Although it’s not immediately clear who makes this battery pack, it’s very clear that it’s a steal at $19.99. (Credit: Tumbletrade.com) One thing I learned during my recent travels is that you can never have enough juice for your mobile gadgets. For example, if you’re relying on your smartphone for GPS navigation in an unfamiliar [...]

Large capacity, small price. (Credit: Newegg) Ready to get serious about solid-state storage? If you’ve looked into SSD upgrades for your laptop, you know that you can easily spend upward of $175 for a measly 128GB drive. That’s fine for some users (myself included), but not nearly enough for others. This should be enough: For [...]

(Credit: 1SaleADay) Quick housekeeping note: There was a technical glitch yesterday that prevented the Cheapskate newsletter from being sent. Apologies for that, but remember, you can always check the site directly. As for today, I’m running way behind due to my travel schedule; everything should be back to normal come Thursday. Anyway. I know a [...]

You don’t often see 3-in-1 cables with a Lightning connector. (Credit: Ice Monkey) This is an update of a deal I wrote about a couple months ago. Until wireless charging hits the mainstream (with either Apple or Samsung leading the — sorry — charge), we’re all slaves to cables. For example, I’m currently traveling with [...]

Zinio offers a huge selection of digitally delivered magazines, many of which you can get free with this promotion. (Credit: Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET) Just last week I told you about Zinio’s new Z-Pass, a $5 subscription option that gives you a choice of three digitally delivered magazines per month. You can try that free [...]

If only Laplink offered more information about what this actually is. (Credit: Laplink) Greetings from 34,000 feet! Sometimes I still marvel at being able to get Internet access all the way up here. So, funny story, yesterday I received a press release indicating that today, and only today, Laplink is giving away its Laplink Sync [...]

After linking your CinemaNow and UltraViolet accounts, you can choose 10 free movies from a catalog of 22. (Credit: Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET) Remember CinemaNow? The company has been slinging digital movies since 1999. But although it got picked up by Blockbuster in 2009, it has never achieved what I’d call critical mass. Indeed, I [...]

Yep, it’s a full-size jukebox, complete with fancy lighting effects and support for CDs, FM radio, and MP3 players. (Credit: ShopTronics) Pinball machine: check. Vintage Coke machine: check. Now all you need is a jukebox to finish off that awesome man-cave, basement rec room, or retro-themed loft. Ah, but real old-fashioned jukeboxes limit you to [...]

The ZipKord universal laptop charger includes both AC and DC adapters and 11 power tips. (Credit: ZipKord) I hate cord clutter. But when I travel (like I’m doing right now), I’m stuck with it, what with all the power cords I have to stuff into my carry-on. My laptop’s AC adapter is among the worst [...]

These days, mostly it’s just hobbyists who build PCs from scratch. (Credit: PhotoXPress) Last summer I asked readers if it still made sense to buy a desktop. After all, laptops now offer more than ample power for most users, plus that whole portability thing. And with tablets starting to take the place of laptops, a [...]