Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

While the price drop does not seem to be available at every online retailer, at least one, namely CompUSA has dropped the price of the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet down to just $299.99. Currently listed as in stock and available the discounted price comes after an instant savings of $100.

No word on how long this price will last for, so if you were considering an N810 purchase, this may be a good time to part with the cash. A quick check of a few other online retailers still reflect the standard pricing. NewEgg has it listed for the expected $399.99, while Best Buy is still trying to get $479.99.

Now you can purchase the N810 for little less and be able to play around with Android a bit, sounds like a win-win.

Product [CompUSA]

As if the CompUSA saga has not been dragged out enough. The stores were being closed, then some were snapped up by Tiger Direct and now we are learning that yet another big-box retail giant will be assuming some of the remaining locations.

Reports are claiming that Best Buy has snapped up 17 of the CompUSA retail location leases, which range from three years up to fourteen years for a total of $13.5 million. It seems like CompUSA may have gone away, but instead of something new and exciting coming in return, it appears to be just more of the same standard electronic retail locations.

Best Buy is planning on opening a mix of new Best Buy and Pacific Sales stores at these locations over the next two years.

Via [Twin Cities BizJournals]

Everyones favorite love-to-hate retail chain is now celebrating their grand re-opening with 15 current locations and a new one to top it off. While 13 of those are located in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico will also share in the joy of everything that CompUSA has been lacking to offer in the past.

If you remember back when the CompUSA demise first came about, they were being snapped up by Systemax, who is better know as the owner of Tiger Direct. Sadly the Tiger Direct retail locations have not been know for a stellar in-store experience, which is reminiscent of the CompUSA’s of the past. Hopefully the re-grand opening, which is promising “lower prices’” a “new wider selection” and “amazing new deals” will prove to be better than they were in their past life.

Via [Engadget]

The latest HD DVD deal is courtesy of CompUSA and for just $89.99 you can grab a Toshiba HD-A3 player along with 7 movies. While CompUSA seems nice enough to let customers know that these players are basically a dead format I can imagine that other retailers will not be quite as nice.

Sadly these HD DVD sales will most likely continue to occur until these stores run out of inventory, hopefully they will not attract any customers thinking they are actually getting a deal. I could see the not so informed shopper think they are getting a great deal on a “next-generation” player when they are actually buying a dead format, these sales should all have to come with warnings.

Its nice to see an honest move from CompUSA, and this actually would make a nice up-converting player, if you were in the market for such a player.

Keep reading for the full ‘warning’ letter from CompUSA…

MORE »

The whole situation still makes me a little nervous about just how nice the shopping experience will be, but there is a slight bit of good news for CompUSA fans. Those 16 retail store locations that we mentioned the other day, they are going to be retaining the CompUSA name. Systemax, the parent company of Tiger Direct is also planning on re-branding the existing 11 Tiger Direct retail locations with the CompUSA name and use Tiger Direct only for their online sales. The deal is said to cost $30 million and is an all cash deal.

Read [Trading Markets] Via [SlashGear]

TigerDirect has completed the purchase of 16 of the CompUSA retail locations as well as the inventory and website. According to a statement from TigerDirect, the “best CompUSA retail stores” will be integrated within a few weeks. According to a tipster over on the Consumerist the locations will include the retail locations from Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, of course there has not been any confirmation on that. Having been to a TigerDirect retail location before, this news, at least to me does not sound really good. Of course with some of the bad experiences that I had while shopping at CompUSA, it may just be like no changes were made.

Via [Consumerist]

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Just last week we saw the announcement about CompUSA closing their doors and now they have a “tentative” schedule for liquidation that has been leaked. The schedule was leaked to The Consumerist by a CompUSA repair tech, who we can only imagine was bitter about his upcoming lack of employment.

According to the tech that leaked the story that the process is already underway, and hopefully his “schedule” will hold true. Currently the General Managers are all being given the official word and all new product shipments have stopped. Starting today December 11, 2007 the employee discount will end and it will also be the last day to check your computer in for a repair or to make a return. Going forward all sales will be final and if a return is permitted it will be on a case by case basis.

Wednesday will begin the time that most people will enjoy, this is when they savings are said to begin, with just 10% off at first, but that is just the beginning as the prices are supposed to drop on a weekly basis. Not a real crazy schedule up till this point, with just a 10% discount initially this sounds like a legitimate schedule, time will tell if its accurate.

Read [Consumerist]

I just got back from dinner and there they were sitting on my driveway...the Black Friday ads in paper-form.  I can’t quite say why I enjoy getting them when I already know what they say - but there’s just something about the experience.  Maybe it’s the flashy colors on the paper?  Maybe it’s the exhileration associated with getting up at 3 in the morning?  Maybe it’s the humor in stuffing a crap-load of paper into a plastic sleave?  Whatever it is, it excites me.  Oh and if you were looking for some news...There’s clearly no news here, I’m just making an announcement that I received my ads.  Have a good night and a great Thanksgiving!

Read up on Black Friday deals by clicking here.

Microsoft will sell licenses for the Windows Vista operating system and Office 2007 CompUSA on Nov. 30, two months before the products go on sale at other retailers. The big catch is that these licenses are still intended for business users and can only be purchased in bulk. Customers who purchase five or more licenses will have access on November 30; the average consumer will still have to wait until January.

This is the first time Microsoft has allowed small business customers to buy licenses for new operating system before the general public. Once inside a CompUSA store, small-business customers will need to speak to a sales representative to buy a license agreement. That interaction will give the store and Microsoft a chance to sell the customer other products, such as the software company’s support program. Licensing several PCs will be at least 10% cheaper than if a small business owner simply bought boxes containing discs with Vista and the office software. The suggested retail price for a boxed copy of Windows Vista Business is $299, or $199 for an upgrade from a previous version. The small-business edition of Office 2007 in a box carries a suggested price of $449 ($279 for an upgrade).

Hey, at least we are used to waiting for Vista by now, it would have been a shock if we could have gotten it earlier.

Read [IntelliAdmin]

Each year, some of the best holiday deals take place on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving.  We’ve gone through the ad listings that have been made available on bfads.net to make sure that you don’t have to wake up early to get to the stores on Black Friday.  All you need to do is go to the store a few days before Thanksgiving and buy the items that you want.  Then on Black Friday (November 25th), go to the store and “price-match” (return and re-buy) your item back for the new advertised price.  You get all the same deals without waiting in line at 7AM.  Pure genius isn’t it?  To check out Gadgetell’s Best of Black Friday, read on…

Computers
Best Buy

• eMachine AMD64 3200+ Computer w/ 15” LCD and Color Printer - $399.97 (Rebate)


• eMachines Intel Celeron D Processor 340 Computer w/ 17” CRT Monitor - $149.98


• Intel Celeron M Processor 370 Notebook - $379.99

• eMachines Sempron Desktop w/ 512MB, 100GB - $249.99

• Compaq Presario AMD Sempron Laptop - $549.99 (Rebate)


• eMachines AMD Sempron Desktop - $349.99 (Rebate)

• HP Pavillion 1203w-b Desktop w /15” LCD Monitor - $398.00


• HP Pavillion ze2308wm Notebook Computer - $398.00

• Adobe Photoshop Elements (AR) - $49.99 (Rebate)

• MAG 17” LCD Flat Panel Monitor - $149.99


• MAG 19” LCD Flat Panel Monitor - $169.99 (Rebate)


• Toshiba Multimedia DLP Projector - $449.99 (Rebate)

• Sony SDM-HS95B 19” LCD Monitor - $249.99 (Rebate)

• Flat Panel 19” LCD Monitor - $199.99 (Rebate)

• Samsung 914v 19” LCD Monitor - $199.94 (Rebate)

• CompUSA 802.11g PC/PCI/USB Adapters - $2.99 (Rebate)


• CompUSA 802.11g Wireless Router - $2.99 (Rebate)


• Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router - $39.99 (Rebate)


• Netgear 801.11g Compact Router - $9.99 (Rebate)

• Netgear Wireless G Router - $29.94

• 2 Motorola RAZR Cell Phones (w/ T-Mobile Service) - $79.99

• Cingular Motorola Razr V3 Package - $88.73

• Samsung Digital Camera with Flash and Zoom - FREE

• SanDisk 1.0GB Compact Flash Memory Card - $39.99 (Rebate)


• SanDisk 1.0GB Secure Digital Memory Card - $39.99 (Rebate)

• Sandisk 512MB Compact Flash Memory Card - $9.99 (Rebate)


• Sandisk 512MB Cruzer Micro Flash Drive - $14.99 (Rebate)

• 512MB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - $9.99 (Rebate)

• Sandisk 512MB Secure Digital Memory Card - $14.94 (Rebate)


• PNY Attache 512MB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - $9.94 (Rebate)

• Dynex 75-Pack DVD+R / 25Pack CD-R (AR) - $2.99 (Rebate)


• Seagate 120GB Internal Hard-Drive w/ 8MB Buffer - $29.99 (Rebate)

• 50 Pack Nexxtech DVD+/-R Blank Media - $6.99


• Western Digital 250GB PATA Hard Drive - $59.99 (Rebate)

• 160GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive - $49.99 (Rebate)


• 200GB Internal Hard Drive - $29.99 (Rebate)


• CD-R 90-Pack Printable Blank Media - $9.99


• DVD+RW 20-Pack Blank Media - $4.98


• External 80GB USB 2.0 Hard Drive - $29.99 (Rebate)

• Western Digital 200GB Internal Hard Drive - $59.99 (Rebate)

• Playo 50pk DVD+R Blank Media - $2.94 (Rebate)


• Playo 50pk DVD-R Blank Media - $2.94 (Rebate)

• Insignia 32” Stereo TV - $199.99

• Phillips 51” Widescreen Rear Projection HDTV - $799.99

• 20” Flat Screen TV / DVD Player Combo - $129.83


• 23” Color Television w/ Front AV Inputs - $99.72


• ilo 26” Widescreen LCD HDTV Monitor w/ DVI - $696.00

• Samsonite Camera / Camcorder Bag - Free After Rebate - FREE

• Logitech Bluetooth Headset - $9.99 (Rebate)

The list above is simply our picks of the best buys from each store.  If you have a deal that you would like to share with us, leave it in comments below.  Happy shopping!

Read [BFads.net]