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Belkin's $299 Thunderbolt Express Dock hits in September

LAS VEGAS--For those looking to get more ports out of their Thunderbolt-equipped notebooks, Belkin's got a box on the way to make that happen.

At CES here, the company gave its Thunderbolt Express Dock product a price and a release date.

For $299, those with a Mac or PC featuring a single Thunderbolt port can add a handful of other ports, all of which get piped through the speedy I/O. That includes three USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, a 3.5mm audio plug, gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI.

The new hardware, which hits stores in September, made its debut at last year's Intel Developer Forum with the promise of being available this spring.

A number of Thunderbolt peripherals that have hit the market so far have included a spare Thunderbolt port for daisy-chaining. There have also been products that expand the types of ports like Apple's Thunderbolt Display, which like Belkin's upcoming offering, adds extra USB, Ethernet, and Firewire ports.

Head past the break to see the other side of the dock.… Read more

Let PhraseExpress Portable type it out for you

People who have to type in the same words and phrases over and over again should check out PhraseExpress, a free tool that automatically enters any string of text you set it up to enter; as many as you like, as often as you like. It can automatically detect repetitive phrases and text strings and offer to automate them. Its algorithms can also help you complete your sentences. PhraseExpress USB Edition is a completely portable version of PhraseExpress. You can save it to a USB drive and run it on any compatible computer without having to install it.

We started … Read more

Move an old PC to your new one - save 83%

Got a new PC on Black Friday or Cyber Monday and want to set up your new PC to have the same settings and personality as your old PC? With PCmover Express, you can move up to three of your favorite programs along with your files and settings from your old PC to your new PC in matter of a few clicks. PC Mover Express lets you transfer files and programs to a new computer so it will have the same personality and functionality as your old PC. It's the easiest way to move into a new machine without … Read more

Sync up your audio on all devices

An AirPort Express will let you listen to iTunes over your home stereo speakers. Airfoil is an application that takes that simple functionality and turns it up to 11. The iTunes-AirPort Express combo is perfect for listening to iTunes on your nice stereo, but what if you want to hear music from a browser-based app like Pandora? Or Sirius Radio through an app like StarPlayr? Or work with audio from your Elgato EyeTV? Airfoil lets you send audio from any application (even your system audio) to your AirPort Express, so you can use your stereo for anything from RealPlayer and … Read more

Got a new PC? Get a perfect starter kit - now 83% off

Just in time for the holidays, CNET has partnered with top consumer software publishers to offer an exclusive bundle of six products worth $177.88 for just $30! That's a 83% discount on the leading anti-virus, system care, PDF creator, compression and remote access software.

This great software bundle lets you protect your computer, create and compress documents, and stream media content from your computer to any connected device!

The New PC starter-kit bundle includes the following six software:

Avira Antivirus Premium 2012 - Protect your computer against viruses, malware, adware, spyware, and phishing: reg.$29.99 Smith Micro … Read more

Spend $25 at a local business, get $25 back from American Express

Big week ahead, fellow cheapskates! And I'm kicking it off with my annual guest appearance on CNET's Holiday Help Desk, which airs live today at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET. The big topic, of course, is Black Friday, and if you think you know what I'm going to say about it, think again. Hope you'll tune in!

That said, let's table Black Friday for a moment and talk Sweet Saturday. On November 26, American Express is sponsoring an event called Small Business Saturday. The upshot: Spend at least $25 at any … Read more

Sprint Express delivers $20 Gingerbread with Sprint ID

With all these high-priced, superpremium smartphones exploding onto the holiday shopping scene, it's nice to see that Sprint hasn't forgotten about the budget-conscious.

Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the candy bar Sprint Express has a portrait QWERTY keyboard and costs $19.99. It has a 2.6-inch touch screen, 3.2-megapixel camera with flash, hot-spot capability for up to five devices, and Sprint ID, which is software that can load various profiles with thematic apps, wallpaper, and so forth.

The Express is similar to the free Samsung Replenish, but the former runs Android 2.2 Froyo instead of the Express' Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. The Express is available beginning today.… Read more

American Express pledges $100M for digital-commerce startups

American Express plans to dabble in mobile payments and other forms of digital commerce at an arm's length, preferring to throw cash at startups rather than launch its own major initiatives.

The company said today that it will invest $100 million in startups that are designed to address mobile and online payments, security, reward and loyalty programs, and other forms of digital commerce.

This represents American Express's primary stab at the booming digital-commerce business, a potentially lucrative area that has a large number of players all vying for position. American Express's low-key approach stands in contrast to … Read more

Another day, another DVD price hike: Blockbuster Express

The trifecta is now complete: NCR's Blockbuster Express service has hiked DVD rental prices.

Starting Tuesday, customers who want to rent films from Blockbuster Express will be locked into the new 3-2-1 Plan. During the first 28 days after a "hot movie" is released, customers will pay $3 for the first-night's rental, followed by $1 on subsequent nights. After the 28-day window passes, the same film will be offered for $2 for the first night. All other films that don't make the "hot movies" or "recent releases" categories will be offered … Read more