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The Best Tablets & Accessories (Staples Tech Tip Tuesday)

by Mario Armstrong

This week for Tech Tip Tuesday we’re giving away a Samsung ATIV Windows 8 tablet valued at $649! Plus we take a look at some of this holiday season’s hottest Windows 8 and Android tablets as well as some cool accessories!

Here’s the contest info:

1. At 7PM eastern TONIGHT tune into my Twitter @MarioArmstrong by clicking here. Make sure you’re following me
2. I’ll explain how the contest works, but basically, you have to answer ONE question on Twitter and use the hashtag #StaplesHoliday in your response.
3. One lucky winner will be going home with the Samsung ATIV tablet!

Black Friday Shopping Guide: High-End Smartphones

by Mario Armstrong

Black Friday isn’t usually about phones: generally there’s a contract price on a network that doesn’t change during the shopping extravaganza. But a smartphone can still make a great gift. With that in mind, we’ve put together a quick comparison of the top of the line smartphones: you may be surprised how similar they seem.

And that’s somewhat true, except size does matter. Just a quarter of an inch in length makes a huge difference in terms of how a phone feels. Generally, those gigantic phones may not be the best for someone who’s always out and about, or who is mostly interested in the “phone” part of smartphone. Also consider whether the phone will play nicely with the recipient’s other devices: a Windows 8 phone will work well with a new Windows 8 laptop or ultrabook.

Mostly though, consider whether a phone is the right gift, since it involves a continued outlay of cash to stay on a cellular and data plan. If you know that a person needs an upgrade, or is on your plan, or can handle the commitment, a phone can be a great gift!

Check out the chart below, and let us know if you have any question in the comments. All of the phones are shown with a contract price (we used AT&T because they’re our partner), except the Google Nexus. The Google Nexus is sold unlocked through the Google Play store, not on contract at AT&T. 

Black Friday Smartphone Shopping Guide Comparison Chart

The best deals this week at Staples

by Mario Armstrong

Whether you’re shopping online (and taking advantage of their free shipping online throughout the holiday season) or in-store (to touch and test everything before you buy), you’ll want to make sure Staples is one of the stores you’re including in your shopping plans as Black Friday approaches.

Staples is making it easy for customers to save on technology the week of Black Friday and Cyber Monday by making it a week-long event! They are even doing mobile flash sales this year!

Today we’re going to take a look at some of the best deals coming up at Staples.

Pre-Black Friday

Windows 8 Pro – $69.99

Until November 21st, Staples is offering a discount from $199 down to $69 on Windows 8 Pro. If you’re looking to upgrade your operating system this holiday season to the latest from Microsoft, why pay full price?

Windows 8 Pro is similar to Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate. It’s targeted towards tech enthusiasts as well a business customers. Win 8 Pro includes all of the advanced Windows features: remote desktop connections, an encrypted file system, the ability to participate in a Windows Server domain (crucial for some businesses) and more.

Black Friday

HP Pavillion Sleekbook 14” – $299

At $230 off, the HP Sleekbook is a great deal on a bargain laptop. While far from top-of- the-line, the Sleekbook is a bare-bones Windows 8 laptop and includes just enough hardware to get by for basic office and web-based tasks. With only a 1.5Ghz Pentium, 4GB of RAM, and a 320 GB HD, you’re not going to be recording music or editing videos on this, but if you have basic needs you’ll love this for the price. Just keep in mind that it only gets a little over 4 hours of battery life. If you need all-day power, look at some of the other laptop options at Staples.

Toshiba Canvio 1TB Portable USB 3.0 External Hard Drive – $69

I can’t stress the importance of backup enough. You should have multiple copies of your data in case of emergency. For under seventy bucks, the Toshiba Canvio external is a great & super portable external drive. It runs entirely off USB, so there’s no power cable to lug around, and with a terabyte of space should be more than enough to back up your computer. Take my advice and pick up two—keep one backup at home and the other in a secure, off-site location like your office or a safe deposit box. That way, should tragedy strike at home, you’ll still have another copy of your data.

Kindle Fire HD – $199 w/ $20 Gift Card

Manufacturers don’t make money on tablets like the Google Nexus 7 and the Kindle line. Instead, they make their money on the books, movies and games you buy. For the consumer, that means you’re not going to see any kinds of discounts on theses tablets this holiday season. You can take advantage of deals like this one, where you claim a rebate online and get a $20 gift card back. If you’re looking at gifting a Kindle this holiday season, this is the best deal you’re going to see. The regular Fire at $159 and the 32GB model for $249 are also eligible for this offer.

Cyber Monday

Brother MFC-J430w Inkjet All-in-One – $49.99

The Brother name means quality, and the bargain price at $50 off on Staples.com for Cyber Monday means a great deal. This printer is a 4-in-1 inkjet that scans, faxes, copies, and prints at 10 pages per minute in B&W, 5 color, and has built-in WiFi for wireless printing. With the Brother iPrint&Scan app for Apple and Android devices, you can even print JPEG images and PDF documents wirelessly straight from your smartphone or tablet computer. How cool is that?

Mobile Flash Sales

And don’t forget! They also have mobile flash sales you can take part in by visiting Staples.com from your smartphone. They’ll be hooking you up with hourly coupons you can use online only starting 11 p.m Thursday and running until 5 a.m. on Black Friday. You can also use coupons you find on in-store from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m on Friday.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Hey readers, this is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Black Friday Deal Guide: Home Theater

by Mario Armstrong
Toshiba Black Friday Home Theater TV Deal
The 40″ Toshiba

For some reason, it seems like half the Black Friday deals we’ve seen out there are for TVs. Maybe because compared to laptops or smartphones, it’s hard for TV manufacturers to compete on features, and instead they compete on price. That means many stores will have a good deal on a TV this Black Friday, so if a different deal is what you’re really after, make that store your priority and plan to try to pick up a TV at that location.

Of course, there’s more to a home theater than just TVs, especially in the age of TV-via-the-Internet, so we’re bringing you some of our favorites for the entire experience too. If you have any questions about any home theater gadgets, feel free to ask away in the comments!

TVs (from Smallest to Largest):

32” Apex HDTV: $147 from Target

This LCD TV normally retails for closer to $250. It’s not a smart (aka web-enabled) unit, and it’s not the fanciest TV, with a 720p display and 60HZ refresh rate, but it can take HDMI and S Video input and is a solid deal at under $150.

40″ Toshiba HDTV: $179.99 from Best Buy
 This is a budget model, and there’s a reason this is one of the leading deals from Best Buy: normally these TVs retail at over $400. It’s also an LCD HDTV, with 1080p resolution, and HDMI inputs. Again, this isn’t a top of the line unit, with a refresh rate of only 60HZ, but it is affordable budget TV.

40″ Samsung Smart HDTV: $449.99 from Samsung.com
This is also a 40″ model, but a high-end one, with superior frame refresh and clarity on top of the 1080p display. Plus the TV is WiFi-enabled for streaming content. Suggested retail on this TV is $799, for a $300 savings.

50″ Sony Smart HDTV: $899 from Sony Retail Stores
Here, it’s all about the smart TV plus size.  This web-enabled lets you stream movies, photos, music and videos straight to your TV from the internet, in 1080p HD. Normally retails for $1299.

65” VIZIO LED Smart HDTV: $998 from Sam’s Club
This is an 65″ LED TV for under $1,000, which is impressive, as is the refresh rate of 120HZ. This TV is also web-enabled for access to all your streaming media, and features all the top-of-the-line features you’d expect. Normally retails for around $1400.


Other Key Home Theater Components:
Blu-ray Players:

Take  your pick, there’s an LG for $38 at Sam’s Club or a Toshiba for $39 at Best Buy. The Toshiba is “web ready,” meaning that if you want to spend an additional $30 – $50.


Black Friday Roku HD Home Theater DealRoku Box: $59.99
The Roku is a great alternative to a web-enabled TV or Blu-ray. Roku allows you to stream content, like Netflix, HuluPlus, Amazon, games, and live sports. We recommend the Roku 2 XD, which lets you stream in 1080p HD. Normally $79.99, it will be available at Roku.com for $59.99

Home Audio:
Harman Kardon 500W 5.1 Home Theater Receiver: $250 at Best Buy
This stereo receiver is $250 off its normal retail price of $500. It features 5 channels with 100 watts per channel, plus six HDMI inputs, Dolby TrueHD, and more.

 

Black Friday: Our Tips & Guides

by Mario Armstrong
Follow @marioarmstrong on Twitter for updates about our Black Friday product guides!

These days, Black Friday starts on Thursday (aka Thanksgiving). Plenty of retailers have been pushing their wares since last week. It’s a lot to sort through, and there’s no shortage of competing gadgets and devices.

Our goal then is help you zero in on just the best deals, not all the deals. We’ll be highlighting a few key deals from different retailers in all price points, featuring only the deals we think are best either because of the product or quality. Different categories we’ll be talking about are home theater, laptops and ultrabooks, gaming, tablets, and more.

Black Friday circular from StaplesBlack Friday Tips:
– The best deals are usually on the big-ticket items (think over $500). If you’re thinking about buying a big-ticket item, Black Friday is a good time.
– The goal of major retailers is to keep you in the store! They want you to do more of your shopping in their store to increase market share. Be aware, and don’t get distracted or overwhelmed. Plan ahead and know the store layout!
– Bring someone with you to split up and conquer tasks!
– Popular items, especially Black Friday Doorbusters, will sell out, and aren’t available via raincheck. If there’s a deal you have to have, make sure you get it early!
– Check online: some deals can be had online without the in-person hassle. But many deals are only in stores or only online, so make sure you double check!
– Wear comfy shoes, bring snacks, water and stay patient, don’t let it get to you too much! There’s always CyberMonday!

What’s your Black Friday strategy? Do you skip it altogether, or are you out the door while the Thanksgiving dishes are still drying? Share any tips you may have with us in the comments!

Staples Tech Tip Tuesday: A Look at Several New Windows 8 Devices

by Mario Armstrong

This holiday season, you’ll want to consider shopping at Staples for a hot new Windows 8 device like the ones featured in the video above. From the innovative laptop/tablet hybrid Lenovo Twist, to the Intel-Atom powered Samsung ATIV and the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook, by going in-store and playing with these devices yourself, you’ll be able to really figure out what product will make the right gift for your family or friends. Plus, with the “8 Was Easy” campaign we’ve talked about before, Staples makes sure that you get the help and support you need, for FREE, when upgrading to Microsoft’s latest operating system.

Every Tuesday between November 13, 2012 and December 18, 2012, Staples will be giving away a great piece of technology, including the hottest Ultrabooks, Tablets and Headphones. Tune in every Tuesday to YouTube, Socialcam, or my blog to find out about the product and what’s being given away, then tune into my Twitter account at 7PM Eastern every Tuesday night to answer a question for a chance to win some hot tech!

#DreamCreateGo

by Mario Armstrong

#DreamCreateGo — I’m launching a FREE INTERACTIVE E-book for kids and need YOUR help!

ATTN: Teachers, educators, entrepreneurs, community organizers, and students!

WHAT:
The launch of a FREE e-book called “Dream, Create, Go!” It’s all about inspiring and exposing a ton of young students to become our future problem solvers. The FREE e-book will profile some of the most fascinating people that are using technology in their passion. The profiles will go behind the scenes and give students unprecedented access to the people they admire! We will ignite the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, designers etc… thru STEM (science, tech, engineering & math).

For the past couple of  years I have toured the country reaching thousands of students with our STEM roadshow. Now, we are building on that momentum to launch a much larger, more scalable initiative!

We know how to meet kids on their turf and in ways they appreciate, to show them how STEM directly relates to their passions.

WHEN:
September 2013 – for back to school!

WHAT’s INVOLVED:
A LOT and that’s why we need your help, this initiative has several elements:

  • The 1st FREE interactive e-book about STEM careers and opportunities (full of video, audio, text & images)
  • Companion curriculum for teachers and after school programs
  • Building an online community of of DCG (Dream, Create, Go!) Agents
  • Filming great videos to show off some of the innovative, most inspiring people and cool STEM jobs
  • Online video streaming sessions where students can speak directly to cool and innovative people
  • Develop a roadmap to help students identify their passion(s) and take practical steps towards their goals

We want to make this ALL FREE for kids to access! We don’t want a single kid paying for this type of content!

What you can do:

STUDENTS: we want you to be a a member of  the “Dream, Create, GO! student board” and help us shape the content and have a hand in the project!

PARENTS: We need YOU BIGTIME! We need you to get your kids to join our Student Board and for you to volunteer your time, share this with your teachers, PTA’s and schools.

TEACHERS: Teachers we need your help to design lesson plans and create interactive chapter review questions that will go in the ebook!

VOLUNTEERS: We NEED a ton of people interested in volunteering their time to help us organize events and assist in the promotion.

ENTREPRENEURS: We need your energy, tips and advice for content in the e-book as well as the teacher curriculum and for online Skype sessions, where students get to ask you questions about your journey and business.

SOCIAL STREET TEAM: We need a grassroots street team to help us spread the word, physically and virtually through social media by evangelizing for the project.

SPONSORS/UNDERWRITERS: We are only looking for 2-3 underwriters for the e-book that understand the importance for getting more youth into being our future problem solvers. Underwriters will have the opportunity to embed audio and video messages, photos, text and any other info you would like shared to the audience of parents and students.

Sign up to help:

Over the next year there’s a ton of work to do, and I’m only just starting to piece it all together. By signing up for the mailing list below, you can become a part of the team and be the first to know about opportunities to help this project along, as well as be able to offer feedback as it all comes together. I can’t do it by myself, so if you think you have some insight to offer or can lend a hand, join the mailing list and find a way to get involved!

Sign up to help out with “Dream, Create, Go!”

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HLN VIDEO: Windows 8 ‘surfaces’

by Mario Armstrong

Today Microsoft is rolling out it’s long awaited operating system upgrade: Windows 8. It’s a total redesign — even the ubiquitous Microsoft ‘Start’ button is gone (though the it appears as though the word itself does survive on the new home screen).

In its place are ’tiles’ designed to be operated by touch. Each tile represents an app. Some can even display information like weather conditions, or Facebook updates without you ever having to launch the program. Read the rest of this piece on HLNtv.com.