Barnes & Noble slashes Nook HD prices for one week
The Father's Day deals are even better than they were leading up to Mother's Day, with the Nook HD at $129 and the Nook HD+ at $149.
Wow.
Remember last month, when Barnes & Noble chopped Nook HD and Nook HD+ prices the week leading up to Mother's Day? Turns out they like Dad a little more.
This week only, you can get the Nook HD (8GB) 7-inch tablet for $129 shipped and the Nook HD+ (16GB) 8.9-inch tablet for $149 shipped (plus sales tax in most states).
Those are unprecedented deals, especially considering that these are new units, not refurbs. The Nook HD normally sells for $199; the Nook HD+, for $269.
I've written about both these models before, and you can learn everything you need to know in CNET's reviews (Nook HD|NookHD+). So I'll dispense with the usual overview and just go straight to my recommendation.
Which is this: Buy one! The Nooks may lack cameras and GPS, but they offer gorgeous high-resolution screens, microSD slots for memory expansion, Bluetooth for pairing with keyboards and speakers, and, following a recent update, Google Play compatibility.
That means instead of being limited to Barnes & Noble's curated app store, you get access to all the goodies Google Play has to offer -- including not just apps, but also music, movies, and books. Does that give the Nooks a leg up on Amazon's Kindle Fires, which limit you to Amazon's digital media offerings? I'd have to say yes. (Plus, you can still quick-root either model for a full-blown Android experience.)
To my thinking, the only thing better than a Nook HD for $129 is a Nook HD+ for $149. Put that side by side with the $329 iPad Mini; the HD+ has a bigger screen that's much sharper, plus an expansion slot, for less than half the price. Unless you're already tied to Apple's ecosystem, it's a no-brainer.
In fact, I'd say that if you're in the market for a media-savvy tablet, either for yourself or your favorite father, both of these are no-brainer buys. They're new, so you don't have to explain the nondescript brown box that accompanies most refurbs, and they're priced like low-end no-brand tablets.
Your move, Amazon. And Apple. And everybody else who makes tablets. Have you no love for our nation's fathers?
Bonus deal: Does it still make sense to buy a digital camera? For many users the answer is a resounding "yes!", in which case this deal should delight: Today only, and while supplies last, Yugster has the Samsung ST200F 16.1-megapixel camera with Wi-Fi for $99.97, plus $5 for shipping. That's half the MSRP on this point-and-shoot, which features a 10x optical zoom, a 3-inch screen, and direct photo/video sharing to Facebook, Picasa, YouTube, and the like. Surprisingly, this is new, not refurbished.
Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.
Curious about what exactly The Cheapskate does and how it works? Read our FAQ.