Return of the $78 Blu-ray player
Missed Walmart's Black Friday doorbuster? No worries: the dirt-cheap Magnavox MB500MG1F is back, and you don't even have to leave the house to get it.
Proof positive that camping out all night to score Black Friday deals is a waste of time, Wal-Mart is offering the same $78 Magnavox MB500MG1F Blu-ray player on its Web site that was previously an in-store-only, fight-the-crowds-to-get-it deal.
Its shipping will run you a measly 97 cents, though you'll probably have to add sales tax as well.
As you might expect, the MB500MG1F is about as no-frills as Blu-ray players come. There's no front-panel LED display, and it definitely won't do BD-Live, Netflix, or anything like that.
Actually, there is one frill: an SDHC slot, meaning you can pop in the memory card from your camera for an onscreen photo slideshows.
Other than that, the player offers the usual 1080p output, video upscaling, remote control, power cord, box, and so on.
I haven't seen any reviews of this model, but there are plenty of favorable user comments over at the Blu-ray Forum.
Well, what say you, fellow cheapskates? Is this price low enough for you to pull the Blu-ray trigger? Might you actually be considering a second player for your home? Personally, I say pair one of these with Planet Earth on Blu-ray and enjoy one seriously eyeball-pleasing holiday.
Backup deal: You know online backups should be part of your overall backup regimen, right? Well, here's a rare chance to get in cheap: Carbonite is offering 50 percent off annual subscription plans (with coupon code CUST50). You can get one year for $27.47, two years for $49.97, or three years for $64.97. This awesome offer's good until the end of December.