travel

Get a triple-core Blu-ray laptop for $399.99 shipped

I tend to post a lot of cheapie laptops, largely because I like things that are cheapie, but also because I think most users can get by with a dual-core processor, minimal RAM, and so on.

Of course, sometimes you want a bit more power, like for games and video editing. Maybe you even want to get your Blu-ray on. That brings us to today's deal.

Newegg has the refurbished HP Pavilion dv6-3259wm 15.6-inch laptop for $399.99 shipped. Among the highlights: a triple-core processor and a built-in Blu-ray drive.

I'll be the first to admit this … Read more

Holiday gifts for world travelers

Every winter, I fly out to England to join my in-laws for the holidays. As a result, I'm always packing a one-week supply of the gadgets I'll need to survive in the countryside, fully entertained, yet not overburdened.

It's a careful science: travel gadgets have gotten easier than ever thanks to devices like the iPad, yet you're more likely to pack redundant devices, too. The more options, the more headaches.

Here are a few of CNET's holiday recommendations for world travelers. Kindle? Check. iPad 2? Double-check. Battery-packs, surge protectors, headphones, cameras, and laptops? Of course. … Read more

How to get on a sold-out flight

If you've got a little flexibility in your travel schedule, you can try to hit the optimal flight even if it's booked. Cancellations happen more frequently than you may realize, but it's crazy-making to keep checking back with the airline's Web site. ExpertFlyer lets you select a flight, then sends notifications if a seat opens up. Here's how to use it: 

Head over to the  ExpertFlyer Web site and sign up. The free version lets you keep one seat alert active at a time. Once you've validated your account, click "… Read more

Get a 4.3-inch GPS with lifetime maps and traffic for $99.99

Just yesterday I was discussing the merits of standalone nav systems with my brother-in-law Charles (who's as savvy a cheapskate as there ever was--and I mean that in the best possible way).

I said, "Hey, look, here's a GPS with lifetime traffic for under $100." His response: "I'd rather have lifetime maps."

Well, sir, how about both? Today only, Staples has the TomTom VIA 1405TM 4.3-inch GPS for $99.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). It comes with free traffic data and map updates for life.

The Via 1405TM is … Read more

Precision hotel room finder, Room 77, now does booking

Room 77, the very cool site that finds the best room for you at the hotel you want, has taken the next logical step in its growth and added the capability to actually book the rooms it finds for you.

The mobile app is unchanged: It can tell you about a room at a hotel when you check in but before you leave the front desk, so you can have a nice discussion with the hotel clerk if it's a stinker.

As I wrote back in February, there's no programmatic way yet for the network of hotel reservation … Read more

Travel startup mines Facebook data for trip tips

Posting on your own Facebook wall that you're headed to Anchorage, Alaska and need travel tips might not result in answers. Posting direct questions on friends' walls who have been to Anchorage does.

Uptake, an online travel planner, today announced a social travel service that sifts through Facebook to find the friends that can help answer your travel questions.

"Friends don't leave friends hanging," says CEO Yen Lee, who says customers of trip advice companies like TripAdvisor don't get their travel questions personally answered.

"Just because you have the same destination and travel budget … Read more

Get an Acer 15.6-inch laptop for $329.99 shipped

Recently a family member asked me to help her buy a new laptop. She'd budgeted $500 for the purchase and sent me off to the local big-box store to pick one out. (Now that's trust!)

I came back with a shiny new Samsung and an apology: "Sorry, I couldn't stick to your budget. Here's your change." The machine had cost only $349.

These days, for users with modest needs, that's all you need to spend on a nicely equipped laptop. In fact, you might not even need to spend that much: Newegg has … Read more

Apple's Cards reviewed: A great way to send a greeting

Among the announcements when Apple released iOS 5, a couple of downloadable apps became available at the iTunes App Store. One of them, Cards (free), lets you create fold-in-the-middle greeting cards on your iPhone, then Apple sends them on real paper via snail mail.

While other services have greeting and post cards in the past, Apple's method is very intuitive and convenient with several designs to choose from, and the cost is about what it would be to go buy a greeting card in a store.

Immediately upon launch, you're given an intuitive interface for selecting the exterior … Read more

Make a card on your iPhone and send through the USPS

Among the announcements when Apple released iOS 5, a couple of downloadable apps became available at the iTunes App Store. One of them, Cards, lets you create fold-in-the-middle greeting cards on your iPhone, then Apple sends them on real paper via snail mail. While other services have done this in the past, Apple's method is very intuitive with several designs to choose from, and the cost is about what it would be to go buy a greeting card in a store.

Immediately upon launch, you're given an intuitive interface for selecting the exterior of your card. Across the … Read more