Daily deal – Garmin c580 GPS device with MSN Direct service

by Scott Carmichael on

Sorry folks, my daily deal for today is yet another GPS unit, but this deal was too good to keep from you.

Inside this Garmin c580 is a special FM receiver that can pick up a data stream being broadcast on some radio stations. This data sends the most recent traffic information directly to the GPS receiver. In addition to traffic, you even get the local weather, gas prices and movie times. Imagine being able to tell your GPS unit that you want to be direct to the cheapest gas station within a 5 mile radius!

And to make things even better, the Garmin c580 has a built in handsfree carkit, which allows you to make phone calls though the integrated speaker and included microphone. You will need a Bluetooth enabled phone to use this feature.

The MSN direct service is not nationwide, so please check the MSN coverage site if you are thinking of purchasing this for the online services. The Garmin c580 comes with a full year of free service from MSN direct, and once this year is over, you can renew for just $49.95 a year (or $129.95 for the lifetime of the unit).

The device itself runs the familar Garmin interface, with their comprehensive Navteq maps, and with the built in text-to-speech feature, you’ll get real spoken instructions (turn left on main street).

A device with these specifications normally runs around $499, but it is on sale today for just $179.99.

So, to recap; you get comprehensive maps of North America, handsfree calling through Bluetooth, text to speech for directions and street names, an MP3 player, online services from MSN direct with traffic, weather, gas prices and movie times, the patented Garmin lock theft protection system and even the ability to add your own custom points of interest.

You’ll find the Garmin c580 on Amazon.com, which means free shipping and no tax for many states.

Daily deal – 40 LED headlamp for $8.50

by Scott Carmichael on

Today’s Daily deal is perfect for the more adventurous traveler. This 40 LED headlamp is powered by 3 AA batteries, and the manufacturer claims an 80 hour run time.

Of course, having a head mounted flashlight is great for basic DIY work around the house, but it will probably be in its element in the forest or when trying to navigate your way around a hotel during a power outage.

The lamp itself can be tilted down and you can select one of 4 different settings (3 different intensities and one flashing mode). On the dimmest setting, it should be enough to read a book during an overnight flight, or if you don’t want to disturb your significant other when you try and read in bed.

This flashlight normally costs $16.99, but you can pick one up for just $8.49 by using coupon code “M24802850POFF“. To make the deal even better, you also get free shipping, and no sales tax if you live outside CA or MA. The online store accepts most major credit cards as well as Paypal payments.

One word of warning though; I do not suggest purchasing this lamp if your life is going to depend on it. If your trip takes you to caves, mountain faces or anywhere your only light will be from your flashlight, then I recommend getting a professional lamp, like one from Petzl.

Product page (via Fatwallet.com)

Daily deal – Garmin Nuvi 270 GPS unit for $199

by Scott Carmichael on

The deal of the day for today, is the Garmin Nuvi 270 portable GPS unit.

This highly portable GPS device weighs just 5.2 ounces and has a 3.5″ high resolution display. At just 0.8″ thick, it’s the perfect device for in your car, or in your pocket.

At $199, this is not the cheapest basic GPS unit on the market, but the Nuvi 270 does have one trick up its sleeve: it comes preloaded with maps of North America and Western Europe.

In addition to this expanded map, the Nuvi 270 also has turn by turn voice prompts, which means you will get basic spoken directions (but no spoken street names).

Like most other Garmin Nuvi units, the Nuvi 270 comes with some handy features for travelers; a built in currency converter, measurement converter and even a world travel clock.

Included in the box is of course the unit itself, a car charger cord, a windshield mount and a self adhesive dashboard mounting disk, for people living in California and Minnesota, where mounting a GPS unit on the windshield is illegal.

The Garmin Nuvi 270 usually retails for $299, but it can be purchased from Costco.com for just $199 after a $100 instant rebate. The deal is valid till August 11th, or until Costco runs out of stock (if you get a message saying the item is not valid, try again in a few hours, Costco seems to keep “finding” new inventory).

The Nuvi 270 can be purchased here, just keep in mind that if you are not a Costco member, you’ll have to pay a 5% surcharge ($10), though I have read reports of that being waived if you pay with an American Express card.

Daily deal – Asus Eee 900 ultra portable notebook for $379.99 (after $100 rebate)

by Scott Carmichael on

The daily deal for this sunny Sunday is perfect for anyone who likes to travel light.

This Asus Eee ultra portable notebook weighs just a tad over 2 pounds, and comes with 20GB of storage, 1GB of memory, a webcam, Wi-Fi and a battery capable of up to 3 hours runtime. The machine also has a memory card reader, making it easy to add some more storage, or for copying photos off your digital camera.

This new generation of ultra portable machines has created an entirely new way of traveling with your computer. No longer will you need to drag along a 6 pound behemoth, or have to settle for the tiny screen on your PDA. At 2 pounds, it’s the perfect size for working on your next flight, or for making Internet phone calls in your hotel room.

There are 2 things I need to point out though; this version of the Asus Eee PC does not run Windows. While this may be a blessing for many people, it could also be quite a surprise if you purchase it fully expecting to turn it on and see the desktop you are used to. It is possible to install Windows XP, but you’ll have to get your hands on an installation CD and an external CD/DVD drive. Asus provides a DVD in the box with all the drivers you need to turn the Eee into a Windows notebook. The Linux version installed on the Eee offers almost all the applications you could ever need, including the Mozilla Firefox browser, Thunderbird Email, Skype, various media players and an open source office package.

If you really need Windows XP, and don’t feel like messing around with an installation CD or drivers, you can purchase a version with XP installed for the same price, but the storage space drops from 20GB to just 12GB.

The other thing I need to point out, is that this notebook sells for $479.99 “out the door”, you won’t get the sweet $379.99 price until you submit a form for an Asus sponsored $100 rebate.

The rebate is valid from August 1st until August 31st, so you have some time to think it through. The vendor only charges sales tax in California, and shipping is free.

Asus Eee 900 with Linux (20GB storage)
Asus Eee 900 with Windows XP (12GB storage)

Daily deal – free security software for your computer

by Scott Carmichael on

Today’s daily deal is not exactly travel related, but it is a necessity if you plan to take your computer with you on a trip, and use it in any public locations.

A-Squared anti-malware normally costs $39.95, but for just one day, it can be downloaded for free. This security package protects you from malware, spyware, trojans, keyloggers and a variety of other nastiness. When you connect to a public wireless hotspot, or even a wired connection in your hotel, you always run the risk of someone attempting to take control of your machine, or trick you into downloading spyware.

You even get free daily updates for one year, which means you’ll always be protected against the most recent threats.

There are 100’s of similar packages, including some free versions, so I’ll let you be the judge of whether this version is right for you. After reading the reviews and taking it for a spin myself, it really does seem to be one of the best in its class.

You have until tomorrow evening to download and install this free package, after that it’ll go back up to $39.95.