The Cheapskate Fifth-Anniversary Giveaway Spectacular, round one

It's my anniversary!

Five years ago this month (November 12, 2007, to be exact), I lucked into the best blogging job in the world. It was CNET's Matt Elliott who recommended me for the gig, Kelly Morrison who brought me onboard, and Margaret Kane who helped me through the Cheapskate's early stages. I can't thank them enough.

Of course, I'm most grateful to you, the readers. Sounds cliche, but it's true. So many people have sent me so many kind messages over the years -- words of thanks, words of support, and words of great deals for me to share! I actually keep a lot of those e-mails, referring to them when some crank tells me I'm a liar or an idiot. It's really gratifying to know that people value what I do, even more so when they reach out to tell me so.

Anyway, enough with the sappy stuff -- let's talk loot. Today I'm kicking off my first-ever Cheapskate giveaway, my small way of showing my appreciation to all of you. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment. (See complete rules below.)

Round two, with an even bigger prize, starts next Friday, and the big finish happens on the big day: Black Friday. (Still hammering out the details on that one, but it'll be a prize fiesta, I guarantee you.)

For today, the very generous folks at Magellan have offered a Magellan GPS Car Kit, which is designed for iPhone and iPod Touch and has a retail value of $99.99.

If you've ever wanted to use your iPhone (3GS, 4, or 4S) or iPod Touch (third- or fourth-gen) for in-car navigation, the GPS Car Kit solves any number of problems with that. First, it provides windshield or dashboard mounting, which is half the battle. You can position your screen for portrait or landscape viewing.

Second, the cradle provides power, meaning you won't find yourself with a dead iDevice battery halfway through your trip. Third, it supplies a noise-canceling speakerphone, one that promises much better volume and audio quality than you get from the iPhone's built-in mike and speaker.

Finally, the cradle has its own built-in GPS receiver, which Magellan says "enhances the performance of your iPhone or iPod Touch GPS system." Not sure exactly how that works, but OK. Best of all, the whole shebang works with any navigation app, meaning you're not just locked into Magellan's (though it's certainly an option if you want to, ahem, go that route).

Sound like something you'd want to win? Here are the rules:

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the Join the Conversation section below my blog post and hit the Add Your Comment button. If you're not already registered please do so. If you're already registered, there's no need to register again -- you just need to be logged in.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful, it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter for this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Magellan GPS Car Kit, which has a list price of $99.99.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. The winner must respond within three days of the end of the sweepstakes. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Sunday, November 11, at 12 p.m. ET.

Some legalese: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the US, at least 18, at date of entry. Void where prohibited. Ends November 11, 2012. See rules for details.

So thanks for reading The Cheapskate, thanks for entering the contest, and good luck! Be sure to check back next Friday, and especially the Friday after that, for more giveaway goodness.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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