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The following Dell Refurbished coupons (Dell’s service that specializes on off-lease computer gear) are good until June 30 (2017) as follows:
+ 40% off any Dell OptiPlex 9010 Desktop with coupon code JUNEDEAL4
+ 40% off any Dell Latitude E6330 Laptop with Coupon Code JUNEDEAL3
+ 35% off any Dell Latitude E7440 Laptop with Coupon Code JUNEDEAL2
+ Clearance items are excluded
+ free ground shipping
If you are a boldly going early adopter, the Samsung Chromebook PRO is orderable again for $550 at Amazon by Amazon itself. It had returned a few days ago but then quickly became un-orderable again. But as of the time of writing, this is orderable again in the all-encompassing “temporarily out of stock” status.
The difference between this and the $436 PLUS model is that the PRO has an Intel processor versus ARM of the PLUS.
More details on what caused the delays and their plans for the future of the ChromeOS + Android marriage can be found in this Google I/O 2017 Verge post. It turns out the delays were a mix of software and hardware:
“The Chromebook Pro hardware itself needed to be redesigned. Issues with the thermals and antennas meant some things had to get shifted around. Google itself handles the software stack, so it needed to tweak that software as Samsung tweaked the hardware.”
Of photography interest is the combination of the S-Pen (for retouching and such), touchscreen, combination of Android and ChromeOS apps and options, a 3:2 QHD screen (if you prefer to work in this aspect ratio), and such.
Note however that it may take a few weeks/months before everything gels as Android apps are in Beta. On the plus side, it is on a six week update cycle, so fixes will definitely come faster than they do with Android phones.
If I wasn’t a poor blogger I would scoop this up 🙂 Please feel free to send me one 🙂
This daily deal expired…
This daily deal expired…
A new 5-day weekend coupon has been launched, Coupon Code PROUD40DELL gets you 40% off any item (excluding clearance) at Dell Refurbished (Dell’s website that resells off-lease computers). Free ground shipping. Unlimited items on order. Offer expires on Tuesday 5/30/2017 at 11:59pm central.
With so many power hungry devices these days, multiple portable power banks/chargers can be handy. If you don’t need a device that supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, you can get a better bang for the buck, partly because of the additional technology, partly because Qualcomm is very licensing-hungry.
Which brings us to the RAVPower 12000 mAh Dual 2.4A Output offered for $16 with coupon code 12000AMZ. The coupon is good for one unit. Additional units are $17.59 each. For additional combined purchase discounts, check under the “Special offers and product promotions” section on the product page.
Microsoft’s Panay said no new Surfaces a few weeks ago during the Microsoft Educational event, but that was then, this is now! Microsoft is taking a page of the iPad marketing book, and is releasing a new Surface tablet that simply has the name “Surface PRO”, not Surface 5 PRO. So it will probably become the “Surface PRO (2017)” model. Details and specs organized nicely at Techmeme.
The new Surface PRO is now available for pre-order at the official Microsoft store with prices starting at $800 and topping out at $2700. RAM options range from 4GB to 16GB, on-board storage ranges from 128GB to 1TB, processors range from m3 to i7. However, not all combinations are available, there are six pre-configurated models at the moment.
These will begin shipping in June 15 (2017). They are eligible for the 10% Academic discounts for people who qualify per Microsoft’s terms (there’s a link there to find out if you qualify ~ requires login).
If you are a fan of Cellular 4G LTE on your Surface devices, there is some hope! 4G LTE models are coming in the future. Dates and prices will be revealed in the future. Patience is a 2G virtue for this 4G LTE device 🙂
NOTE: the Surface PEN is NOT included with this new model (the 2017 model, aka the 5th generation).
For a limited time, B&H Photo is offering the new condition factory-unlocked black color scheme of the ASUS ZenFone Zoom ZX551ML for $180 with free expedited shipping and a free 10050 mAh ASUS portable power bank. This has a 3x optical zoom (4-11mm f/2.7-4.8), GSM compatibility, 32GB on-board storage, 5.5″ 1080p LCD, etc… For more action, check their Featured Sales…
The Duracell Batteries Penny (+ Sales Tax) After Rewards promotion is back at Office Depot and Office Max stores. You can find the offer online at their Rewards page and in-store in their Weekly circular ad. The terms are as before, you can buy one or two 16-packs of Duracell single-use AA or AAA Coopertop batteries, and get back the purchase price (minus one penny) in Rewards a few weeks later. The Sales Tax amount is NOT included in the Rewards amount. Rewards do not roll over, so don’t pay with rewards if you expect to get rewards on the offer. These Rewards will arrive separately from their monthly rewards (a good thing because regular monthly rewards are only issued in $10 increments). Offer runs Sunday 5/21 until the close of business on Saturday 5/27/17.
These daily deals expired…
This coupon expired… The Dell Refurbished store (specialize in off-lease computers) has a new promotion, coupon code SAVE7010NOW gets you 50% off any Dell OptiPlex 7010 Desktop excluding clearance items. Free ground shipping. Prices at $145 after coupon. The coupon code expires 5/21/2017, 11:59 PM CST.
If you are a fan of the Amazon ecosystem, you can now place pre-orders for brand new Elements 4K HDTVs with Fire TV built-in (aka Fire TV editions) in 43, 50, 55, and 65 inch sizes, with prices ranging from $450 to $900. Many of them also have a bundle with a free HDTV antenna. The Sound Bar bundles go for more. The shipping estimate is mid-June 2017. Detailed pictures of the TV and remove further down the product pages.
Of photography interest, FireTV has a handful of photo-related apps, including Smugmug, VLC, and a variety of gateway apps by 3rd-parties that offer access to Flickr, Google Photos, OneDrive, file managers, along other mirror/casting apps.
If you want a factory unlocked smartphone with a USA warranty and GSM compatibility AND like the idea of having optional add-on modules (like the Hasselblad True Zoom camera), the Motorola Moto Z smartphone is on sale for $500 with free shipping at B&H Photo (with free B&H photo/video kit), and by Amazon itself.
On the other hand, if you want to pay a lot less AND want a phone that works with all four major US carriers, B&H Photo is offering the new condition 64GB Moto G4 PLUS with a free B&H photo/video kit for $220 with free shipping. This is available in black or white. The 64GB version also has 4GB of RAM, while the 16GB version has 2GB of RAM, so keep that in mind.
UPDATE: speaking of smartphones, the brand new HTC U11 with its 12mp Ultrapixels and a 90 DXoMark score is now available for pre-order at Amazon by Amazon itself.
If you are a fan of the Amazon DASH buttons, this is a three-step money maker deal. Amazon has a Mother’s Day promotion that lets you buy up to three Dash buttons for $2 EACH. After you receive and configure the DASH buttons, AND you place your first order with that particular DASH button, you will receive a $5 credit per DASH button in your Amazon account.
This post became a long and winding mess, more after the jump 🙂
For Apple fans, Adorama is offering the Apple MacBook Pro 15″ with Touch Bar (model Z0SH-MLH4230 Z) with Intel i7 2.9GHz 16GB RAM, 1TB Flash Store, 2880 x 1800 resolution, and 3 Year AppleCare included for $3499 with free expedited shipping. This is a limited time offer.
For more Adorama action, check their One Day Sale.
Speaking of smartphones, the brand new factory unlocked ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom smartphone with 2.3x optical zoom is now in-stock and shipping by Amazon itself. It is powered by the Snapdragon S625, with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, microSD slot, 5.5″ touchscreen, dual SIM, 5000 mah battery (with reverse charging), etc.
If you much prefer to get the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ flagships factory unlocked, with Samsung USA warranty and in new condition, there are now in-stock and shipping in limited quantities at the Samsung USA website. The S8 goes for $725 while the S8+ goes for $825.
It is also available for purchase through Samsung Financing on 24-month installment plans with 0% APR on approved credit.
They are also shipping from B&H Photo. The S8 goes for $800 while the S8+ goes for $900.
NOTE that with previous models (eg Galaxy S7), Samsung did not prioritize updates for the unlocked phones. For example, the S7 only just now is getting Nougat (7.0, not even the latest).
If you are part of the Amazon ecosystem, their brand new “Amazon Echo Show”, the one with a 7-inch touchscreen built-in, is now available for pre-order at Amazon for $230.
But if you are sold on the Echo/Alexa ecosystem, you can pre-order two of them and use coupon code SHOW2PACK to get $100 off. So it is $460 – $100 = $360. Essentially it is a “Buy One, Get a Second one for $130 more”.
The shipping estimate is late June 2017.
Speaking of Amazon, they are offering the Lord of the Rings: Theatrical Trilogy on BluRay for $10 total (three movies). Limit three sets per customer.
PS: I am trying to figure out how to do the on-going Amazon deals without having a daily bloat appended to the end of the Lightning Deals post. I am leaning towards having a separate permapost (done in the fashion of the Stock Status Tracker that gets frequently updated). Please feel free to opine on this in the comments or use the online contact form or le twitter.
If you are a fan of DisplayPort computer monitors that don’t break the bank, Adorama has launched a flash sale on the 24-inch Dell E2416HM for $100 with free shipping. This 1080p monitor has DisplayPort and VGA connectors.
And if you want to immerse yourself in DIY deal hunting at Adorama, check:
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This coupon expired…
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Ending by 2:45am ET on Sunday, the iBUYPOWER AM500G Gaming Desktop is on sale for $959 with free shipping by Amazon itself. The price before the sale was $1139 last night when I posted the lightning deals schedule. Specs summary: Intel i7-6700 Quad Core 3.4GHz, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD, 24X DVD, NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB, Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Windows 10 Home 64-Bit. It is 13% claimed as of 9:29pm ET.
Smartphones are embracing dual lenses but single-lens optical zoom remains a rarity. If you are interested in single-lens optical zoom smartphones,the ASUS ZenFone Zoom (ZX551ML, 32GB, Android, Unlocked, Black) comes with a 4-11mm f/2.7-4.8 optical zoom lens with Hoya OIS (28-84mm eq) is bundled with a FREE Garmin Forerunner 25 GPS Running Watch (Large, Black/Blue), all together going for $200 with free shipping at B&H Photo. This is a limited time offer (I do not know when it expires).
No coupon, no rebate. The free item will be included automatically while this offer is running. When the offer expires, you will not see the free Garmin mentioned on the page (see screenshot below). This is factory unlocked and works with compatible GSM carriers (check bands and forums and such). This is one of a few Intel Atom powered smartphones.
These daily deals expired but for more action, check their Featured Sales…
Today’s Microsoft big event launched “Windows 10 S” (Windows RT reborn in the shadow of ChromeOS), and a brand new Surface Laptop that comes with Windows 10 S out of the box (but upgreable to Windows 10 PRO for $$$). The Surface Laptop is going after the MacBooks, with prices starting at $999 and pre-orders and custom configurations available at the official Microsoft Store. It is expected to begin shipping mid-June 2017.
Customization is in the processor (i5 or i7), RAM (4GB to 16GB), on-board storage (128GB to 512GB SSD), graphics card (Intel HD 620 or Iris Plus 640) and color (four options). Some of the options are interlinked, so you can’t get every combination. It is also compatible with some of the Surface accessories, making it more of a system play if you are already part of the Surface ecosystem (Surface Dial, Surface Dock, etc).
The screen is a 13.5-inch with 2256 x 1504 (201 PPI) resolution, a 3:2, with Gorilla Glass. It is compatible with the Surface Pen, however a Surface Pen is NOT included, despite the $1000 starting price 🙁 It has a full size USB 3.0 port, but not SD card reader built-in. With a renewed focus on education, it will be interesting to see whether Adobe and other photo/imaging software companies will be more motivated to put more of their software in the Windows store. Battery life promises up to 14.5 hours of video playback. It can connect to a 4K monitor using the built-in Mini Display Port.
So there are some things going for it in terms of photography-related use. It’s obviously not a mobile workstation, but for people who need a sleek and modern-looking laptop with a long battery life and access to the Surface ecosystem, this might be of interest (as long as the software options work out for your needs).
If you need some semi-funny (maybe) entertainment, I was live-tweeting / live-trolling the announcement on Twitter 🙂
This 24-hour coupon promotion expired…
This 48-hour coupon ended, but another coupon is coming on Monday…
48 is the magic number! The Dell Refurbished store is a specialty part of Dell that resellers computers and hardware that came off leases. And for 48 hours, until Sunday 9am Central time, coupon code DELL48HOURS gets you 48% off at the Dell Refurbished website. Clearance items are excluded from the coupon discount. Free ground shipping is included. Coupon expires Sunday at 9am central time.
If you like to buy unlocked smartphones with USA warranty and also want to dabble into smartwatches, B&H Photo is bundling the new condition LG G6 (USA warranty, unlocked version) with the LG Watch Style for $650. The phone on its own goes for $600. The watch on its own goes for $250. All these are pre-orders.
On the other hand if you are comfortable with carrier phones and want to commit to 24 months of Sprint service, you can get it for $14.75 per month on 24 monthly installments through Sprint, on approved credit. This comes to just over $350 for the phone, but you are committing to 24 months on their Unlimited Freedom plan.
If you defy conventional wisdom and prefer the previous flagship, the LG G5, the one with the modules, including the camera module, you can get it unlocked with a USA warranty for $330 at B&H Photo. Or for $20 less you can get the AT&T models unlocked, but they have an AT&T logo on the back of the phone. IS a $20 discount enough for you to stare at the AT&T logo? (you can always hide it in a non-clear case).
As usual with all these, be sure to double check compatibility with the cellular networks you plan to use them with.
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Now you can take photography to the next (lower) level with the new Amazon Echo Look device. It is like an Echo, but with a camera! It has built-LED lighting and a standard tripod socket, along with AI that evaluates your fashion (bad enough we have to deal with the humans, now machines will be trolling our fashion choices). The price is $200 at Amazon’s website but you cannot pre-order it yet. It is by invitation only at the moment, so request an invitation if interested.
I requested an invitation for blog-testing purposes, and I almost immediately got an automated email from Amazon with this body of text:
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