Blogging about all cell phones and Reviews

Gone are the days when if you wanted a Wii, you’d have to pay double or even triple the list price on eBay. Dell has Wii systems for just $174.99 shipped.

These are new consoles, not refurbs, and you don’t have to mess around with rebates or even coupon codes. That’s pretty surprising given that the Wii just got its $199.99 price cut last week.

Of course, rumor has it there’s a new Wii system, or at least a new bundle, waiting in the wings, which could help explain this lowest-price-ever offer. Still, the holidays are a-comin’, and if you have a kid who might react this way to a Wii under the tree (or menorah), can you really pass up $175?

While you’re at it, consider grabbingthe new Wii Sports Resort bundle for $59.99, which includes the game and a pair of MotionPlus controller add-ons. That’s 10 bucks cheaper than if you bought the game and a second add-on.

This deal’s been on Dell’s site for at least a day, so I don’t know how much longer it’ll last (and, frankly, I’m surprised it’s not sold out).

What do you think? Will this finally get you on the Wii wagon, or do you think Dell’s clearing out inventory to make room for something better? Hmmm. Tough one.

All credits and information was found by cnet.

Not to sound like a broken record, but the stock plastic earbuds that came packaged with your shiny new MP3 player aren’t doing you any favors. After loading up your device with music, the next thing to do is replace the headphones. Of course, if you’re not absurdly picky about audio quality, we can understand not wanting to spend $100 or more on a new pair. That’s where options such as the Creative EP-630 come in. These sound-isolating earphones offer a comfortable fit and improved audio for just $39.99.

All credits and information was found by cnet.

As I often tell people, it’s not the price of the iPhone that bothers me–it’s the monthly fees! (Grumble, grumble, AT&T, grumble.)

Alas, while there’s no way to get around that $70/month minimum, at least I can use my iPhone to save money on other things: gas, groceries, books, DVDs, and even energy. Let’s take a look at five killer apps that can help you pocket extra cash.

• BetterDeal Next time you find yourself standing in a supermarket trying to figure out which size box of corn flakes provides the best bang for the buck, fire up BetterDeal. This 99-cent app lets you compare prices for up to four packages to see which is, well, the better deal.
• Gas Buddy Saving a nickel or dime per gallon of gas may not seem like much, but it adds up over time. Gas Buddy ($2.99) shows you which nearby stations have the lowest prices (and provides maps if you don’t know the area), so you can pocket that extra change every time you fill up. (Obviously this app works best for those who live in densely populated areas–and drive a lot.)
• MeterRead You know the mantra: Save electricity, save money, save the planet. But does turning off lights when you leave a room really make an impact? MeterRead helps you find out by keeping tabs on meter readings (which you record periodically) and projecting your energy usage. It’s strictly an informational tool (one with a mediocre interface), but if you’re serious about saving energy, this 99-cent app should help.
• piczshop So you’re at Target, about to plunk down your cash on Firefly: The Complete Series on DVD (good call), but then you wonder: Is this the best price? Find out fast with pic2shop, which scans product barcodes and quickly pulls up the prices from “thousands of online retailers” (according to the developer). The live (i.e. real-time) barcode scanning is seriously cool, and the app itself costs nothing. Win-win!
• Yowza Mobile Coupons In an ideal world, your iPhone will serve up proximity-based coupons, like “get $1 off now!” when you drive by a Jamba Juice. For now, Yowza (free) is the closest thing. It finds deals in your area, though only from merchants that have partnered with the service. That may limit its viability for some users (get more partners, Yowza!), but I found about half a dozen coupons within 15 miles–including one for Finish Line, and I’m in the market for new running shoes. Score!

I know a lot of people are partial to AAA Discounts, which serves up deals near your location. Great app, but only if you’re a triple-A member.

I’m also a fan of the suggestion over at Wise Bread to use Pandora instead of buying music, though why limit yourself to one music-streaming app? GrabLast.fm and Slacker while you’re at it.

OK, you’ve got my picks. Now tell me what apps you’ve used to save money–and how much you’ve saved!

All credits and information was found by cnet.

Nobody likes a mail-in rebate, but if you’re the patient type who doesn’t mind waiting to get your cash back on your purchase, Microsoft will send you $50 if you buy the Xbox 360 Elite between now and October 5 (this is for U.S. customers only).

While you’ll have to fill out all the requisite paperwork to get the discount, that mail-in rebate drops the price of the Elite–which only a short time ago cost $400–down to $250.

As other blogs have pointed out, that $50 might come in handy to buy an HDMI cable, Wi-Fi adapter, or a game. All we can say is, thank you, Sony, for dropping the price of the PS3 to $299. There’s nothing like a good price war to keep things interesting in the game-console space.

All credits and information was found by cnet.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors about a new Wii HD coming in 2011, but when the head of Square Enix, Yoichi Wada, predicts it, you tend to pay more attention. Wada, whose company is behind the uber popular Final Fantasy franchise, was recently interviewed by the Financial Times and had some interesting comments about a potential Wii HD, as well as the future of motion controllers.

Not surprisingly, Wada predicts the new Wii will feature similar graphics capabilities as the current PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles (why the Wii doesn’t at least have an HDMI connection at this point seems ridiculous). While he thinks Nintendo will bring out a brand new motion controller, his more biting comments were reserved for Microsoft’s and Sony’s upcoming motion-enabled systems. He largely dismissed them.

“Present game machines already have a lot of functions: they are a network terminal, a Blu-ray or DVD player, and a gaming machine. Compared to these three pillars, the (new motion) controllers are quite limited, so the impact may be small,” Wada said.

I tend to agree with Wada. Then again, I think the whole motion controller thing is pretty gimmicky at this point, with so few Wii games out there that are truly enhanced by using a motion control scheme.

What do you guys think? Is the Wii destined for tepid sales for the next couple of years, even with a price drop to $199? Or is 2011 the prefect time to come out with a new system?

All credits and information was found by cnet.

If you’re an iPhone owner who just hates typing on the device’s virtual keyboard, Mobile Mechatronics has something for you: the iTwinge, a $30 BlackBerry-style, slide-on keyboard that mounts right on the iPhone.

Now iPhone purists are probably thinking this should be called the iCringe, but if you’re heavy into texting and e-mailing and aren’t proficient with the virtual keyboard, I can see some merit to using this device. However, it obviously covers up a good 40 percent of the iPhone’s screen, which would seem problematic.

According to Mobile Mechatronics, the iTwinge Keyboard is a typing “Skin” for the iPhone that “enables faster and more accurate typing through the use of our patent pending Twinge Technology.” Also, according to the company, studies show that an average user will improve their typing speed by 30 percent to 40 percent and reduce typing errors by 70 percent to 80 percent.

The lightweight keyboard sleeve–it weighs an ounce–attaches to the bottom of the iPhone and mimics the iPhone’s virtual keyboard (it appears that touching the keys simply transfers the touch to the virtual keys below). According to the company’s FAQ section, it slips on and off in a second and is durable. It’s also worth noting that it apparently draws some power from your iPhone, but only a tiny amount.

Mobile Mechatronics indicates that the iTwinge is also a training tool for those transitioning from a phone with a physical keyboard to the iPhone’s virtual keyboard and that it has an iPhone app in development that helps “users build muscle memory & improve typing skills.”

The iTwinge is scheduled to ship on November 17 and the company is taking preorders now. We assume Mobile Mechatronics has Apple’s blessing to sell this, but it’s worth noting that Apple has refused so far to approve or create Bluetooth drivers that would let you use a wireless keyboard to type on the iPhone. I’ve written about the whole iPhone Bluetooth keyboard fiasco in the past, and I still can’t understand why Apple wouldn’t give its users the option of using a Bluetooth keyboard with the iPhone.

Anyway, what do you guys think of the iTwinge? Is it intriguing and innovative or a waste of money?

All credits and information was found by cnet.