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As my holiday gift to you, I'm going to skip my usual rant about Microsoft's Surface tablets being kind of pointless without a keyboard, and how ridiculous it is that Microsoft charges extra -- a lot extra -- to give you one. Because, and this is a head-scratcher to me, the Surface tablets are really, really popular.
Thus, when there's a deal on one, I gotta share. So here it is: For a limited time, and while supplies last, the Microsoft Store has the Surface 3 tablet (64GB) for $399 shipped, saving you $100. And once you add it to your cart, you have the option to get a Type Cover (in your choice of four colors) for $79.99, a savings of $50. That gets you out the door for $478.99 (not including any applicable taxes), a much more reasonable price for that bundle.
I note that because CNET's review of the Surface 3, while very positive overall, also made mention of the high price of the keyboard compared with the price of the tablet itself. And Microsoft still seems unwilling to face the fact that no one buys a Windows tablet to use expressly as a tablet.
Sorry, sorry, started ranting again. Back to the deal.
The Surface 3 is a 10.8-inch tablet that runs Windows 10 in all its glory. This model comes with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage, plus a one-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365 Personal (worth $70). The processor is a quad-core Intel Atom x7 -- no speed demon, but sufficient for the kinds of mainstream computing tasks you're likely to do here. So you're covered for web browsing, word processing, Netflix, etc.
I definitely recommend reading the aforementioned review to learn more about the Surface 3's pros and cons. The truth is that if you're looking for a slim, lightweight, eminently portable Windows machine, there's not much else in this price range.
But I'm curious to hear your thoughts: Would you choose a Surface 3 over something else? Why or why not?
Bonus deal: You know all those Google Chromecast deals I've shared in recent months? Here's hoping you took advantage of one of them, because Google is currently offering a free movie rental from the Play Store. Scroll to the bottom and click "Redeem". Wait until your Chromecast is detected, then find the free-rental option and again click "Redeem".
What's amazing is that this offer extends to all existing Chromecast owners, not just those who bought one recently. Take note, though, that you must use the free rental by December 31. "Fury Road," here I come!
Bonus deal 2: One last shot at a great little stocking-stuffer: Get a 6-pack of Ace Teah 3-in-1 styluses for $6.99 (shipped free with Amazon Prime) when you apply the coupon code S3ZVQ2PZ at checkout. It's a pen, a stylus and a stand! And it comes in six different colors. If you grabbed these on Black Friday, hit the comments and share your thoughts.
Bonus deal 3: In case you missed it yesterday, be sure to check out my post about Paribus, the service that tracks product prices post-purchase and procures potential refunds. (Alliteration win!) In other words, it helps you get price-drop refunds without even trying.
Bonus deal 4: What do you get for the Star Wars fan who has everything? How about a couple of the coolest posters ever? StackSocial has three Lynx Art Collection Star Wars posters for $19 each (with free shipping). The regular price is $24.95, plus $6.95 for shipping.
These are 18x24-inch images of Rebel Fighter, Snowy Walker and Swamp Encounter. Alas, the estimated delivery is December 28-31, so they won't quite arrive in time for Christmas. But I still say they're a must-have for any fan's wall.
This article was originally written in CNET