Author: Shy Mukerjee

Get a Free Trial of a Great App w/ Tech Purchase from @Staples

by Shy Mukerjee

Out of all the great deals from @Staples this holiday season, my favorite has to be the #techdoutsweeps. After all, what would be more amazing than getting a $2,300 tech makeover from the man himself, Mario Armstrong? But after that, this new deal at Staples where you can get a free trial of a hot app with a tech purchase has to be my second favorite. Check this out.

Buy a tech item at Staples this holiday season and you get a free trial of a great app. Here are some of the featured offers Staples is sharing:

  • SiriusXM: One month free trial online (Great for listening to the Mario Armstrong show!)
  • Staples CopyCenter: 40% off print at Staples.com (Save on prints & copies!)
  • Wall Street Journal: 60 day online trial (Stay on top of the latest news!)
  • GoToMeeting: 60 day trial (Collaborate online better!)
  • Dropbox: 3 months free (Need I say more?)

The way it works is, first you buy a qualifying tech product online or in-store. Then you get an Easy Rebate which you activate online at stapleseasyrebates.com. After you’ve been emailed your unique access code, you simply head on over to Staples.com/techapps to claim your trial. The hardest part is figuring out which trial to take advantage of, since there are so many great options!

CONTEST: eReaders for Everyone from Small Biz Go Mobile!

by Shy Mukerjee

Last time we ran an eReader contest, we got hundreds of responses. We just picked the winners (to be announced as soon as we can confirm names & addresses), and we’re excited to send out some great loot.

Not willing to rest on our laurels, however, the whole Mario Armstrong and Small Biz Go Mobile team is digging deep this time to offer not one but TWO of our favorite eReading devices. That’s right, two eReaders, one contest. Oh, and there’s a killer Bluetooth Speaker set for your car as well as some cases in the mix as well, so your chances of winning something are great! Read More

Struggling With Your Typing? Pick Up SwiftKey X for 10 Cents

by Shy Mukerjee

To celebrate their 10 billionth app download, Google is offering some of their hottest apps for a dime this week. While they’re mostly games, art and music apps (all worth pickup up as well, including the brand new Android port of the popular game Minecraft), one app in particular stands out as a great deal for the mobile professional: SwiftKey X.

While I’ve always found typing on Apple devices to be a breeze, Android keyboards are a crapshoot. While the Gingerbread keyboard was a huge improvement on the phone side, and the Ice Cream Sandwich one even better, plenty of users want real predictive text that can help them write sentences not simply complete words.

SwiftKey X isn’t perfect and won’t completely change your life if you’re struggling with your phone, but with over 23,000 five star reviews in the Android marketplace it’s clearly a welcome addition to a lot of user’s mobile arsenals. For a mere 10 cents, you owe it to yourself to try.

LINK: Purchase SwiftKeyX from the Android Marketplace.

Can Ruggedized Tech Save You Time and Money? @MarioArmstrong’s Latest Video Takes a Look!

by Shy Mukerjee

In Mario’s latest video for American Express OPEN Forum, he heads to a car repair business to take a look at how they’re losing time AND money due to a lack of a good technical solution to put a phone and a computer on the work floor. It’s not as easy a problem to solve since it requires some rugged tech that can take the grease and damage mechanics are bound to inflict on a poor PC. While most rugged solutions can cost several thousands of dollars, Mario finds a solution to help this business for under $500! Check out the video and be sure to spread the word to other business owners you know where rugged tech could make a difference.

Better than an Ugly Sweater: Give the Gift of @Square this Holiday Season

by Shy Mukerjee

Okay, so the Square credit card reader that lets you take credit card payments from your iPhone, iPad or even iPod touch is something we’ve only talked about a thousand times on this site. And sure, their little plastic credit card reader, much like the app that powers their service, is usually free. So maybe the idea of spending $1 for a gift-wrapped Square to give away as a gift seems a bit silly.

Actually, no it doesn’t. Look at that box. These gift-wrapped Squares are adorable. Anyway, what’s a dollar? You can’t even get a cup of coffee for a dollar anymore. Since you can’t usually get extra Squares to give away as gifts (you need to supply your personal info to request one from their site, or purchase one at an Apple store), this is the perfect way to give a gift that practically prints money.

After all, any small business owner or entrepreneur should be offering their clients the widest variety of payment options available. Seriously: do you know someone who isn’t already using Square? Then this is the perfect stocking stuffer.

Cyber Monday Starts Today at Staples: Your Guide to the Hottest Portable Tech

by Shy Mukerjee

Cyber Monday is here a day early this year with Staples, so we’ve dug in deep to pull out some of the hottest deals. With free shipping on all orders with no minimum and with Staples bringing some hot deals in mobile tech, these deals should be a no-brainer to fill out some of your business needs.

We’ve hand picked some of the best deals below, but don’t take our word for it—check out the complete list of Cyber Monday deals at Staples. Just don’t forget that despite the name, all of these deals are available today. While you’re at it, be sure to enter Mario Armstrong’s tech’d out sweeps for a chance to win a $2,300 tech makeover. First, a killer laptop at a killer price. Read More

Best Black Friday Deals at @Staples for Small Biz

by Shy Mukerjee

This holiday season, we’ve teamed up with @Staples to bring you some of the hottest tech gadgets at the cheapest prices. The fact is, Staples isn’t just an office supply store anymore, they’re also a destination for the hottest portable tech like eReaders, tablet computers and accessories. From rock-bottom Black Friday prices to the #techdout contest Mario is hosting where you can win a $2,300 tech makeover, Staples knows what’s up this year.

Can’t afford everything you want? That’s cool, neither can we. But this upcoming Wednesday, November 30th from 8-9pm EDT @MarioArmstrong is holidng a Twitter party with a Q&A. Prizes will include a Kindle WiFi, the new Kindle Fire tablet, some cool accessories, a portable scanner and a $200 Staples gift card.

Want even more? No worries, Mario is going to keep brining the tech from Staples to you through the holidays. So stay tuned and see what else we’ve got in store. But first, what you’ve all been waiting for—the Black Friday deals. Read More

REVEALED: The Hardware-based Explanation for Why Siri is an iPhone 4S Exclusive

by Shy Mukerjee

Ever since the iPhone 4S was released, fans of the Apple line of smartphones have been asking why their original iPhone 4 or even their 3GS (both of which run the latest iOS 5) doesn’t support Apple’s newest innovation which brings a personal assistant to your phone. After all, if the only differences in terms of upgrades between the iPhone 4 and the new 4S were incremental upgrades like an improved camera and the new world phone capabilities then what could possibly be preventing the iPhone 4 from running the software? Some clever engineers even hacked together a non-responsive version of Siri for the iPhone 4, although since Apple blocks any device except the iPhone 4S from communicating with their servers, it didn’t actually function.

So what is it that makes the iPhone 4S special? Turns out there’s another new piece of tech in the latest from our friends in Cupertino. Read More

$2300 CONTEST: Staples Carries the Tech You Need!

by Shy Mukerjee

If you’ve been glued to the set today or listening to radio on the way to work, you’ve probably heard from Mario Armstrong—he’s bringing a message from Staples with holiday gift ideas and this little tech giveaway he’s doing where the grand prize is a measly $2,300 in tech goodies.

But it’s not just the kids or a loved one who need some new tech in their lives—home offices and home networks need tech upgrades too! With so many of us working from the den, the couch, the kitchen table and sometimes even the bed, it’s important that we have the latest and greatest to keep us productive. So hit the video below with some ideas from Mario for the home office, brought to you by Staples:

http://youtu.be/lvrMMKb-44I

Ultimate SBGM Contest: Win a Sony eReader Pocket Edition PRS350, BlueAnt S4 headset, or an AT&T Smartphone

by Shy Mukerjee

Getting free gadgets is what makes the web so much fun, right? That’s why we’ve got an endless treasure chest of things we’re putting in your stocking this holiday season.

This time around, we’ve got three killer items we’re giving away: the PRS350 Pocket Edition eReader from Sony, a BlueAnt S4 headset, and the AT&T Motorola Backflip Smartphone. Head over past the break to find out how to enter. Read More