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Put a Google Assistant on your nightstand for $69.99

Insignia's version of the Google Home makes a perfect addition to the bedroom -- especially at this price. Plus: an affordable Android Auto/CarPlay stereo and a super-cheap 4K action cam!

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
3 min read

CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones , gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!


insignia-voice-angled

Best Buy's Google Assistant-equipped smart speaker might be just the thing for your bedroom.

Best Buy

I'm on record as saying the Amazon Echo Dot makes a great addition to your nightstand -- but it's imperfect in two ways.

First, it has no display. Any bedside accessory worth its salt should be able to show you what time it is. Second, it's a pretty weak speaker, which is why I always recommend pairing it with something bigger and better.

Or, you could just buy this: Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Insignia Voice Smart Bluetooth Speaker with Google Assistant for $69.99 shipped (plus tax). Regular price: $99.99.

Available in all black or black and gray, the Insignia Voice is basically a Google Home designed for your nightstand. It's a digital clock, an alarm and a smart speaker, one that's large enough to deliver decent, room-filling sound, unlike the Dot or Google Mini.

Of course, if you prefer to sleep next to Alexa (so to speak), you'll need a Dot. But if you're just as happy with Google's nameless Assistant (I don't know why, but I want to call her "Barb"), the Voice gives you much of the same functionality.

For example, you can ask it to set an alarm (natch), tell you the weather, check traffic, look up movie showtimes, play music, request an Uber, control other smart-home gadgets and so on.

Indeed, it does pretty much everything a Google Home can do. The only thing it can't do is make phone calls.

CNET hasn't reviewed the Insignia Voice, but nearly a thousand Best Buy customers collectively rated it 4.4 stars. Many of them praised the sound quality, noting that it was better than the Google Home's. Some of the more negative reviews relate to a volume problem that appears to have been addressed with a firmware update.

I'm not sure I'd pay $100 for an alarm clock, even one with smarts. At $70, though, I'd consider it -- especially given the robust speaker.

Your thoughts?

jvc-kw-v830bt

Want want want. Especially for 50 percent off the regular $600 price tag!

JVC

Bonus deal: While you're perusing the virtual aisles at Best Buy, check this out. Also today only, you can score a JVC 6.8-inch Android Auto and Apple CarPlay car stereo for $299.99 shipped (plus tax). Regular price: $599.99!

Prices like that, which aren't uncommon for aftermarket units, are a key reason I haven't yet grabbed one of these, despite really wanting one. I'm not sure whether this particular model is compatible with my vehicle, nor what installation would add to the cost. I do know that it's $372 at Amazon, where it has mostly positive reviews, and that it has more and even better reviews from Best Buy customers.

If you own something like this or your car came with an Android Auto or CarPlay stereo, I'd love to hear what you think of it. And so would your fellow cheapskates, I'm sure.

yi-discovery-4k
Yi

Bonus deal No. 2: Action cameras can be a lot of fun, but do you really need to spend more than $300? If you opt for a cheaper one, what do you give up?

The answer to the first question is simple: Definitely not. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Seeverything (via Amazon) has the Yi Discovery 4K action camera for $47.99 when you apply promo code NW2UIST9 at checkout.

The Discovery features a 2-inch color touchscreen, a Sony image sensor, a 150-degree lens and both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless capabilities for remote control and transferring videos, respectively.

OK, but how does image quality compare with, say, a GoPro? Let's be honest, It simply won't be as good. But will it be good enough? That's the question. There aren't many user reviews of this model, but they average out to 4.3 stars, and Fakespot says they're legit.

As for accessories, you get none. No microSD card, no waterproof housing, no remote, no mounts. That stuff's all pretty cheap, though, and you can pick and choose what you need. So if you're willing to take a flyer, as they say, this could be some sweet action-cam bang for your buck.