r3fresh

May Your Online Shopping be Merry…and Cheap (AGAIN!)

This is a re-post of an article published a year ago. Tips are still current. Updated.

So called “Cyber Week” is here and it’s expected to set records in profit for companies like Amazon, eBay, and many popular online marketplaces. Here is a list of the best websites to find the best deals during this internet shopping week:

1. Amazon- The biggest online store on the internet, it has everything and it’s always cheaper than real stores. Another plus is that you don’t pay tax on the items you buy.
2. Dealhack- Not a store, but a blog of deals. Updated frequently Dealhack finds the best deals from all of the popular websites around the internet. I saved $150 on a monitor when I used Dealhack.
3. Buy.com- Think of it as the “Electronics” section of Amazon. They have daily deals that even beat Amazon’s pricing. And their shipping is fast and cheap, perfect for the cheapskate like myself.
4. eBay- I never considered eBay as a place to buy new items, but there are vendors selling items throughout the site. I was comparing prices on RAM and if I were to buy it on eBay I would save $25 bucks. Nice. I wouldn’t trust eBay with any of your gifts, better deals elsewhere.
5. Dell.com- Who knew a crappy PC company had such great deals. Xbox 360 accessories X% off, mp3 players for cheap, and shipping isn’t to bad either.
6. PayPal- Using PayPal on certain websites could get you 20% cash back on your purchase. Amazon’s not on the list, but Overstock is. *Looks like the deal is ending soon, many stores have already been taken off the list.*
7. Retailmenot.com- Every site offers a “Coupon” code or “Promotion” code box during checkout, but do you ever have a code? With Retailmenot, you can search for codes for all of the popular stores. I used a code on Finishline.com and saved $25 bucks on $110 Nike Shox, not bad. Checkout Black Friday Coupons.
8. Woot!- No selection, limited stock, but you might find the occasional deal. Be careful though, not everything is new, some items are refurbished. Be sure to check out Shirt.woot.com, Wine.woot.com, and Sellout.woot.com for even more deals.
9. Geeks.com- Great deals all year for the geek in your family. Items don’t always come in their boxes and manuals are sometimes missing, but that’s why it’s for the geek in your family.
10. Overstock.com- The Kmart of online stores. There is a lot of crap you’ll need to dig through to get to the good stuff. Strangely, Mothers seem to love this site the most. Overstock is offering 20% cash back when you pay with your PayPal account.
11. Beatmyprice.com- Think you’ve found a really great deal? Enter the deal you found into the site and find even cheaper prices.
12. JungleCrazy- At least 70% OFF or more on specific items at Amazon.

Tags: blogs, christmas, coupons, deals, electronics, holidays, money, prices, sites, store, web

A Second Chance for Zagg’s InvisibleSHIELD

This is my second attempt at installing Zagg’s InvisibleSHIELD iPod skin. My first attempt ended in frustration and a really terrible looking film on my iPod Touch. After reading my post of hatred towards the InvisibleSHIELD, Zagg’s swift customer service left a comment on my blog with some tips and an offer for another chance.

Applying the film a second time, here we go. I started the process by reviewing all of the directions and the tips the customer service had given me. I didn’t feel any better than the first time, but at least I knew what I had to do and more importantly, what not to do. I started with the screen film and soaked everything down with the provided liquid solution. The first time I did this I was conservative with the spray and when the film was in contact with the device, it stuck. When the film is soaked it is easier to position and gives room for mistakes.

Tip #1: The provided spray is your best friend, use it and use it a lot.

Applying the back was the most difficult part and the part that made me the most nervous. Not only do you have to worry about air pockets, you also have to worry about positioning it correctly. Spraying the back heavily fixed much of the problems I had before and squeegeeing was much easier. I found that applying the film at one end and then slowly applying it to another got rid of most of the air pockets.

Tip #2: Apply the film at one end of the device and then slowly apply to the other end.

Once everything has been applied, leave it. It may look like you made a mistake, but you’d be surprised a couple of hours of drying will do. Any air pockets that you weren’t able to remove will be almost unnoticeable.

Tip #3: Let it dry.

Having a second time with the InvisibleSHIELD, I’m happy to say I recommend it. It can be frustrating the first time you apply it, but with the tips above and on the package you should be fine. If you do have a problem feel free to contact Zagg’s customer service, they’re great!

InvisibleSHIELD installation videos are also very helpful

Picture via Flickr

Tags: invisishield, ipod, protector, zagg

Zagg’s Invisible (Problem-filled) Shield

After buying a new iPod Touch one of my gripes had been it’s an even more scratch magnet that the first generation iPod Touch. After doing some research I found Zagg’s InvisibleSHIELD and it looked unbelievably cool, so I bought one.

The InvisibleSHIELD is a thin, transparent film used to prevent scratches on a countless number of gadgets. Zagg says the film was first used on U.S. Military helicopters to prevent speed damage. The film is promoted as being near-indestructible, but I would beg to differ.

Watching the InvisibleSHIELD installation video on the Zagg website was part of the reason why I bought one. The video looked extremely easy and hard to mess up, but it’s pretty easy to mess up. I started taking pictures of each step of applying the InvisibleSHIELD to my iPod, but about a minute into the process I stopped taking pictures due to complete frustration. (At one point, I was swearing at the device.) To apply the InvisibleSHIELD you first remove it from the paper (it’s like a sticker), then you spray it with a clear substance, and then you apply it to the device. The first two steps were relatively simple, but applying the sticker correctly was a difficult feat. I unsuccessfully applied the screen film and was unable to move the sticker without stretching it out. The circular home button now has a little air pocket, which the squeegee can’t remove. The strength Zagg promotes the InvisibleSHIELD has, was thrown out the window when my squeegeeing put a small scratch in the middle of the screen.

Applying the back film was a little easier, until I had to squeegee the air/liquid pockets out. After about 30 minutes of squeegeeing I got most of the pockets out. In the process I had also stretched out the film and it doesn’t fit correctly on the device.

After letting the film dry for a couple hours I noticed that the air pockets weren’t as prevalent. I also noticed the feel of the film, which is actually preferable to the actual iPod screen. The film is easier to hold on to and the number of smudges on the device has decreased. I feel safe to carry my iPod in my pocket, but I don’t feel safe enough to keep it in a pocket with my keys. If the plastic squeegee put a tear in the film, the keys definitely will.

The InvisibleSHIELD is a stealthy way to protect your iPod, but it’s also a difficult one. Applying the film gives no room for major mistakes, which will frustrate a perfectionist like myself. Once the film has been applied, it protects the iPod from the average wear and tear. I wouldn’t recommend the InvisibleSHIELD because it’s too expensive for what it needs to do. The film is $25 for the front and back film, which seems a tad steep for a couple pieces of plastic film. On Amazon there are many alternatives that are selling for only a few cents. Give them a try before you spend a pretty penny on an, in my opinion, gimmicky sticker.

InvisibleSHIELD Scratch Test

UPDATE: Zagg’s awesome customer service has offered to give me a second try. I will post my second attempt soon. Thanks Zagg for the great customer service.

Tags: case, gadget, ipod, protection