Daily deal – Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook mouse for $30

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 (seriously, who comes up with these names?).

This battery powered cordless mouse communicates with your PC using Bluetooth technology, so your laptop or desktop will need to have built in Bluetooth, or a Bluetooth USB adapter in order to use it.

The mouse is a tad smaller than a regular desktop mouse, but still features a scroll wheel, back button and a high resolution laser for tracking your movements.

The mouse even includes a carrying bag to prevent damage when you throw it in your laptop bag. The Notebook mouse 5000 works on Windows and Mac machines, and normally retails for $49.99, but is currently on sale for just $29.99 through Amazon.com. Since it is over $25, you’ll even get free shipping.

Daily deal – Kensington 120W universal AC laptop adapter for $30

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for a Kensington laptop AC adapter. This device can deliver laptop power up to 120W, making it idea for most machines, including those that require a little extra juice, like 17″ laptops.

The adapter comes with power tips for Dell, HP, Compaq, IBM, Lenovo, Toshiba, Sony, Gateway and Acer laptop computers.

A charger like this is idea if you need a cheap replacement or spare power adapter for your laptop. The Kensington 120W universal AC laptop adapter is on sale at Frys.com for just $30, and comes with free shipping. Of course, with a price this low you do need to know that the charger has been refurbished, which means it was once returned to the vendor, but has been returned to its “as new” condition.

At a price this low, I can highly recommend picking one up and keeping it around, “just in case”. Laptop adapters are often one of the things people tend to forget at their hotel, and an original replacement adapter for most laptops can cost as much as $100.

Daily deal – Belkin mini surge protector with USB charger for $16

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is a product I reviewed several months ago. The Belkin mini surge protector with USB charger has a really long name, but can come in quite handy on the road.

The device plugs into a single outlet and turns into a 3-port outlet with 2 additional powered USB ports. This combo means you can power several devices and charge 2 USB gadgets at the same time.

The prongs on the rear can rotate, which should help make it fit into any outlet you can find.

The mini surge protector only works on 120V, so don’t plan to take it abroad and use on foreign power networks with higher voltages.

The integrated surge protector is a great way to protect your equipment on the road, especially if you plan to use them in places with a less than reliable power grid.

The Belkin mini surge protector with USB charger usually retails for about $25, but you can pick one up from Amazon.com for just $15.26.

Daily deal – Sling Media Slingbox Solo for $140

by Scott Carmichael on

In my daily deal for today, you’ll be able to pick up one of the items we selected as the best travel technology products of 2008.

The Slingbox Solo allows you to remotely watch TV, anywhere in the world, using your computer or smartphone. The device hooks up to your home TV setup, through a cable box, DVR or directly to your cable/antenna signal, and streams the signal over the Internet.

Imagine being stuck in a rural hotel for a week with nothing but 4 local channels. Simply open your laptop and connect to your home Slingbox. You are now in full control of what you watch, and you’ll even be able to use the virtual remote control to change channels, or start programming on your TiVo.

I’ve been a huge Slingbox fan for ages, and highly recommend it for anyone who travels more than a couple of days a year.

The Slingbox Solo normally retails for $179, but if you purchase it from Buy.com through Amazon, you’ll be able to pick one up for just $139.99, that even comes with free shipping. When you get to the Amazon page, be sure to select Buy.com as the seller in order to get the low price.

Included in the box are the cables you’ll need to connect the box to your signal, as well as a special infra-red cable for remotely controlling your video source.

Daily deal – TomTom ONE Third edition for $85 (refurbished)

by Scott Carmichael on

It’s been at least a week since we posted our last GPS deal, so if you are one of the very few people left without a GPS unit in your car, this is your chance to score a pretty decent device, for a very decent price.

The TomTom ONE “Third edition” offers all the basic functions you’d expect from a car navigation unit, including spoken turn by turn directions, and the ability to download TomTom map corrections using your computer.

The device comes with a windshield mount, power cord, USB cable and adhesive mounting disc.

This TomTom usually retails for over $100, but since it has been refurbished, you can pick one up today from Amazon for just $85. Warranty on the unit is 6 months, so you are fairly well protected against any issues.

If you’d rather spend a little bit more for a brand new unit, check out this list of all sub-$100 GPS units at Amazon.