Why You Can Trust CNET Get a Moto 360 Sport watch for $119.99
From the Cheapskate: It's new, not refurbished, and a solid deal at this price despite a few limitations. Plus: Save 15 percent on an iTunes gift card.
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Cheeps! I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't mention two quick things. First, here are four things you need to know about Black Friday. Second, here's a fifth thing: Don't buy any Amazon products until November 24, because they're all going to be on sale.
OK, not all of them: Select Kindles, Fire TVs, Fire tablets and Echos will all be discounted starting Thanksgiving Day. Two best bets: the Echo Dot for $39.99 and the Fire HD 8 tablet for $59.99. I'm not sure why Amazon would announce these discounts so far in advance, when it's almost certain to tank their sales until then, but I don't have a degree in marketing.
I do, however, have a degree in deal-spotting, which is a thing I just made up. (I graduated from Discount State University.) Today, it's a product that's barely 10 months old, but can now be had for way less than half the original price.
Gorgeous.
For a limited time, and while supplies last, Daily Steals has the second-gen Moto 360 Sport smartwatch, in white, for $119.99 shipped. Unlike a lot of the site's products, this one is new, not refurbished. Back in January, it sold for $299.99.
That was too high a price, according to CNET's Dan Graziano, who counted that as one of two major dings against the Sport. The other: battery life.
See, the Sport features built-in GPS, a huge perk for runners who don't want to carry their phones but do want to track their runs. But if you log long distances, the battery may be dead (or close to it) by the time you're done. Sure, it can recharge while you're in the shower, but that's a hassle.
A much less expensive hassle, though. For me, as the price of a product goes down, my willingness to overlook problems goes up. And like other Moto 360s, the Sport is a gorgeous watch, one that offers a wealth of great features. In fact, it one-ups its non-Sport sibling by offering an improved display that's visible under direct sunlight.
You'll definitely want to read Graziano's review to learn more. Price is no longer an issue, but you'll have to decide whether battery life is a deal-breaker. If you typically run no more than, say, 60 minutes at a time, it might not be an issue at all.
I'd also like to mention an iPhone-using friend of mine who abandoned his Apple Watch in favor of a Moto 360, despite the latter's limited compatibility with iOS, and ended up "much, much happier." (Your mileage may vary.)
Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: Getting a jump-start on gift shopping? Here's a deal for your favorite iTunes fan: Staples has a $50 iTunes gift card for $42.50. It's an actual card delivered via mail, so you have something tangible to give. If you're really feeling generous, you can also score a $100 card for $85. You'll be on the hook for sales tax as well, but I believe that would be the case regardless.
This SD card reader can plug into both Lightning and Micro-USB ports!
Bonus deal No. 2: Calling all shutterbugs! If you snap a lot of photos using one of those old-fangled camera dealies, perhaps you'd appreciate a way to view your photos on your phone or tablet. All you need is a memory card reader.
Like this one: For a limited time, Philonext is offering its two-in-one Trail Camera Viewer SD card reader for $12.91 when you apply promo code 6WTY5EJW at checkout.
This plug in reader -- which comes with an adapter for microSD cards -- is unique in that it can plug into both Apple and Android devices. That's because it employs a hybrid Lightning/Micro-USB connector, which I didn't even know was a thing. Pretty good for $13!