General

Get an Altec Lansing Octiv Duo speaker dock for $34.99

Speaker docks rock. They not only amplify your playlists and Pandora stations, but also power and recharge your docked device at the same time.

In my house, where pretty much everyone owns an iPhone or iPod Touch, that dock is in constant demand -- mostly for charging purposes. That's why I'm enamored with today's deal, which supplies two, two, two docks in one product.

While supplies last, Ben's Outlet has the Altec Lansing Octiv Duo speaker system for $34.99 shipped. It's new, not refurbished, and it originally sold for $99.

True to its name, … Read more

Zorin OS 6: The ultimate Linux distro for Windows users?

Every once in a while I try some new version of Linux, some overhauled or updated "distribution" of the operating system that supposedly improves the user experience. And inevitably I get frustrated with it because, well, it's just not Windows.

Not that I have mad love for Windows, mind you, it's just what I'm used to.

Zorin OS 6 is an Ubuntu-based OS that comes closer to re-creating the Windows experience than any other Linux distro I've tried.

For you Linux neophytes out there, Ubuntu is one of most popular and heavily developed versions … Read more

Get WinX iPhone iPad Video Converter for free

So, yeah, that 32GB flash drive I posted yesterday sold out pretty quickly -- just like I said it would. If you missed out, here's a decent consolation prize: Today, and again while supplies last, Newegg has the 64GB Team Group Color Turn flash drive for $27.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code EMCNBNG24 at checkout. This one's purple.

Getting back to today's deal, videos come in all shapes and sizes (make that formats and sizes), and they're not always compatible with your mobile devices. To make them compatible, you need a video converter.… Read more

Amazon renting '21 Jump Street,' 'Dark Knight,' others for 99 cents

Big day for Amazon. First came news of the new Amazon Instant Video app for iPad. Now, the company is offering dirt-cheap rentals on a bunch of new-release movies.

For just 99 cents, you can rent any of the following titles:

"21 Jump Street" "Act of Valor" "American Reunion" "Big Miracle" "Friends with Kids" "Lockout" "Mirror Mirror" "Safe House" "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" "Wanderlust" "Wrath of the Titans"

Not a bad list, eh? Amazon is offering … Read more

Get a Magellan GPS with lifetime maps and traffic for $59.98

I've thought about it a lot, and much as I'm enamored with smartphones' navigation capabilities, I still think it makes sense to own a dedicated GPS.

But only a dedicated GPS that comes with lifetime map updates -- and, ideally, lifetime traffic reporting as well. The last thing I need is another gizmo that I have to keep paying for.

So here's a gem: Wal-Mart has the refurbished Magellan RoadMate 2036T-LM GPS for $59.98, plus sales tax in most states. You can pick it up for free from a Wal-Mart store or, interestingly, a Fedex Office … Read more

Get a Windows 7 Home Premium 3-user upgrade for $79.99

As you learned earlier this month, Microsoft plans to offer a Windows 8 Pro upgrade for $39.99 -- a surprisingly decent price.

That said, not everybody is looking forward to the radically redesigned new OS. In fact, plenty of users are still plugging along with Windows XP or Vista -- perhaps just biding their time until a decent Windows 7 upgrade offer comes along.

That offer has arrived, though not from Microsoft: Nothing But Software has the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack (3-PC) for $79.99, plus $3.99 for shipping. That works out to about $27 … Read more

Does Groupon have good deals on tech?

I like Groupon. Oh, who am I kidding, I love Groupon. LivingSocial, too. And even DealChicken, despite it having the name DealChicken.

I've used these services to score some pretty fantastic deals on restaurants, vacations, fun family outings, and the like.

Recently, Groupon, Google Offers, and LivingSocial (among others) have started offering goods along with services, some of which are tech items.

Ah, but are those goods good deals? Given the often-substantial savings you get on three-course Italian dinners and gallery-wrapped photos canvases, you might just blindly assume that Groupon's tech discounts are equally substantial. (Call it the … Read more

Get your choice of 9 Windows security suites for free

When it comes to security software, there are plenty of perfectly good freebies. Avast Free, Microsoft Security Essentials, Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition...the list goes on and on. You really can safeguard a PC without spending a dime.

That said, why not use a full-featured, support-backed security suite if you can get it for free as well? Every so often I see a deal on one such suite, but today, Newegg has nine Windows security programs for free (after rebate).

Scroll down just a bit and you'll see the various choices, all of which show their regular prices … Read more

Does it still make sense to buy a desktop PC?

Earlier today I caught a glimpse of the HP tower that's been sitting, untouched, on my spare desk for the better part of a year. And it got me thinking: does it still make sense to buy a desktop?

As recently as three years ago, I'd never have a considered anything else for my primary PC. Real work required real horsepower, and that meant a desktop. Plus, as an avid gamer, I needed a fast processor and the occasional video-card upgrade to feed my habit.

Needless to say, the times, they are a-changing. I don't game much … Read more