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The lust-worthy Sprint MiFi 2200 will be free on Black Friday.

(Credit: Sprint)

Here we go: one week until Black Friday. Am I excited? Pumped? Polishing the ol' credit card for a day of deal-crazed madness?

Eh.

Don't get me wrong: I enjoy BF as much as the next cheapskate. But I'm weary of the month-long hype machine, what with all the "leaked" ads, pre-Black Friday sales, and so on.

What's more, I have never, and will never, set foot in a retail store on Black Friday. I don't enjoy crowds, especially the deal-crazed variety. Oh, and 5 a.m.? That's sleep time, not stand-in-line-in-the-freezing-cold time.

My other issue: Like last year, the deals I've seen so far just aren't that great. Know why? Because everything's already dirt-cheap all year. Regular Cheapskate readers have seen the $50 GPS, the $80 Blu-ray player, the sub-$300 32-inch HDTV. Sadly for retailers, there's just not much room to go any lower.

All that being said, what kind of cheapskate would I be if I didn't give this hallowed shopping holiday a little love? So here you go: five deals/offers/promotions I'm liking this year. Want more? Dealnews has some of the best Black Friday coverage around--including these tips on using price-matching in retail stores.

Ever wander into one of those Verizon or AT&T stores, attempt to have a conversation with one of the smartly dressed salespeople, and whisper to yourself, "What kind of emotionally awkward humans end up working in a place like this?"

Well, I have good news for you.

Ricky Gervais, who made David Brent perhaps the most painfully sympathetic character in modern television in the original BBC version of "The Office," has been asking himself the very same question. "Phone Shop" a new British sitcom, enjoys Gervais as its script editor (he reportedly took one look at the idea and volunteered his involvement). The pilot airs Friday evening on Channel 4.

"Phone Shop" will explore the life of salespeople in a soul-sucking mall cell phone shop.

(Credit: Channel 4)

Unlike "The Office," which gained existential pleasure from the old-world business of paper manufacture, "Phone Shop" is set in a mall cell phone store.

The pilot episode follows the troubles experienced by trainee salesman Christopher, who has to sell a cell phone by 6 p.m. as part of his one-day trial.

Clearly this series will reside in the emotional halfway house that has just two difficult residents--comedy and tragedy. And one wonders just what impression will be left by the arduous task of pushing yet more portable technology on a populace that bristles with sensory overload.

I am deeply concerned that the cell phone business will not come out so beautifully in "Phone Shop."

You see, The Independent quoted Angela Jain, head of the E4 Channel, which has bought the series. And beneath her words I sense a little cackling: "Everyone's got a mobile phone and has had some encounter in a phone shop. It's also about those difficult dead-end jobs that everyone has at least once in their lives."

So the Droid and the iPhone are being pushed by people in dead-end jobs? What has become of our brave new, smartphoned world?

Should you buy that extended warranty? Tom Merritt says no. Rafe Needleman says sometimes. We'll give you some guidance on how to decide if it's worth the money.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

When the Nintendo DSi was first announced, flaunting, among other things, an ability to download games directly from Nintendo to system memory or an SD card, our minds leaped to visions of a portable Virtual Console on the Nintendo handheld.

It would be a museum of Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, to be chosen from the hundreds of thousands of titles dating back to 1989. Much like the Wii's Virtual Console, it would be a mix of greatest hits and the obscure. Best of all, it could be affordable.

Unfortunately and quizzically, Nintendo still hasn't launched a Game Boy Virtual Console. We have no idea why, honestly: Nintendo handhelds have been locked out of playing classic Game Boy titles for years, and some of them are truly worth revisiting.

Game Boy games we want to see on the DSi Virtual Console--photos

Also, let's not forget the size of these games. Since Game Boy and Game Boy Color game cartridges could only hold a small amount of information (by today's standards), downloading these games to your DSi's SD card or internal storage would be ideal.

We went back in time and plucked a short list that should serve Nintendo well. Check out our picks for the portable Virtual Console To Be (hopefully).

Note: we didn't even dare to dream about Nintendo offering up Lynx, Game Gear, and Turbografx titles for the DS--that's another fantasy altogether.

(Credit: NetSecure Technologies)

One of the most dangerous things about shopping online is the fact that you have to enter your credit card information. This is when malicious software like Keylogger can steal your private data without you even knowing it.

Even if your computer is safe, entering all that info can be tedious. Luckily, there's now a way to eliminate the hassle of payment entry and ensure the safety of your computer, too.

The catch is, it costs $99.95.

The solution is SmartSwipe from NetSecure Technologies. SmartSwipe is a USB credit card reader that you connect to your computer via USB port. It allows you to actually swipe your credit card when an online retailer requires payment information, just the way you would at a store.

Apart from speeding up information entry, NetSecure claims SmartSwipe adds another layer of security to your online shopping. It does so by scrambling and encrypting the credit card data before transferring it to the computer. Traditional online security programs protect your sensitive information when it's on the way to the Internet, but not beforehand while it's sitting on your computer.

If the company's claims are true, it means that if you have SmartSwipe installed, your credit card data will be safe even if your computer is infected. This doesn't mean, however, that you can be negligent when online.

According to NetSecure, SmartSwipe features simple plug-and-play installation and is designed to work with nearly every major credit card and credit-debit card combination, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. The device works with Windows XP and Windows Vista, and Internet Explorer 6 or higher.

In case it doesn't work out for you, SmartSwipe comes with a 90-day, no-hassle, return policy. Now, hurry up and go make your last tedious online purchase that's potentially insecure. You won't ever have to again.

Like N.Y.-area icon Crazy Eddie in the '80s, seven contemporary online merchants were caught in fraud.

(Credit: sybsa.org)

Seven online merchants operating more than 40 Web sites have agreed to pay a $765,000 settlement following an investigation by the New York State Attorney General's office, the AG's office said.

"These companies engaged in the worst kinds of consumer fraud, from classic bait-and-switch schemes to blatant lies and bullying sales tactics," New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said in a news release that went out Thursday. "Let this be a message to online merchants everywhere: such abuse of consumers and violation of the law will not be tolerated."

All of the companies were based in Brooklyn, and while their names invoke digital photography, many also sell gear ranging from projectors to HDTVs and computers.

Five of the companies--Best Price Camera, Foto Connection, 1 Way Photo, 86th Street Photo, and Broadway Photo--agreed to change their business practices, according to the release, while the other two--Camera Wiz and Sonic Photo--will close. A full list (PDF) of the companies and Web sites involved in the settlement is available at HDGuru.com.

Badassery.

(Credit: TechEBlog)

I had a fairly good shop program in high school (what's up, Tumwater T-Birds!). Instead of making rickety chairs for our mothers to injure themselves on, or fire-prone wooden ashtrays, our class concentrated on technology. That's where I got to play with my first industrial laser, built my first robotic arm, and designed my first circuit board. It was pretty great.

But not as great as the work of this kid, who, as a side project, built a six-round, bolt-action, high-powered coil gun. For those who don't play video games, a coil gun is an electronic weapon that uses a series of magnetic coils to accelerate a magnetic projectile--like a bullet--to a fast, destructive speed.

We're not sure what school this kid goes to, but that's not important. What we'd like to know is: which teacher signed off on the project that was likely titled "Making a magnetic silent death device"?

You can see a video of the thing in action at TechEBlog.

HP Photosmart C8180 All-in-One Printer

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Shopping for a budget printer doesn't have to be an exercise in anger-management and self-abasement. Contrary to the stigma, many printers can produce great quality photos and documents without breaking the bank or eating up expensive consumables. Now release your fingers from your hair, put down that club, and check out these tips for getting the best deal for your money.

Before you even start shopping, decide whether you want a laser printer or an inkjet printer. Laser printers use bulky toner cartridges and are typically reserved for home offices that print monochrome text documents and presentations. Businesses also steer toward lasers because of their quick output speeds and reliable text quality. Monochrome lasers like the Samsung ML-2851ND are a good choice for homes that print a large volume of documents, and can be purchased for less than $200.

Inkjet printers are the more versatile choice for color photo printing, Web prints, and creative projects like greeting cards and calendars. They come in a variety of form factors from small and simple personal devices all the way up to fully featured All-in-Ones with scanners, fax machines, and copiers built right into the machine. Of course, the more features you want, the more expensive the printer gets so be sure to make a thorough list beforehand and stick to it. Some of the pricier additions include:

• Auto-document feeder: commonly shortened to ADF, the horizontal input tray lets you scan/fax/copy a stack of papers at once.
• Auto-duplexer: a hardware addition that lets you print on two sides of a single-sheet of paper. Consider this option if you plan to print a lot of pages per month--it could potentially save you money on paper, and it's environmentally responsible!
• Wired/wireless networking: all modern printers use USB to connect to a computer, but many also offer wired and wireless networking at a higher cost.
• Full color/touch-screen LCD: a flashy 6-inch touch-panel LCD screen might look beautiful, but the functionality is extraneous and isn't worth the price jack. If you're on a tight budget, consider a single function inkjet like the HP Officejet 6000 that doesn't have a display and only costs $90.

If you do go for an inkjet, shop around and look for one with separate ink tanks for each color so that you don't need to replace everything when only one color runs dry. This technology used to be relegated to photo printers more than $300, but the prices have fallen and now it's common to see sub-$150 printers like the HP Photosmart C6380 All-in-One and the Canon Pixma CMX860 multifunction that feature multiple cartridges. Also, be sure to do a little research to find out if your brand offers high-capacity cartridges. These inks are more expensive but they last longer and will save you money if you're printing a lot of photos.

One final word of advice: don't just think about the sticker price, consider the total cost of ownership. That includes the page yields of the manufacturer's ink and toner, cost of paper including photo and plain, how many pages you'll print per month versus stated duty cycle, and of course, the optional features you might want to add later. Stick to the list you make and buy a machine suitable for your printing needs and you'll be just fine.

Available for just $400, the Energy Take Classic surround speaker system is one of the best home audio deals out there.

(Credit: Energy Speakers)

Home audio is one of those gadget categories where prices can range anywhere from $250 to $25,000. It also has a range of subcategories and mind-boggling terminology. So we thought we'd provide a quick and easy overview for shoppers who are just interested in getting the most for their money--especially at the lower end of the price scale.

First off, identify your audio and video needs. If you've already got a video source you're happy with--a Blu-ray player, game console, or DVD player--then you'll want to go with a component-based home theater package (a receiver/amp plus speakers) or you'll want to put together your own home theater system (an AV receiver plus speaker system). However, if you're starting from scratch--you're ready to start fresh with Blu-ray or a new DVD player--you'll want to consider a Blu-ray home theater system. For 2009, such all-in-one systems start at $500.

Secondly, stick to 5.1 or less. For true surround, you'll need at least a 5.1-channel system (five speakers plus a subwoofer). There are also 6.1 and 7.1 configurations, but they're overkill for anybody but purists. Of course, all those speakers means a lot of cables and placement questions (speaker stands, commandeering bookshelf space, going for wallmounts, and so forth). For a lot of people, it's more trouble than it's worth. There's nothing wrong with opting for a stereo or "virtual surround" speaker configuration. There are several options--everything from a single speakerbar that mounts under the TV to 2.1 or 3.1 configurations. You'll lose the true surround effect, but you'll also ditch the front-to-back wiring. Bottom line: spending your money for two good stereo speakers instead of a so-so surround package is a worthwhile trade-off.

Remember, don't overpay for sound quality you can't hear. Prices for speakers, receivers, and home theater systems can easily spiral into four figures or more. What's the difference between a $500 audio system and one that costs $3,500? For the so-called "golden eared" set, the sonic improvement they'd get from the latter configuration is well worth the premium. For many others, that difference may well be negligible. ... Read more