Blog Archives for 2012

If you happen to be eligible for a new or renewed wireless contract, then you're in luck, as we've found some excellent Editors' Choice smartphone deals starting at just a penny. There's even a promotion that makes you a net profit of $30! Additionally, we found some prepaid and contract-free options, depending on your needs. Get the details and reviews on the best models inside.

Although we often gush about Black Friday deals, it's important to note that some offers this week won't be worth your time. In fact, we might have seen some of them for cheaper in the months prior. We refer to these promotions as "filler deals," and here are some ways to avoid them.

We're finally in the throes of Black Friday week, which means it's time for our final roundup of the best Black Friday ads. We've done our best to sort through the myriad offers that have flooded the internet over the last few weeks, putting all the projected promos through a rigorous dealnews screening. Read on for the best ads for electronics, appliances, apparel, video games, and toys.

Laptops are among the hottest items of the holiday season, so we devoted an entire final ad roundup to the popular portable computing category. Thus far, we've seen Black Friday laptop deals that meet three out of four of our laptops predictions, including a dual-core budget system for $179.

If you're on the prowl for a new HDTV, you've come to the right place. We've updated our roundup of the best Black Friday HDTV ads, with deals from retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target. Unfortunately, 3D deals were scarce, but we found a 50" 1080p HDTV for $298, a 32" set for $97, and a brand-name 40" model for $180 to help you forget about it.

By now we've seen the leaks, analyzed the circulars, and highlighted the best Black Friday laptops, HDTVs, and toys. But what about the small electronics, like tablets, smartphones, cameras, and MP3 players? Inside we've compiled a master list of the best Black Friday deals on electronics, which includes the hottest Android smartphone of the year for just a buck.

No holiday shopping list is complete without the season's hottest toys and video games. And while Black Friday doesn't always offer the best prices on toys, there are still a handful of Editors' Choice deals to be had. We've rounded up the toy and video game highlights thus far, including best-of-the-year sales for Fisher-Price, Thomas the Tank Engine, Hot Wheels, and more.

While most folks go to great lengths to not break their prized electronics, the folks at iFixit have made a name for themselves doing exactly that. Yet Kyle Wiens and his geeky team of semiconductor surgeons have more in mind than simply exploring the innards of smartphones and computers.

Last week, news began to spread that AMD might have to shutter its doors, as it has been failing to effectively compete with its main rival, Intel. If AMD folds, it could have a big impact on the prices that consumers will pay for computers, especially laptops.

Ever wonder when you'll encounter the biggest crowds at stores on Black Friday? According to Foursquare data, more people visit stores in the early afternoon than they do in the morning. But will that hold true for 2012, since many retailers will open around 8 pm on Thanksgiving?

Google has updated its Maps app for Android to include indoor maps of select malls, stores, and other locations. Will this extra layer of information help during your Black Friday and holiday shopping trips? You bet!

One of the most underutilized ways consumers can save money is by taking advantage of stores' price matching policies, and in an age when every penny counts there's no excuse for ignoring this valuable tool. It's important to know exactly which retailers offers what and equally important to know which merchants don't offer anything at all.

A few weeks ago, 32% of our readers said they wouldn't shop at Macy's this year for Black Friday, based on past experiences. This week, a petition is circulating that demands Macy's cease its relationship with Donald Trump, after the real estate developer criticized Barack Obama via Twitter. Could the Trump association be the final straw for those who are hesitant to give their business to Macy's? And will the retailer's Black Friday sales suffer?

Black Friday isn't just about deals on high-tech gadgets. There's a plethora of bargains on men's and women's apparel as well. If you're looking to update your wardrobe this holiday season, be sure to be on the lookout for the very best Black Friday apparel deals.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 236 is here to dole out just a bit more Black Friday knowledge. In this doorbusting episode, the panel talks about what not to buy on Black Friday, Walmart guaranteeing certain items in stock for Black Friday, results of our Black Friday reader survey, Amazon Prime monthly subscriptions, Ikea's interactive "catalog", and more!

Macy's and Walmart are bringing something new to the Black Friday party that we've never seen before: In-store mapping via their mobile apps. The service is akin to what you'd find at an information booth, but now that time-saving data is available in the palm of your hand — and it could make your Black Friday excursion much more efficient.

This year, Best Buy's Black Friday ad promises quite a few doorbusters that will likely draw in consumers both in-store and online. But will the debacle of the retailer's cancelled Christmas orders stop consumers from shopping again this year?

By now, most savvy shoppers realize that there's no truth to the misconception that you should shop in-store on Black Friday and wait until Cyber Monday for online deals. But if online offers are available throughout the entire weekend, what makes Cyber Monday different? Are there certain items that see better deals if you wait? We rummaged through our archives from last year to find out.

Think the Black Friday hype started way too early this year? Consider the fact that Christmas, still six weeks away, has been marketed to consumers since mid-October. And while we're used to the usual premature Christmas ads, many stores have already begun mentioning shipping deadlines in your shopping cart "Christmas creep," it seems, has infiltrated checkout.

Every Thanksgiving, families nationwide assemble around the table waiting for the most honored guest: the turkey. And every year it's a delicious meal, albeit not exactly the same; there are, after all, several ways to cook a turkey! Inside are our favorite methods to prepare and cook the Thanksgiving Day bird, and the tools required to do so. And with the big day just over a week away, now's the time to test out a new technique or two.

The entirety of Target's Black Friday ad has leaked. Inside, we dissect some of the more notable deals that you might see if you choose to wait in line early in the morning.

While every day is like Black Friday here at dealnews, when the real thing comes around, we get extra bargain-happy. However, the entire weekend may seem stressful to some shoppers, so we suggest you arm yourself with these 10 tips to make the most of Black Friday.

A new trend has emerged for this year's shopping season: stores will dangle early access to Black Friday sales, in exchange for loyalty program registration. Already, Lowe's, Sears, and Target have pushed "sneak peeks," promising either a preview of the store's Black Friday ad, or actual advance access to the deals themselves. But are any of these promotions worth it?

Between preparing for the onslaught of the holiday season, and the snow that arrived in New York this week, California beckons like a glass of wine after a long day. Take your mind off it all by having a look through these great deals we found for Los Angeles, San Francisco, and, of course, the Napa Valley.

Among the more anticipated Black Friday ads is the one from Walmart, and it just hit the Internet. For a rundown on which deals are noteworthy (or notorious), as well as details on Walmart's unusual doorbuster guarantee, read on!

Although conflicting accounts of economic recovery abound, most retail experts are optimistic about the prospects of upcoming Black Friday sales and the holiday shopping season. From a potential spike in high-quality electronics discounts to longer store hours and early sales, here's what you can expect in the coming weeks.

Best Buy is synonymous with Black Friday, so many are likely hoping that its leaked Black Friday ad will finally deliver some solid electronics deals to the table. In total, Best Buy has more than 77 devices on sale, including a can't miss deal on a 40" LCD HDTV and a budget laptop that hits our all-time low prediction, among others.

While dealnews readers know that many of the greatest deals year-round can be found online, some dedicated shoppers may wonder if it's necessary to endure the in-store rush to get the best deals on Black Friday. But unless you really need to get out of the house, you might want to consider putting those PJs back on. Here's why.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 235 is here to tell you everything you need to know about Black Friday. In this doorbusting episode, the panel talks about how Black Friday will be different; Black Friday 2012 price predictions; store hours; how stores are leveraging mobile devices; historically awesome/bad deals, and more!

If you're like us, chances are you have more than one gadget on your Black Friday shopping list. Today, we're adding RadioShack to our list of analyzed Black Friday ads. But as it turns out, only one of RadioShack's promotions can be considered an actual deal. Here are some of the ad's highlights disappointments.

Today, we analyze the Black Friday ad leaks from Pep Boys and Ace Hardware. We scrutinize how do they stack up to each other and, more importantly, to historical price trends. Is it worth getting out of bed to get down to either of these stores on Black Friday?

Who hasn't daydreamed about being an international super spy? The adventure! The action! The dubious morals! The getting shot at, being disavowed by your government, and left for dead in a foreign prison! Hmmm ... OK, it doesn't all sound so great. But that doesn't mean you can't pretend to be James Bond in the safety of your own home by picking up one of these spy gadget deals we've rounded up for you!

PayPal announced that it will price-match your holiday purchases this year, as well as offer free return shipping when the store you ordered from doesn't cover the cost. It sounds great on paper, but make sure you pay attention to the fine print.

The small tablet market is bustling these days, with many great devices competing for consumers' attention. The Apple iPad mini, Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire HD, and Barnes & Noble NOOK HD each offer something slightly different. To help you decide which tablet is right for you, here's a rundown on the pros and cons of each.

Marty Moe has gone from AOL to The Verge and is now on to his latest endeavor, Polygon, which hopes to do what The Verge did for tech for coverage, but for the $25 billion gaming industry. To find out more about the launch, we sat down with Marty Moe just hours after Polygon went live to talk about his plans for the site, and how he hopes it will stand out among the countless portals covering the gaming universe.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about Star Wars, Apple, Netflix, and more? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

Black Friday ads continue to get leaked left and right. We got our hands on the leaked Dell Home Black Friday ad, which offers our first look at the electronics deals this year. Here's our analysis on whether the deals on HDTVs, laptops, cameras, and more are doorbusters or duds.

Not sure where to look for deals this Black Friday weekend? We checked our archives for the top five online stores that offered the largest number of Editors' Choice-caliber deals during the shopping holiday, and Amazon came out on top. However, the online superstore has some fierce competition.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 234 is here to haunt you ... with knowledge! This week, it's a fun-size episode that covers very important Halloween-related consumer news including: The cost of Halloween, sexy Big Bird and other top adult costumes, presidential mask predictions, and more.

The recently-released Optimus G is LG's latest flagship handset and the first quad-core processor smartphone available in the States, and is quickly being dubbed "The most powerful smartphone in the world." But does the Optimus G actually live up to the claim? Our friends at GadgetReview scoured the Internet for reviews to find out.

Whether you're a showroomer or an early-morning in-store Black Friday shopper, having your smartphone nearby is a smart move this holiday season. From special QR codes to price matching via your smartphone, retailers will rely on the latest technologies to deliver discounts right into the hands of shoppers.

As the entire Eastern Seaboard receives a windy wash from the hurricane, some consumers may be considering a last minute emergency food kit purchase. While this is an excellent resource to have on hand, shoppers should take a moment to study those food labels, as serving sizes don't always translate to the portions we're used to eating.

The Black Friday ads for Tommy Hilfiger and Victoria's Secret have leaked! While Tommy may offer some pretty choice discounts, the promotion from Victoria's Secret leaves us feeling underwhelmed. However, a look into our archives suggests that the lingerie store may offer something better come Black Friday, anyway.

The reins of Digitizd, a tech news site that offers insight into the constantly changing Web 2.0 landscape, have passed from David Pierce to Adam Thompson. We sat down with Thompson to get the scoop on his five favorite gadgets, with an emphasis on affordability over high-end.

Whether you're interested in the childlike wonder of Orlando's theme parks, the charm of a gondola ride in Fort Lauderdale, or the Latin flair of Miami, we've got the deals you need to make Florida an affordable vacation.

Are you tired of reading rumors about the latest technology? Sick of hearing insane rumors about the latest from Apple, Color, and Google? Well, neither are we! Hooray! That's why we put all the latest biz-buzz from the Internet into one place, the Rumor Roundup!

We often list cheap fake mustaches on the site, and it got us wondering: do they actually disguise your identity? We sent intrepid reporter, Jeff Somogyi, into a Starbucks to find out.

The dealnews Podcast Episode 233 is here with a barrel of apples in-arm. This week we cover the latest Apple event, including the new iPad mini, the new iPad, the new Mac mini, and other small Apple products.