As someone who loves to read, and someone who thinks most e-books are ridiculously overpriced, I'm liking this new trend of name-your-own-price e-book bundles.

To wit: StoryBundle is now offering the Halloween Horror Bundle, a collection of six horror-themed books with a price tag that's up to you.

Not sure you like horror? Try the bundle for a buck. Big fan of the genre? I'd say $1 per book is a steal. And if you're willing to pony up at least $1.25 $1.50 per book (i.e. a minimum of $9 total), you'll … Read more

My Comcast cable TV subscription gives me access to roughly three gazillion channels. Of those, I routinely watch maybe 15. So why am I paying for channels I don't want?

Because I have no choice, that's why. Indiegogo campaign Koo Dey Ta promises to change all that if it hits its $150,000 fundraising goal. The service aims to deliver a la carte TV channels, meaning you can pay just for the ones you want to watch.

Intriguing, no? Although it seems like a long shot at this point, even the promise of such an option seems too … Read more

It's official: solid-state drives are awesome-sauce.

They're fast, shock-proof, battery-friendly, cooler-running than traditional hard drives, and, finally, affordable.

Case in point: Today only, and while supplies last, TigerDirect has the OCZ VTX3-25SAT3-120G Vertex 3 120GB SSD for $59.99 shipped. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF).

That's one of the lowest prices I've seen on a 120GB SSD, especially one with this pedigree. The Vertex 3 is a 2.5-inch SATA III drive that would make a mighty fine replacement for the pokey old HDD in your pokey old laptop. Of course, because … Read more

When it comes to behind-the-wheel navigation, I still prefer a dedicated GPS to a smartphone app (especially "smart" ones like the new Apple Maps -- just saying).

Of course, I'm a little spoiled now: I want a big screen, real-time traffic data, and all the map updates I can eat.

Ta-daaa: Today only, and while supplies last, Tech Woot has the Magellan 3065T-LM 4.7-inch GPS with lifetime maps and traffic for $84.99, plus $5 for shipping. Elsewhere it sells for $30 to $40 more.

Unlike a lot of the discount navigators I see these days, … Read more

Here's what I've learned recently: My 11.6-inch HP Pavilion dm1z is too small. My 18.4-inch Acer Aspire is too big. I need a laptop that's right in the middle, one that's slim and light enough to be portable, but large and powerful enough to handle my daily workload.

I think I've found it. For a limited time, you can get the Lenovo IdeaPad U410 ultrabook in sapphire blue for $649 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). That's after applying coupon code USPU42F1011 at checkout. It normally sells for $969.

Why the steep … Read more

I don't want to alarm you, but the clock is ticking.

The Windows clock, I mean. Microsoft's new operating system debuts October 26. This means that very soon thereafter, any new Windows laptop or desktop you want to buy will come with Windows 8.

Let me be blunt: As a desktop operating system, Windows 8 blows. It's completely unintuitive. It forces you to relearn the simplest tasks, like how to shut down your PC. (No, seriously; there's no more Start menu, so to shut down, you have to venture into the Settings menu. Seriously.) And from … Read more

Desktops are a dying breed, but they're still useful for people who want maximum horsepower -- especially for graphics -- at a minimum price.

Today only, and while supplies last, Geeks.com has the refurbished Gateway DX4860-UB33P Core i5-2320 desktop PC for $379.99, plus $20 for shipping. Regular price: $599.99.

This is a seriously loaded desktop -- with one exception. It's powered by a 3GHz Intel Core i5-2320 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and 1TB hard drive. Like USB peripherals? The tower sports a whopping 10 USB ports, two of them USB 3.0. Also included: … Read more

Update: According to software developer WonderFox Soft, iWonderSky Software is not allowed to give away WonderFox DVD Ripper licenses. Therefore, at the former's request, we have removed the link for the promotion.

Why settle for one freebie when you can get three?

From now until October 19, iWonderSky Software (which I believe was formally known as WonderFox Software) is offering CNET readers this exclusive: three Windows video utilities absolutely free.

First up: WonderFox DVD Ripper. Normally $39.95, it can convert just about any DVD into just about any digital format. It comes with profiles for a wide variety … Read more

One quick (and hopefully final) note about the SiriusXM Internet Radio fiasco from a couple weeks ago: It's over. The company appears to have pulled the plug on nearly all the giveaways, even if you received a confirmation e-mail. Fortunately, you can still get Pandora, Slacker, Songza, and plenty of other music-streaming services for free. Let it go, OK?

If you're unhappy with the audio quality from your TV's built-in speakers, you may have considered the Vizio sound bar I've written about countless times in this space. It often dips below $50, a hard bargain to … Read more