Get a Pebble smartwatch for $99.99
It's not the sexiest wrist-companion you can buy, but at this price, it's definitely the best.
My wrist has been busy of late. At various times, I've worn a Cogito Pop, Martian Notifier , Striiv Touch, and, most recently, a Moto 360 .
They're all varying degrees of "meh." The only smartwatch I've genuinely liked (warts and all) is the one that started it all: the Pebble.
It normally sells for $150, but for a limited time, Best Buy has the Pebble smartwatch for $99.99, shipped, plus sales tax. (Quick caveat: I spotted this deal yesterday, so I'm hoping it wasn't a weekend-only price that's about to expire.)
You probably know everything you need to about the Pebble, as it's been in production for well over a year (following a storied Kickstarter launch) and is pretty much the poster watch for smartwatches . It's app-savvy, able to link with everything from ESPN to RunKeeper to Yelp, and it notifies you when calls and messages come in -- arguably a smartwatch's most important function.
Granted, it's a little geeky-looking, like a shrunken PalmPilot strapped to your wrist. But it succeeds where virtually every other competitor has failed, efficiently delivering nearly any data you want from your phone, all while letting you leave your phone in your pocket or purse.
It's not perfect, though. My Pebble (currently shelved while I test other devices) suffered from inconsistent battery life (anywhere from 1-4 days) and notifications (some came through, others didn't). YMMV.
I've said from the beginning that smartwatches need to sell for under $100 to really catch on. During this brief window, the best one you can buy has finally hit that mark. Whether you get it in black, white, or red, don't miss this chance to smarten up your wrist on the cheap.
Bonus deal: Big monitor + small price = happy Cheapskate. For a limited time, Newegg has the Acer S241HLbmid 24-inch LED monitor for $119.99, shipped. Even better, if you check out with Visa Checkout and apply coupon code VISACHECKOUT, the price drops to $107.99. Specs include 1080p screen resolution, a three-year warranty, built-in speakers, and VGA, DVI and HDMI inputs.