Why You Can Trust CNET Get an Acer 15.6-inch touch-screen laptop for $469.99
This refurbished Core i5-powered system features some high-end specs, and originally sold for $849.99.
Sorry for the confusion with yesterday's OBi100 deal. First there was a link boo-boo, then the product sold out. But don't worry: even at the usual price of $39.99, that's a great landline alternative. And it'll be back in stock before long, I'm sure.
Much as I'm loving ultrathin, ultralight ultrabooks these days, there's still a place in the world for a laptop with a roomy screen, DVD drive, and other desktop-friendly features. (That DVD drive in particular will prove important when you read about the sweet deal I'm writing for Marketplace later today.)
For a limited time, and while supplies last, the Acer eBay Outlet Store has the refurbished Acer Aspire V5-571P-6815 15.6-inch touch-screen laptop for $469.99 shipped. Regular price on this configuration new: $849.99.
I'll quickly run down the key specs before discussing the truly important consideration here: Windows 8 and the touch screen. The Aspire features a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 750GB hard drive, and a DVD burner. It has three USB ports, one of which is USB 3.0-compatible.
The screen resolution is a bit low at 1,366x768 pixels, and the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics won't win any speed awards. This ain't no high-end gaming system, folks.
It is, however, a solid system for around the house, in my humble opinion. Indeed, the touch screen makes it a nice accoutrement for the kitchen, where it can be handy to tap and swipe your way through Web pages, e-mail, recipes, and the like. Think Windows 8 sucks? You're not alone, but it's easy enough to live with once you get used to it -- and the upcoming Windows 8.1 promises to resolve at least some of its most irksome qualities.
Needless to say, you can use this how you will. But it's pretty nicely loaded (extra RAM, big hard drive, touch screen) for a system priced below $500. As is common for refurbished laptops, the Aspire comes with a 90-day warranty.
If you want to learn more about the machine, check out CNET's review. Bottom line: "The Acer Aspire V5 proves that a touch screen can work in a budget-priced Windows 8 laptop without cutting too many corners." Word.
Bonus deal: Need to convert a video to a mobile-friendly format? For a limited time, Digiarty is offering WinX Mobile Video Converter (Win) and MacX Mobile Video Converter (Mac) for free. Just click Get License Code, share the deal if you want (or just click Next Step), then grab the license code and download. (Mac users can simply copy the code and then click Free Download.) The software is designed to convert all kinds of video files to Android- and iOS-compatible formats. It normally sells for $50.
Bonus deal No. 2: Game time! I'm new to the PlayStation party (long story), but I knew my first order of business was to get the venerated (and PS3-only) Uncharted. For a limited time (possibly very limited -- I first spotted this deal yesterday), Amazon has Uncharted Greatest Hits Dual Pack (PS3) for $17.99 (plus shipping unless you're a Prime subscriber or pad your cart to at least $25). The pack includes Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait two to four weeks for delivery for some reason.
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