Why You Can Trust CNET Five-deal Friday: Speaker dock, Call of Duty, gaming mouse, and more!
Also on tap: a pocket-friendly sync cable and some free Play Store cash courtesy of Google.
I'm about to make/ruin your weekend. Make it, because I've rounded up five seriously sweet deals. Ruin it, because you're going to want to buy them all. Food, clothing, feh -- who needs 'em?!
Answer the Call of Duty
Can't afford the $60 price tag on the hot new Call of Duty: Ghosts? Give it time; in six months or so, you'll be able to get it for half as much, maybe even less.
In the meantime, how about a little older-school CoD action? For the next couple days, StackSocial has Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC/Mac) for $4.99. Price on Steam: $19.99. The game may be six years old, but it still offers plenty of pulse-pounding running and gunning.
Note that although the promo page mentions only Mac compatibility, I'm assured by StackSocial that the Steam key can be used for the Windows version, too.
Gaming mouse
Speaking of games, a good mouse can make the difference between being the fragger and the fraggee. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Tanga has the SteelSeries Diablo III Gaming Mouse for $28.99 shipped when you apply coupon code GAMING at checkout.
It features seven programmable buttons, Diablo III-themed illumination, and a "neutral" shape good for lefties and righties alike. And don't let the name fool you: It may have been designed with Diablo III in mind, but it's perfectly well-suited to your Calls of Duty and Battlefields and the like.
Sony speaker dock
Bluetooth speakers are all well and good, but it's also nice to have a place to dock your iPhone or iPod, a place that can charge it while also belting out your tunes.
For a limited time, Like us USA (via Amazon) has the Sony RDPX200iP 30-pin iPhone/iPod speaker dock for $79.99 shipped, a price that includes a free pair of Coosh earbud headphones.
Though a discontinued model, the RDPX200iP originally sold for around $200. It features dual 20-watt speakers, a remote, and great overall sound, as evidenced by the nearly 50 user reviews that average out to 4.4 stars out of 5.
Interestingly, although it's not mentioned anywhere on Amazon's product page, the RDPX200iP apparently features Bluetooth as well. Sony's spec sheet (PDF) says so, and a photo of the top of the unit shows a Bluetooth button. In any case, you can also use this with newer iDevices, those that have Lightning connectors, and nearly any other audio source by plugging into the dock's line-in jack. You won't get charging that way, but you'll still get big, boisterous audio.
Keychain-friendly sync cable
Notice how there's never a sync cable around when you need one? Wouldn't it be great if you had one that was small enough to ride in your wallet or on your keychain?
Ta-daa: The PlusUs LifeLink is a tiny fold-up sync cable that's small enough to ride in your wallet or on your keychain. It's available for preorder now at a price of $24, but you can get a LifeLink for $12 shipped plus shipping when you apply coupon code GETLIFELINK at checkout. (Update: Shipping initially appeared to be free owing to a site glitch, but in fact it adds $5.) And a portion of your purchase goes to charity!
This nifty little item (a potentially great stocking stuffer, IMHO) is available in Apple 30-pin, Apple Lightning, and Micro-USB flavors, in your choice of gray or white. It's due to ship "winter 2013/2014," so the only rub is that it may not arrive in time for gift duty.
Free Google Play store cash
I kind of like taking surveys (because what I think is important, dangit!), especially when there's something in it for me at the end.
The new Google Opinion Rewards app for Android gives you Google Play store cash in exchange for completing surveys. Basically, you can take one survey per week, and in return you'll get a Play store credit for a currently unspecified amount. (One reader reported receiving $1.)
Don't expect a fortune; do expect enough to grab the occasional song, game, or even movie rental. The only cost: a bit of your time.
Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.
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