Cool Tech Reviews

A number of tech news sites are reporting that AOL will offer 30 movies for free download starting at 6 AM EST on Saturday, Dec. 2. For example, BetaNews:

AOL said Thursday that it would offer 30 movies to users of its AOL Video portal at no cost as a holiday gift. The titles, which would include recent releases like Spiderman 2 and holiday favorites like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation normally sell for $9.99 to $19.99 USD. Users would be limited to one movie download, and would have 24 hours beginning at 6:00am ET on December 2 to download it.

The movies would be delivered in Windows Media format, and require a Windows XP computer running Internet Explorer and Windows Media 10 in order to view them. Once downloaded, the user would be able to view the file offline, as well as on one other PC and two Windows Media-compatible portable devices.

The only difficulty is that I can’t find a direct mention of the offer at the AOL Video site. On the other hand, searching for “Free Today Only” currently turns up 77 results (some are previews) including the movies mentioned above that say “When you download today, your credit card will NOT be charged.” Since there’s a day and half to go before the free offer starts, I’m a bit confused or the folks at AOL are.

In any case, the point for AOL is undoubtedly to get you to sign up and register the credit card that they won’t charge in hopes that you will eventually want something for which they can charge you. Caveat emptor, but if you see a movie you like, nothing beats free.

Despite the efforts of the National Retail Federation to institutionalize a a fairly recent creation, most retailers’ Cyber Monday efforts are rather fluid with many starting before Monday and extending afterwards. Most also lack the extremely low priced “door buster specials” that typify Black Friday at brick and mortar retailers. Nonetheless there are some bargains to be had as well as some retailers who just appear to be phoning it in.

BestBuy (2 day sale):

• Free shipping on select computers and monitors (sheesh, they really knocked themselves out!)

Circuit City:

• Compaq Presario 15.4″ Widescreen Notebook PC (C306US), normally $729.99, now $499.99
• Creative Labs 30GB Black Zen Vision:M (ZVM30ENGBK), normally $299.99, now $229.99

CompUSA:

• A number of laptop and desktop PCs are $250 off
• ViewSonic VA912b 19-inch LCD Multimedia Monitor, Black, normally $249.99, now $149.99

Staples has mostly office supplies, but there’s:

• Norcent 19″ Widescreen LCD Monitor, normally $229.98, now $189.98

Tiger Direct’s Top Ten Deals of the Week! is still pointing to a pre-Thanksgiving Sale, and the main website is currently featuring a 72 hour after Thanksgiving sale, but the bargain prices seem to be good until later in the week as long as supplies last. In any case, there are $399 and $499 laptops, $399 desktops, $139 LCD monitors, and more.

Recently I’ve been checking Amazon’s electronics best seller list to see how Microsoft’s Zune is doing (not too well compared to Apple’s iPod) and one thing that has amazed me is the popularity of digital picture frames. Right now, #10 on Amazon’s list is the $89.99 (special price) Digital Spectrum MemoryFrame MF-575 5.6-Inch Digital Picture Frame:

and #13 is the $167.92 Philips 6.5-Inch Digital Picture Frame (Clear) w/3 Additional Colored Frames:

However, just searching Amazon or your favorite retailer will turn up a lot more in various sizes, feature levels, and prices.

Reviews of the Digital Spectrum Memory Frame MF-575 seem to be in short supply and it isn’t even listed at the Digital Spectrum website (which lists a number of other models), but based on the Amazon description,  it has a 5.6 inch (diagonal) TFT LCD screen that fits into a standard 5×7 inch picture frame (a wood one is included in the unit) and the frame can be set on a desk or mounted on a wall.  It doesn’t appear that it has any internal storage of its own, but takes standard camera MD/SD/MMC memory cards which also can contain MP3 music and MPEG1, 2, 4 movie format (up to 320×240) video. A remote control comes with the unit so you can change the display and set up slide shows.

The Philips unit is their model number 7FF1M4/37 and is nearly twice the price, but you get a bigger 6.5 inch (diagonal) display and it has 32 MB internal memory as well a USB connection and provision for Compact Flash I (CF) cards as well as Memory Stick (MS), SD Card and Multi Media Cards (MMC). This particular model fits a high tech decor with a clear plastic frame as well as three color bezels that can be added, but there are a variety of other models with a more traditional look. It apparently is controlled with buttons on the back and not with a remote.

As for reviews, you can check the reviews of the similar Philips model 7FF1AW on Daggle and Engadget, but everyone seems to agree it’s a great gadget. The only substantial caveat:

The display is, unfortunately smaller than we imagined from the press photos and marketing collateral. Guess we fixated too much on those, er “7-inches” which in photography patter would indicate a device for showcasing 5 x 7-inch photos. Oh right, Philips manufactures displays so that measurement is diagonal! Thus the actual LCD is 3.6 x 5.4-inches (9 x 14-centimeters) which is still respectable and in-line with traditional frames you’ll find in most homes — just not what we had expected.

And that’s a point worth remembering - no matter which model or manufacturer you choose since diagonal screen measurement is the standard.

I suppose the other comment that should be made is that digital picture frames aren’t particularly cheap, particularly if you go for a larger screen size like the $ 399 15 inch MF-1500 from Digital Spectrum:

For a few dollars more you can just buy a laptop!

Erica Ogg reports at CNET on the holiday shopping outlook for tech gadgets and it looks bright for vendors and retailers with a 27.6%increase in spending being forecast by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). Perhaps better is that aside from the next-generation gaming consoles (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii), there aren’t expected to be crowd maddening shortages. So what’s hot?

Analysts anticipate flat-panel TVs will lead all consumer electronics sales this holiday season, aided by some bargain Black Friday prices. More high-definition content than ever is available to watch on those wider, thinner screens, and steadily declining prices have made LCD, plasma, microdisplay and direct-view HD sets increasingly affordable.

The prices of flat panels “are right in the sweet spot of what people are looking for,” said Baker. “For the first time, they’re going to be available to more than just a couple people.”

Unit sales of HDTVs are up 52 percent between January and September this year, compared with the same period in 2005, according to the NPD Group. The average price of TVs is also down 8 percent since last year, indicating that consumers and retailers both should go home happy in the coming weeks.

Several retailers are trying to move notebook computers off their shelves. Wal-Mart has been advertising a Compaq laptop for $398, and Staples is countering with a $399 Compaq laptop with a rebate for a free HP inkjet printer. But the ad that will raise the most eyebrows is undoubtedly the Compaq from Circuit City for $99 with a one-year Vonage subscription.

You can get the Circuit City Compaq for $299 if you don’t want the Vonage subscription.

Digital audio players should top the holiday wish lists of adults and teens, the CEA said at its annual conference in October. Sales of MP3 players of all the major brands should be strong, including the most high-profile newcomer, Microsoft’s Zune, according to Baker. While nobody camped out to be the first in line to buy one, he predicts sales of the Wi-Fi-enabled music player will pick up in the next month.

Speaking of which, Zune News Site is collecting Zune reviews which are admittedly less than stellar. The consensus is that it’s OK, but could be better. More:

Digital cameras will be a popular gift this year, too. Not just low-end cameras, but pricey single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras as well. Thirty-seven percent of adult respondents to the CEA’s annual holiday spending survey said they planned to give a digital camera as a gift this year.

The higher end cameras are attractive to upgraders who want newer technologies like anti-shake.

Looks like there is something to please everyone.

Some Stores Begin Shopping Season Early:

A traditional day of feasting with family could turn into a day of early holiday shopping for some, as retailers offered more options — both online and in stores — than ever this Thanksgiving. For the first time, BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. and CompUSA Inc. opened their doors on Thanksgiving, while online retailer Amazon.com offered special holiday discounts.

In the past, grocery retailers and 24-hour convenience stores like 7-Eleven Inc. were the only shopping options on Thanksgiving. Holiday gift shoppers turned to the Web or saved their breath for the next day, “Black Friday,” which is considered the official kickoff to the shopping season.

“Some retailers are trying to find a way to take advantage of the fact that once dinner is over, many families are looking for some kind of entertainment,” said Ellen Davis, spokeswoman at National Retail Federation, a trade group.

What, no snoozing through a football game?

There are more details on the brick and mortar stores in the article, but here are some online stores playing the game:

As for online opportunities, Sears, Roebuck and Co. again allowed holiday shoppers to pay for Black Friday deals on their Web site on Thanksgiving, such as 20 percent off Kenmore appliances and 50 percent off certain Craftsman-branded tools. Customers can then pick up their purchases when stores open the following the day, or have them shipped, said Lavielle.

Online retailer Amazon.com was also pushing for shoppers to get started a day early by holding an ongoing poll to select one steeply discounted gift item to be offered in limited supplies beginning on Thanksgiving day, on top of other deals.

The winner of the poll was Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 video game system for $100, which was set to go on sale at 2 p.m. EST, beating out a Mongoose Domain Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike for $30.

“We’re always open on Thanksgiving,” noted spokesman Craig Berman.

“Online retailers are making Thanksgiving a huge priority, because they have no competition from stores,” said Davis. “I think we’re going to see that trend increasing.”

Actually, that seems like a better idea than Cyber Monday whose underlying idea is that employees get back to work on Monday and use their employer’s high speed Internet connection to shop.

Ed Oswald at BetaNews:

With the holiday shopping season as a backdrop, Google is aiming to increase the visibility of its Google Checkout service by offering promotions to consumers who use it. Beginning on “Cyber Monday,” November 27, discounts would be provided by participating merchants.

Reusable discounts of $10 off purchases of $30 or more, or $20 off purchases of $50 or more would be provided. The rebates would be instant, and no registration would be required, Google said.
…
Merchants who accept Google Checkout include Buy.com, Starbucks Store, The Sports Authority, Ace Hardware, and Timberland, among others. The complete list of promotions and merchants will be listed on a special page to premiere at the Checkout site on Cyber Monday.

The Google Checkout site is here.