Get 'Game of Thrones' season 5 for free!
It's the SD version, but it looks absolutely fine on PCs, phones and tablets. Plus: an all-time low on the awesome Dobby drone!
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Yes, I'm well aware this image is from season 6. Let's not lose focus here.
Is there really anything else I need to say?
For a limited time (and I'm praying to the old gods and the new that Google doesn't pull the rug out 5 minutes from now), you can get "Game of Thrones" season 5 for free from the Google Play Store. Update, 10:40 a.m. ET: Ugh. Thanks for nothing, gods. Looks like the giveaway is over. And the $0.75 episodes mentioned below: also over. Sorry, everyone.
You will, of course, need a Google account, and you'll need to have a credit card (or some other form of payment, like a gift card) on file.
The season normally sells for $28.99. And now for the "bad" news: For whatever reason, this giveaway is for the standard-definition (SD) version, not the HD.
Is that a big deal? Depends on where you're planning to watch. I looked at episodes on my phone and my laptop; they looked absolutely fine. Then I fired up the ol' Roku box to watch on TV. And you know what? The video might have been a touch soft, but if you hadn't told me it wasn't HD, I wouldn't have guessed.
In other words: Take this gift and don't complain!
Why is Google giving away season 5? Seems an odd choice, given that season 6 was the most recent. And wouldn't season 1 be the better choice in order to hook new viewers? Again, not complaining.
If you are new to the show, Google Play also has individual episodes of all other seasons on sale for 75 cents each (or $1 if you want HD) -- much better than the usual $2.99/$3.99-per-ep prices. Curiously, though, the full-season prices haven't dropped accordingly.
In other words, if you buy, say, season 2 in full, it'll cost you $28.99. If you buy episodes one at a time (hassle), you'll get out the door for $7.50 (or $10 for HD).
Still not complaining!
The Zerotech Dobby is an amazing little drone that folds up for easy portability.
Needless to say, I'm a big fan of the show, and I'm glad it's coming to an end (even if HBO is dragging it out). As we've seen from certain other series (cough, "Walking Dead," cough), better to go out on a high note then wait till mediocrity sets in. Yep, I said it.
Bonus deal: I know I just ran a drone deal yesterday, but hear me out: For a limited time, BuyDig has the Zerotech Dobby pocket selfie drone for $299 shipped. Until very recently, it was $399, and most places still sell it for $349.
This amazing little guy can do target-tracking, facial recognition (!), automatic pull-away while recording 4K video and more. And it's really good at keeping its position, even on breezy days. I tested one not long ago and was impressed to see it "leaning" into the wind in order to hold steady.
The learning curve is a little steep, and you'll definitely want a second battery (around $60, ugh), but this is still an amazing drone for the price. You can read more in CNET's hands-on first take of the Dobby here.
