Posts Filed under: $1000 and Under

It's crisp. It's colorful. It's widescreen and it swivels. Plus, the Samsung Syncmaster 245T has HDMI inputs in addition to standard DVI and analog inputs. A 24", better-than-1080p TV, computer monitor and swivel head all for $800? Looks sweet to us.

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It may look a little strange, but the $600 B&W Zeppelin sounds perfect and sets a new standard for acoustics and ergonomics in the all-in-one iPod dock category.

Do we send too many discounts and deals your way? Hardly. In gift-giving, it is indeed the thought that counts but that doesn't mean you should also count away all your dollars when we can easily help you save a few. Something you may not know is you can often find great deals at so-called regional electronics chains instead of only relying on the big nationals or Amazon.com. And the good news is that all of these retailers let you get the same deals online and have merchandise shipped wherever you want. Here are three that could work for you.

Abt Electronics, a stalwart of the Windy City and one of the biggest consumer electronics retailers in the country that still happens to be family owned, is offering a Panasonic 32-inch high definition LCD TV for only $698 and free shipping. This normally goes for about $200 more.

Go West to Frys.com, which has the iRobot Roomba 400 for only $89.99 while it lists for $119 elsewhere. This little automatic vacuum cleaner seems smarter than some small dogs – or that kid you knew in school who ate the paint chips.

Finally, look to New York's B & H Photo and Video for a decent deal on the Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-ray Disc player. They're listing it for $289.95 while it often goes for about $100 more.

Happy shopping folks! Let us know how it goes.

Hi friends. In the mood for a good deal on a gift? We did a little poking around this morning to find some worthy stocking stuffers you might consider -- especially since the price tag is nice.

Amazon today is offering deals on SanDisk Sansa MP3 players, including a 68 percent off the list price for a 4 gigabyte Sansa e260, which will now only set you back $79.

eCost is wasting no time moving a small collection of JVC Everio High-Definition Camcorders. This is an excellent device that we've used personally and while a little on the bulky side compared to other consumer models the large hard drive and HD capability make for a fine experience. Normally priced at $1,700, eCost is willing to give it to you for $779. Move fast, though, not many are left.

Don't underestimate what a truly capable universal remote control can do you for you. Buy.com has a deal going on the Harmony Advanced Universal Remote, normally listed at $249 but right now going for $166.93 and you get free shipping.

We'll keep our eyes and ears open to help you out with your last minute shopping. We know you're just like us, waiting until the last possible moment...

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LG Electronics announced it is putting its second-generation hybrid high definition disc player on retail shelves, making good on a promise made in September at the CEDIA trade show to have the new devices ready for the holidays.

The LG Super Blu Player, officially known as the BH200, will carry a $999 price tag and is capable of reading high-definition discs in the two competing formats currently on the market, Blu-ray and HD-DVD. (Blu-ray is supported primarily by Sony and Panasonic while HD-DVD is the darling of Toshiba and Microsoft.) The player also works with standard DVDs.

Until the consumer electronics industry can settle on a single high definition format for discs -- something we don't expect to happen anytime soon -- a dual format player is the only solution for movie aficionados who just have to have the latest movie in HD.

While Samsung has announced its new hybrid player will be out soon for $200 less, during a visit to LG's headquarters in scenic Palisades, N.J., marketing vice president Allan Jason pointedly explained the value in LG's offering. "It's one thing to say you have a better price on a product. It's another to actually have product on store shelves," he said. LG says the BH200 is available at retailers nationwide, however a quick check of Best Buy's Web site shows product is sold out there and at its stores across the country -- even in Minneapolis, Best Buy's home town. Same goes for Circuit City online and at its retail locations, even in its Richmond, Va., backyard.

Kudos to LG for having a popular product. Too bad for those of us not fast enough to the store to grab one.

From BetaNews.

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Let's face it: The iPhone is amazing but it does have some limitations -- for one thing, its camera is lacking (no flash, no zoom) and you can't shoot or send video. By contrast, the $699 Nokia N95 boasts a Carl Zeiss lens with a 5-Megapixel (MP) camera (with flash), a built-in camcorder, up to 2-gigabytes (GB) of external memory, quad-band GSM, GPS location technology, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The latest U.S.-optimized iteration of the N95 is optimized for the high-speed 3G HSDPA networks of AT&T, so you don't have to depend on Wi-Fi hotposts to get fast Web surfing and uplodoading/downloading.

With the N95 you are given the opportunity of creating excellent images and videos and sharing them almost instantaneously with friends or fans. For example, the built-in Lifeblog application allows for instant uploading of text, images, and videos via your high-speed data connection to a personalized blog or to Flickr.com or almost any other blogging entity out there. For those with a keen eye and artistic bent, the N95 could be the perfect multimedia device for getting their creative voices seen and heard. And, of course, the N95 lets its owners listen to music, including FM radio, or watch videos, if they still want iPod-like features.

From Nokia

Optoma's newest 720p projector is a redesigned, resized version of the popular HD70 -- and gamers should love it. It's still busts out 1600 lumens (mmm...lumens) with a 4000:1 contrast ratio. But now it's 15 percent smaller and almost a third lighter, having trimmed its weight from six to four pounds -- making it easier to mount in your living/cinema /dorm room. The HD65 also includes HDMI 1.3, so can get the very best color from your Playstation 3, and keeps the price point stable at $1000 -- a great deal for a great projector. Granted, it's not 1080p, but you'll be amazed at the HD image quality of a good 720p projector like this one, especially with a good screen (or some of Goo Systems' awesome Screen Goo painted on your wall (and for a much cheaper price).

From Optoma

The movie buff in your family would certainly appreciate the new HT-SP908 Home Theater In a Box (HTIB) from Onkyo. Bonus points if said film fanatic also happens to have a soft spot for over-the-top tech. The feature list on the receiver alone makes this package a steal in the $750-$850 price range.

First of all, it's the first HTIB system to have state-of-the-art HDMI 1.3 connectors, which allow for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio playback (the latest and greatest versions of those sound processing standards). The built-in upscaling for all video sources makes sure regular DVDs, standard def TV shows, and home videos look HD-esque and top notch. It's also XM and Sirius satellite radio ready (you just need to get a subscription), and it has an integrated iPod dock. The included DVD player handles not only your standard DVDs and CDs, but also Windows Media, DivX, MPEG 4, and MP3 files. And let's not forget about the 7.1 90-watt-per-channel wall-mountable speakers.

This HTIB can handle just about anything you throw at it, just look at all those logos!

Essentially, it's a state-of-the-art home theater system for less than $1,000! Any one who wouldn't appreciate getting this for the holidays is obviously not playing with a full deck.

From Onkyo.

Got a DJ in your life? Here's the perfect gift: The recently-upgraded Numark's iDJ2 improves upon the original by bringing some of its more advanced functions from CD DJ units to this iPod docking DJ station. With some fancy technical maneuvering, Numark has been able to allow DJs to play and mix two songs simultaneously from a single iPod via the central color LCD display. With a complete line of inputs including USB, RCA, S-video, and phono, the iDJ2 can handle almost any stereo/digital input as well as output. The unit lists for $900, but can be had for considerably less online. Either for the professional DJ or the home stereo iPod fan, the iDJ2 provides the connectivity and portability they both need.

From Numark

Golf is a serious sport, with technical intricacies that can spawn hour-long conversations, stand-up demonstrations at bars, and, admittedly, extreme boredom on the part of onlookers. That said, we'd like to suggest you pick up the Adams DIXX Training Putter for the golfer in your life. He or she will be the envy of all other golfers, and you'll look like an all-star. This computerized putter will identify impact position, track swing path, face angle, tempo, and speed balance to help bring the golfer to the next level on the green. It sports a color LCD that will track the five "key factrors of a successful putter swing." The computer is also removable for those moments when your golfer just wants to ... golf.

From BHM Golf