Updated at 6:38 p.m. PST with comment from Barnes & Noble spokesperson.
If you're planning to head into a Barnes & Noble this week to get your hands on a Nook, put your plans on hold. Barnes & Noble said Sunday that it won't be featuring the e-readers in stores for sale or demonstration until December 7 due to excess demand for the device.
"A very limited supply, along with demo units, will be available in our highest-volume stores only, beginning December 7," Mary Ellen Keating, Barnes & Noble's senior vice president of corporate communications and public affairs, told CNET in an e-mail. The bookseller had originally hoped to have a limited number of the much-anticipated e-reader in some stores on Monday.
You're going to have to wait a little longer than expected to see one of these displays in person.
(Credit: Barnes & Noble)The week delay comes because the bookseller is making it a priority to deliver the $259 Nook to customers who ordered the device before November 20, Keating said, adding that the reader is starting to ship this week.
This isn't the first time eager Nook seekers have gotten disappointing news. When B&N officially entered the burgeoning e-reader market in late October, customers placing early preorders were told they could expect the Nook to ship by the end of November.
Earlier this month, however, the bookseller pushed that date back, telling preorder customers they could expect shipment by December 11. The company declined to say how many e-readers had been preordered.
Then, on November 20, B&N announced on its Web site that its e-reader, a challenger to Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader, is officially sold out through 2009 and customers ordering after that date wouldn't receive the device until January 4.
"The hottest holiday gift is out of stock," a message at the top of the page reads. "Order the Nook today to be first in line for the new year."
As my colleague David Carnoy has noted, the Nook delays could be good news for Amazon, which should have plenty of its e-readers available (B&N responded to this prediction by noting that it created Nook holiday gift certificates that can be wrapped and given to recipients). We'll have to wait and see how the end-of-year numbers shake out.
Hopefully by now you've figured out that all this Black Friday and Cyber Monday hype is a bit overblown, and that the busiest shopping days of the year are still to come in mid-to-late December.
That said, there are still some decent deals to be found if you missed those hard-to-snag Black Friday doorbusters. We've handpicked a few Cyber Monday laptops to check out if you're returning to work on Monday and looking to get as much holiday shopping as possible done online.
Acer Aspire AS5534-1121
$399, Best Buy
AMD Athlon dual-core L310; 4GB RAM; 320GB HDD; 15.6-inch display
This Cyber Monday special has a processor that's at the low end of the dual-core spectrum, but it's certainly better suited for mainstream tasks than a single-core Atom CPU, and priced the same as an average Netbook.
Sony Vaio NW238F
$698, Wal-Mart
Intel Pentium T4300 CPU; 4GB RAM; 400GB HDD; 15.5-inch display
Offered as an online-only special, this 15-inch laptop is less than $700, with Blu-ray. That's a decent deal, but a similar model, the Vaio NW270, is available for around the same price (depending on the store) with the same Blu-ray drive but a better Intel T6600 processor.
HP Mini-110 1030NR (refurbished)
$259, J&R
Intel Atom N270; 1GB RAM; 160GB HDD
New-York-based J&R is offering two Netbooks for a very decent $259--the best non-rebate, non-subsidized price we've seen on a standard Intel Atom Netbook. The HP Mini 110 is usually around $329, and it is one of our favorite Netbooks. On the down side, it includes Windows XP instead of Windows 7, and the included warranty is only good for 90 days.
Fujitsu M2010
$259, J&R
Intel Atom N280; 1GB RAM; 160GB HDD; 10.1-inch display
When we reviewed the Fujitsu M2010 Netbook, we were generally unimpressed with this overpriced $449 me-too system. For $259, however, it's a steal. Unlike the HP Mini 110, it's new, not a refurb, and it has a full one-year warranty. But like the HP, it also includes Windows XP.
If your eyes aren't crossing yet from reading about all those Black Friday deals (and if you follow The Cheapskate, we're guessing they aren't), we've got another bargain to tell you about on this pre-Cyber-Monday Sunday.
(Credit:
Brother)
Staples is knocking $70 off the $119.98 Brother HL-2140 laser printer, which puts the device at $49.98 with free delivery. That adds up to a solid deal for this home and home office peripheral.
The monochrome printer measures 6.7 inches by 14.5 inches by 14.2 inches and weighs 15 pounds. It has a print speed up to 23 ppm and resolution up to 2400x600 dpi. It has an input paper capacity of 250 sheets and an output capacity of 100 and comes with a one-year manufacturer limited warranty.
More than 300 customer reviews on the Staples site added up to an overall 4.3-star (out of 5) rating for the device, with easy setup, fast print time, compact design, and sharp detail rating among commonly cited pros, and a few people dinging it for flimsy construction and easily jamming. CNET users weren't far behind, giving the printer an average of 4 out of 5 stars.
In any case, if you're looking to print out all those other deals you read about on CNET in the last few days, $49.98 isn't a bad deal for a printer by a reputable maker that appears to score well with consumers.
Got questions on how to choose a printer? Check our CNET's Printer buying guide. It breaks down printer users into various categories--home user, digital photographer, entrepreneur, budding novelist, etc.--to help you figure out what you sort of specs will best match your needs.
On Sale Now: $49.98 - $124.12
View the latest prices for Brother HL-2140
A month after Apple started selling its iPhone in China, the device expanded its Asian reach Saturday with a much-heralded launch in South Korea.
In keeping with the tradition of waiting in line for hours in advance of an iPhone launch, hundreds queued up overnight outside the Olympic stadium in Seoul to snag the smartphone as soon as it officially landed amid blaring music and strobe lights. The hoopla appeared to far trump the phone's more subdued arrival in China, where it launched in the October cold and rain to smaller-than-expected crowds.
(Credit:
Apple)
KT Corp, South Korea's second largest mobile carrier (after SK Telecom) and the local distributor of the iPhone, says about 65,000 people have preordered the device, which hit the South Korean market two months after the government approved its sale.
Mobile penetration in South Korea is high--an estimated 93 percent of the country's population subscribes to a mobile service--but smartphones have yet to take off there due to cost, lack of apps, and high data rates by mobile carriers.
"We're hoping that this iPhone will be a trigger point for the smartphone market in Korea," said Yang Hyun-mi, chief strategy officer at KT Corp, according to the Canadian Press. Smartphones make up just 1 percent of all cell phones in South Korea, she said.
KT is pricing the 32GB iPhone 3GS at 396,000 won ($338) for customers who subscribe with a monthly service fee of 45,000 won (about $38). Customers who subscribe with a monthly fee of 65,000 won ($55) can get the phone for 264,000 won ($225). And premium users who sign up for monthly plans based on a 132,000 won ($113) basic rate can get the phone for free.
An 8GB iPhone, meanwhile, can be had for 132,000 won for subscribers signed on the 45,000 won monthly plans.
KT projects that iPhone sales will fall anywhere 200,000 to 500,000 units, a showing that's widely expected to shake up the country's mobile market. For years, the Korea Communications Commission used technical rules to stifle competition, allowing homegrown giants like Samsung and LG Electronics to take over the market, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Indeed, in good news for cost-conscious consumers, Samsung has already slashed the price of its 8GB Omnia 2 smartphone by 44,000 won ($37.50) to 924,000 won ($788).
Watch a South Korean iPhone television spot below.
I'm sure that all Dell laptops are wonderful machines that would make perfect gifts for even the most misanthropic, laptop-loathing humans.
However, my feelings were temporarily frozen, not unlike Michael Douglas' forehead, when I espied that Austin's finest was trying to garland this holiday period with a Netbook that seems to have special twittering powers.
I see the liquid remnants of your scoffing floating through the ether. However, please peruse the picture with which I have decorated this post.
(Credit:
Dell.com)
It's from the Dell site and it seems like a normal Dell Netbook, doesn't it? The blurb beneath this picture declares, "Build it your way make it your own," which is quite a tempting offer when you consider the price seems to be a vastly generous $299.
Yet this sweet little device appears to be called the Twitter Mini. And the promise that Dell offers reads: "Perfect for Tweeting! Windows 7 Starter Included!"
Naturally, I am already excited. It has been something of my month's dream to find a device that is perfect for pumping out my 140 finest characters. But I'm stumped to the point of limping to work out why this particular Netbook is perfect for tweeting and others aren't.
I clicked on the image and found myself at this page, which offered me nothing other than some severe pain in my neck and brain.
While telling me this was a Netbook, and while mentioning that this series of Netbooks was "small, ultraportable, and designed to keep you connected," there wasn't even a mention of the word "Twitter."
Look, were there a Technological Olympics, I would not even make it as a hostess. But could someone please explain to me why the Twitter Mini is perfect for tweeting when the Mini 10, for example, is perfect for, well, according to the site, nothing at all?
Does the Twitter Mini automatically shorten tweetable URLs if I just stare at the screen? Does it have a direct and very hot line to Ashton Kutcher, Shaquille O'Neal, Stephen Fry, and that weird Russian girl who keeps following me, even though the Twitter folks keep deleting her naked entreaties?
Or did someone in the Dell marketing department get a little over-excited? Please feel free to send me a tweet.
Psystar's recent legal woes keep proving the company's insanity. New documents show that these guys planned to sell at least 1.45 million Mac clones by 2011. How many did they actually sell in the past year? 768.
The best part is those are conservative estimates. According to Psystar's aggressive predictions (divulged in legal documents as part of Apple's ongoing litigation), the company planned to move 12 million computers by 2011. 12 million! That's a far cry from the triple digit numbers they managed to sell.
The other best part is that Psystar pitched their inevitable legal battle with Apple as a competitive advantage, claiming other companies would want to stay away from that mess. Imagine asking the bank for a loan on a truck, saying you'll use it to haul stolen TVs, and arguing that fear of getting arrested will make yours the only TV truck in town. No wonder these guys are going under.
The documents were provided as part of the upcoming injunction proceedings, where Apple is trying to halt sales of Psystar's products. Hey Apple, I know this is all about protecting your IP and all, but going by those dismal figures, you really don't have to worry about Psystar's sales.
This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.
Real Tennis 2009 is one of eight games now on sale for 99 cents.
(Credit: Gameloft)Remember a few weeks back when Konami cut its iPhone/iPod Touch game prices to 99 cents? (They're still available, FYI.)
Now Gameloft has followed suit, offering some (but not all) of its game titles for the appetizing price of a buck apiece--a significant savings in some cases. Here's the rundown (links are to CNET reviews where applicable, otherwise to the App Store):
- Blades of Fury (originally $6.99)
- Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes (originally $9.99)
- Castle of Magic (originally $4.99)
- Hero of Sparta (originally $5.99)
- NFL 2010 (originally $4.99)
- Real Tennis 2009 (originally $4.99)
- Shrek Kart (originally $4.99)
- Terminator Salvation (originally $9.99)
These prices are good until Sunday, November 29, so act fast if you want to stock up on some seriously good games for some seriously low prices.
Me, I'm grabbing NFL 2010, Terminator, and maybe Castle of Magic for the kiddos.
(Credit:
Jacques Gene)
Chances are good that someone on your shopping list is pining for an iPhone for the holiday season. If you know of such a person, then we've got a surprise Black Friday deal for you. AT&T is offering refurbished 16GB iPhone 3Gs for $49 for new customers. That's the shipped price, and they're even waiving the activation fee, normally $35.
The refurbished units have the same warranty as new units so you don't have to worry about getting someone junk. As an owner of a refurbished 3G I can attest to the quality of the devices.
Of course a two-year contract with AT&T's iPhone plan is required, but anyone who's asking for an iPhone probably already knows this. Currently, the 16GB black is out of stock, but the 16GB in white is still available.
(Credit:
Perfect Third)
Please forgive me if I take the easy humor route and inject a few "Twilight: New Moon" jokes into my posts over the next few days. I haven't been sleeping well and when that happens I get groggy and tend to go for the easy laugh. The problem is that some nights I just don't get enough sleep (no, not a vampire). I go to bed at different times and always try to wake up at 8.
That being said, I'd like to try the WakeMate sometime to see how it can help me be more rested so I can make better jokes for all of you. It's a cell phone accessory that monitors and analyzes your sleep and then uses the data to wake you up at the optimal point in your sleep cycle.
Sleep analytics like this have been around for a while, but WakeMate appears to be the first system that uses off-the-shelf components (Bluetooth, iPhones, etc.) to bring the method to the masses.
Sleepers wear a wristband that tracks movements during sleep. The motion data is then analyzed to determine sleep patterns and circadian rhythms and sent to a device, like an iPhone, via Bluetooth. At just the right moment in the sleep cycle, the alarm goes off, hopefully waking snoozers to a great morning. Also included are personalized instructions on how to improve your slumber.
The WakeMate is the first product from Perfect Third, a company funded by venture firm Y Combinator, which focuses on early-stage start-ups. Other noted Y Combinator-funded companies include Loopt, Justin.tv, and Reddit. WakeMate is available for preorder for $49.99 from Perfect Third's site and we're guessing we'll hear a lot more about it in the coming months--if we can stay awake, that is.
The WakeMate delivers data on your sleep patterns, as well as suggestions for getting more rested.
(Credit: Perfect Third)Researchers in Japan are developing robotic roller skates as a new form of personal mobility.
(Credit:
Tim Hornyak)
Toshinobu Takei of Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) demonstrated his "Unit-type Micro-Mobility" device at the 2009 International Robot Exhibition (iRex) in Tokyo this week.
We haven't seen too many gadgets like these, but what with the plethora of prototype personal vehicles like Honda's U3-X unicycle in Japan lately, they aren't surprising.
The prototype skates are actually mechatronic versions of "takeuma," which are old-school bamboo stilts that kids used to play with in Japan before their lives were consumed by cell phones and video games.
The aluminum skates move automatically when the user leans forward, but the attached poles must also be grasped. Users can roll or step forward with them.
Each skate contains a wheel, three accelerometers, and gyroscopes, and weighs about 11 pounds, according to Takei, part of AIST's Field Robotics Research Group.
Top speed is about 2.5 mph.
Takei said the skates are still in development, but added they are less bulky than a Segway.
Could they spark a new roller disco boom? Everyone would dance The Robot, of course.
