don't have to wait long for Monday's CNET Update:

Sales of the Nintendo Wii U system began Sunday, following a midnight launch event at the Nintendo World store in New York. But anyone getting a Wii U will need some patience before getting started. A required 5GB firmware update can take an hour or two to download, but be sure to not turn it off once the update has begun! Some users that turned off the console before the download was complete have "bricked" the machine and need to exchange it for a new one. … Read more

To glimpse Windows' future, get thee to a Microsoft store

Getting to a Microsoft store isn't easy. That's a problem.

It's a problem because in the wake of the Windows 8 release late last month, the best selection of the coolest devices is at a Microsoft store. Throw in solid ambiance too.

Best Buy? I don't think so. Though my local Best Buy in Los Angeles has a few interesting Windows 8 PCs, like the Lenovo Yoga convertible, it's mostly business as usual.

Same old big box chaos with clam shells that look pretty much like the clam shells that were there last year.

And … Read more

Droid Razr free at Best Buy today with new contract

Today is a sobering one for many Droid Razr owners like me. We're officially walking around with smartphones that are almost worthless, at least from the perspective of one major retailer.

Best Buy is letting go of the basic 16GB Droid Razr 4G LTE phone for free with a new Verizon contract for today only. I paid $199 for mine with the same strings attached about eight months ago.

If you're the kind of person who can live without the latest version of Android (the Razr comes with Gingerbread, but you should receive the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade … Read more