Gift Deal for your little one & you.

[thekfc]

This is just a heads-up for you guys/gals who want to get something for the kids (girls).

Disney's Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs just came out yesterday on Blu-ray.

It is a 3 disc set "Diamond Edition" combo pack -  There is a Blu-ray AND the regular DVD version in there.
The best thing about it is - the price & the free bees. You can get it for as low as $5.

Explanations:
A lot of stores have it on sale this week for $19.99. But there is a $10 off coupon floating around bringing the price down to $9.99 but a few stores (& Amazon) are price matching each other. Plus some store are giving out free GWP.
Toys R Us have a promotion giving you a Snow White Royal Baking Set free with any $25 purchase - the DVD do qualify (TRU goes by the ORIGINAL price which is $29.99  & NOT the sale price) & they are also throwing in a $5 gift card.

So I got the 3 disc Blu-ray movie & the Baking set for $5 out the door from TRU. Now what will I do with a Snow White Baking set - I have no little girls in my family. hehe

Other store (like Best Buy/Wal-Mart) are throwing in a different free gift with purchase

I am not sure how long the gift card (or other) promotions will last but the coupon expires on Friday - 10/9/09

I am seeing a lot of store are having some kind of promotion or sale - they are not waiting for Black Friday.

Here is the link to the coupon.
http://adisney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/snowwhite/couponoffer/?cmp=dmov_dvd_sno_coupon_url_swoffer

[robert angel]

Nice thought, thekfc. I pointed this deal out to my wife, thinking her family back in Davao, PI would enjoy it. She reminded me that it was likely available 'on the street' there for about $1.50 USA. Usually you can ask them to play part of the movie for you, a good idea, as the quality can range from digital to non existent. Don't expect 7.1 surround sound, but if you check, there are a lot of well recorded flicks. Just don't try bringing them back to the states if they're not legit, unless you're a gambler.

Even in mall stores over there, the prices for DVDs, VCDs are usually a lot cheaper. We store bought (in the PI) the original "Charlie and the Chocolate Family" and it's a huge hit--the whole village has pretty much watched it. Another oldie, "The Blue Lagoon" is a big favorite. On the other hand, James Bond and Jet Li flicks on disk are usually a big hit too.

 I was amazed to see pirated movies actually on sale before they were even released in theaters--scary! Amazed also to be three hours from the nearest city, to hear the band 'Outcast' on some family's boombox--never stereotype any nation's taste in films or music.

Soft rock and country music (Carpenters, Air Supply, Little River Band and the like) are real popular. I'm pretty sure my wife's family will like and appreciate the music and values behind all of Merle Haggard's hits too and I plan on including them in our next balikbayan box, along with some Don Ho (Tiny Bubbles, anyone?--haha.

[thekfc]

Yes Robert, someone told me about the pirated movies over there BUT piracy is common where ever you go. Here in New York City - I see movies on the street days (or even a week or two) before they are released in the theater.

That deal I posted is great for those who are State side AND those free gifts are also great.

I didn't know how popular Disney toys were until I was a volunteer at a kids camp & later after visiting Disneyland.

[thekfc]

Now Bestbuy have Pinochhio (2 disc Blu-Ray + Standard DVD) for $9.99.

That deal is available online only BUT you can buy online AND do a store pick-up (if you don't want it to be shipped).
The in-store price is $29.99 - so do the above if you want it.

I am getting me 2 copies as this would be a great x-mas stuffing.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9143367&st=pinnochio&type=product&id=23869

[robert angel]

Hey the kfc, Sorry--I didn't mean to 'threadcrap' on you about your Disney movie post--I didn't realize you meant mostly for "USA consumption". Sweet thought for the kiddies and the 'young at heart'.

Despite what I said about new flicks, I still pick up movies and music here--usually lightly used--to ship back to the PI.

Anyways, if the deal you mentioned is kaput, best buys is running a sale on Pinocchio for $10 ($5 shipping or free instore pick up) and Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs for $25, with a $15 gift card back to you making it $10--that's in store, I believe. Pretty good for Disney Quality. I am looking for a deal on the newly remastered and unedited version  of "The Sound of Music" to send back to the PI. I can see them laughing and crying watching it already...

I get a 'heads up' on  lot of great deals, as I did here -- in advance- from a free consumer website called slickdeals.net-that site rocks. Just don't go broke saving money there!

I have picked up a lot of things--MP3 players, flash drives, clothes, sunglases and recently, a fairly loaded lap top for $449 to send to the PI.

Now we are trying to decide on the laptop if we should upgrade to Windows 7 for free, or go back in time and install XP. In my wife's family's area, Windows Vista--a resource hog that's not long for the world,, is nowhere to be found. Even Windows Office 2007 is problematic there--we're going to install free Sun Microsystems "Open Office.org" for school work and AVG or avast free antivirus, as well as free ad-aware and spy bot to help keep it running clean.Three of my wife's siblings are in college in Davao City will share the computer--they'll probably be printing papers downloaded to their flash drive at internet cafes. Office 2007 often won't print there. 

We're still looking for a good deal on a reliable voltage converter/regulator so the computer doesn't fry on them--they seem pricey, but I want a reliable one. My friend says his USA purchased laptops have always worked fine in Thailand w/o converters, voltage regulators,, but I think we need protection in the PI.
 
But what I'm REALLY wondering IS--if we send it packed VERY well in a balikbayon box--is there a real good chance they'll open the box, find it and charge us customs taxes and duty 'ransom' fees?--Ray--Bear--you guys have any idea? Ray wrote an excellent post about being careful on mailing electronics earlier. Sending stuff via the regular mail to the PI is risky business any time--not to mention often slowwww. Thanks folks!--Robert

[Ray]

Robert,

Philippine customs opens and inspects balikbayan boxes on a random basis but apparently not very often.

All of the shipping companies here always remind you not to send any electronics items because of the excessive duties if you claim it, or get caught. I believe used electronics items are taxed at a lower rate.

On the other hand, I have never heard of anyone being taxed on bringing in a laptop with their personal baggage. You might want to consider hand-carrying it on your next trip, and then leaving it behind.

Ray

[thekfc]

Hey the kfc, Sorry--I didn't mean to 'threadcrap' on you about your Disney movie post--I didn't realize you meant mostly for "USA consumption". Sweet thought for the kiddies and the 'young at heart'.

Not just USA consumption but overseas as well - buy it here in the USA & ship it in a balikbayon box.

Anyways, if the deal you mentioned is kaput, best buys is running a sale on Pinocchio for $10 ($5 shipping or free instore pick up) and Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs for $25, with a $15 gift card back to you making it $10--that's in store, I believe. Pretty good for Disney Quality. I am looking for a deal on the newly remastered and unedited version  of "The Sound of Music" to send back to the PI. I can see them laughing and crying watching it already...

I get a 'heads up' on  lot of great deals, as I did here -- in advance- from a free consumer website called slickdeals.net-that site rocks. Just don't go broke saving money there!

I know about slickdeals.net...I have been a member for the past 4+ years. I am one of the thread started on one of the Disney deals as well as many other deals. There is also fatwallet.com - it is also good but not as great as slickdeals.net.

Now we are trying to decide on the laptop if we should upgrade to Windows 7 for free, or go back in time and install XP. In my wife's family's area, Windows Vista--a resource hog that's not long for the world,, is nowhere to be found. Even Windows Office 2007 is problematic there--we're going to install free Sun Microsystems "Open Office.org" for school work and AVG or avast free antivirus, as well as free ad-aware and spy bot to help keep it running clean.Three of my wife's siblings are in college in Davao City will share the computer--they'll probably be printing papers downloaded to their flash drive at internet cafes. Office 2007 often won't print there.  

I am sooooooo glad they they are "getting rid" of Vista, I am getting a free upgrade for one of my laptops,  as soon as I get the disc later this month, I will upgrade, put it through the test & say goodbye to vista. I even downgraded my computer from Vista to XP.
Also the problem may not be with Windows Office 2007 but with Vista - Open office is good, I have it installed on my computer but I mostly used MO 2007.

We're still looking for a good deal on a reliable voltage converter/regulator so the computer doesn't fry on them--they seem pricey, but I want a reliable one. My friend says his USA purchased laptops have always worked fine in Thailand w/o converters, voltage regulators,, but I think we need protection in the PI.

Have you tried meritline.com or buy.com? I have seen good converters & adapters in the pass from them.

You may also want to check the voltage on your laptop adapter. Most adapters are for worldwide usage 100v/240v - I have 2 laptops (via slickdeals) and they both are. I am now looking for a netbook - something ultra light for traveling, I have seen a few but I do not want to go much over $200 - I may wait for Black Friday before pulling a deal on one as I don't really need it until January 2010 when I will travel to Hong Kong with friends for our "get together".

[robert angel]

Thanks for the info guys. Yes Ray, some of the canned meat there is quite awful. If the general diet isn't heart unfriendly enough there, (for those who can afford it) we'd never have to go to war against the PI--we're already killing them with our fast food joints!

Thekfc, I think that many laptops sold in the USA today are able to run on 110 or 240 electrical setups--as said, my buddy does Thailand (not my style) for over 2 months every year and always brings his USA bought Dell lappie 'as is' w/ no problems. Of course the plug is a diffrent prong set up in the PI. I also think that with--especially out in the provinces--electrical voltage fluctuations being more common, that it's wise to have a voltage converter and surge protector. I just hate that electrical frying smell.

I'll have to have another look at meritline and buy.com for such. Often their product descriptions are thin, but you never know. Just for HDMI cables there, you can save a bundle--I send a lot of people to them.

We got an ASUS net book last March for my sweetie's b day and it's great. We went with ASUS and I am really big on their products. Depends on the source, but some websites have ASUS ranking number one in quality (Apple was 2nd!) for two years in a row. They make a sweet medium level gaming laptop you can sometimes get for a lot less than $1000.

We picked up an external USB Samsung CD/DVD player/burner on Newegg for about $60 to go with the netbook and the netbook runs about 10 hours on the standard battery--amazing. Acer's pretty popular too, but ASUS gets most credit for basically inventing the netbook and the netbook's given a lot of credit for keeping Window's XP from it's previously scheduled demise.

On netbooks, I would stay away from the solid state hard drives (flash drive memory) for now and not go with a screen any smaller than 10 inches. Kinda wish we went with the 11.6 inch, but I don't have a time machine--they didn't have 11.6 screens then, as far as I know. 10 or 11.6--it'll still be about the size of a sheet of note book paper and less than an inch thick--like a small school book--amazing.

Joy still usually pulls out my Dell XPS 1330, which I cringe at the thought of how much it cost a couple years ago compared to day--and while loaded when new, of course it's old hat now. In computers and cameras--heck technology in general, everything is state of the art for about ten minutes. Do I REALLY need that new Canon G11 camera?

I think we'd bring the netbook overseas, but remember that they only run on wireless. But hey, maybe that would keep us from having to leave it over there as a good will gesture!

From what I've heard, ASUS is the only computer maker left that makes their own motherboards. And the computers in the USA are usually using MOBOs (mother boards) that are only built to Latin American standards. We are seeing a lot of computer--especially laptops--failing and it's often the pricey MOBOS.

I've seen some real deals on the Acer netbook and I wouldn't add an extra gig of memory like we did--it should run XP all day just fine on one gig. We added a second gig and it doesn't make sense--but we think it runs a little hotter and no faster. Joy watches Filipino/Chinese soaps and video usually is a resource hog too.

Have a GREAT week!

[thekfc]

Thekfc, I think that many laptops sold in the USA today are able to run on 110 or 240 electrical setups--as said, my buddy does Thailand (not my style) for over 2 months every year and always brings his USA bought Dell lappie 'as is' w/ no problems. Of course the plug is a diffrent prong set up in the PI. I also think that with--especially out in the provinces--electrical voltage fluctuations being more common, that it's wise to have a voltage converter and surge protector. I just hate that electrical frying smell.

That is the one thing I have to need - a plug, I saw one last week with all the different prongs but I didn't bite at the time the deal is now dead - I am waiting for it to come alive again. I thing that it was less than $10.

I'll have to have another look at meritline and buy.com for such. Often their product descriptions are thin, but you never know. Just for HDMI cables there, you can save a bundle--I send a lot of people to them.

Yep, they are skimpy on their description - I think their train of though is that they think that their customers already "know about the product" & they are just offering a better price. I still have about 10 HDMI cables and a few optical ones as well that I got from them that I haven't uses yet.

We picked up an external USB Samsung CD/DVD player/burner on Newegg for about $60 to go with the netbook and the netbook runs about 10 hours on the standard battery--amazing.

I have an extra XBox 360 HD external drive that I can use. I did buy 2 when they were super cheap.
 

On netbooks, I would stay away from the solid state hard drives (flash drive memory) for now and not go with a screen any smaller than 10 inches. Kinda wish we went with the 11.6 inch, but I don't have a time machine--they didn't have 11.6 screens then, as far as I know. 10 or 11.6--it'll still be about the size of a sheet of note book paper and less than an inch thick--like a small school book--amazing.

I am eyeing the Acer or the Dell Mini 10.
I bought a Mini 10V for my god-daughter (160Gig HD, 6 cells, cam, XP, everything) She loves it. I got it for less than $200 (new) - I should have bought 2 but I wasn't thinking at the time
I do not want something bigger than that as I already have 2 laptops  - a Toshiba & a HP - both slickdeals. I just need something ultra light for traveling. 

[robert angel]

I actually had some 'play' time with the Dell mini and I was impressed with the fit and finish. The ASUS just feels more 'plasticky', but I still think that ASUS is better than most brands for quality. But the mouse pad buttons are a bit hard to the touch on our ASUS netboook--I almost returned it for that!

Sometimes I do buy price point--actually more often than not and Dell and Slickdeals.net fits that bill well. I have two Dell lappies to show for it. (plus an HP and even a Gateway between work, wife and two sons) Did you see that Acer Predator desk top for $999? It was bizarre looking, but apparently it can shred steel!

At the same time, talking quality and electronics--well, usually if it's going to break, it's gonna break well before the warranty expires--usually.  I know I'm not talking to some dummy here, so I hope you're not offended. Geeze--I haven't even figured out how to post pictures here--I got techno slapped in my tracks--lol--maybe some other day--I thought an 'url' --that thing that hangs me up on DLing pics was a TV character--oh that's right--isn't that Ertl--that geeky black sitcom kid in the suspenders and eye glasses some time back?

Just lately, I am trying to figure out Microsoft Office 2007 'Calendar" and a new data system at work called  "Tienet" and it's never a dull moment--they basically send us some arcane 'links' and then we just have to basically learn it ourselves. Kind of like learning to ride a bike--you have to get on it!

[michaelb]

To post pictures, click 'reply' (or, if you want, start a new thread). Then click 'Additional Options'. In the 'Attach' area, browse your machine for the picture(s) you want. 

[thekfc]

Did you see that Acer Predator desk top for $999? It was bizarre looking, but apparently it can shred steel!

yep that is one mean machine.



On a side note, I just traded coupons/vouchers with a co-worker of mine.  I gave her the voucher for a Sephora makeup kit - not the cheap quality one:the makeup kit is of no use to me so I traded it. In return she gave me her credit to the Apple store. I am NOT an Ipod/Iphone person but I am thinking of getting the ITouch as a gift for later on.

I use the Nokia E71 as my data/smart phone & my choice of music devices are the Sansas & Zunes.

[robert angel]

Hey, thekfc--gotta laugh--not sure where you got that great shot of the Acer Predator--but two thumbs up (actually--I'm ALL thumbs--so guess you get ten) It's one scary beast that you couldn't build for that price w/ that nvidia vid. card, new Intel i7 chip--equivilent of 8 cores? AND liquid cooled?

Liquid cooled on it sounds neat, but I've had enough problems with puppies.....

That Nokia you have is supposed to be a great one--I am almost willing to pay someone to take my Blackberry Storm--what a failure that was. Now Verizon's talking about a Google Android phone for the holidays..In the Philippines and Asia in general--Nokia rules and they have phones we couldn't imagine here. They have phones you can load your credit card limit into and buy clothes or groceries, then use the phone to unlock your car or condo doors. No wonder that even kids who load a 20 peso 'load' into their phones, always lock them after use. It's amazing how in a country with 30 of the approx. 90 million people making less than a dollar a day--almost everyone has a cell fone--even the little kids. They can usually text faster than I can talk--a lot cheaper than voice too.

There as here, Apple products carry a lot desirability. Ipods, video, etc. Approx 70% of the first iPhones were never registered with AT&T as was 'required' they were hacked and used in places like Thailand, the PI and eastern Europe. A lot of the ones sold on fleabay--err 'E Bay' are clone fakes sold by people who manage to send in a load of their own postive feedback first, then fold up and reopen using the same scheme. Heck, besides electronics, they're even faking 'old' USA silver dollars now--and they look very real, using alloys now so they're non magnetic...

I got my son a Sansa MP3/4, AM/FM/voice recorder--8gb and has a micro sd slot for 8gb more--I agree, Sansa's the way to go, but as you say, the Zune has its charms also--like Apple--but for a premium usually. We picked up on a slickdeal to send Sansas to wife's siblings in the PI. All kinds of memory over there--SD, flash drive, computer--heck, computers them selves and digital cameras--cost ridiculously more there than here--never mind that they're built over there or not far away.... I am sure you know, but I almost never spend more than $2 a gb for non computer memory and we're sending a lot of flash drives over there--well concealed in balkbayon boxes to avoid the predatory taxes & duty fees, hopefully....

[piglett]

I will upgrade, put it through the test & say goodbye to vista. I even downgraded my computer from Vista to XP.

Hey what is involved in downgrading vista to XP?
my mother purchased a new Dell desktop & the dam thing is really picky on what software it likes.
so now she has a $1000 computer that she can't use ......thanks vista


piglett

[thekfc]

Hey what is involved in downgrading vista to XP?
my mother purchased a new Dell desktop & the dam thing is really picky on what software it likes.
so now she has a $1000 computer that she can't use ......thanks vista

Piglett, you have a few options:

1 -Downgrade.
2- Dual boot
3- upgrade to Windows 7

When did she buy the computer? she may be able to get a free upgrade to Windows 7.

To do 1 or 2 you will need to do the folllowing first:
1st - you will have to find the necessary drivers for the computer make sure that you have them - do not install XP until you have all the drivers on a cd.

2nd - As XP CANNOT read read Vista backup - backup all your important data onto an external hard disk manually (via a USB or eSATA connection) so that you can easily get it back once XP is up and running. Make sure you back up the entire C:\Users folder, which will catch your Documents directory, anything on your desktop, and application data such as stored e-mail.
   
These are the steps involve in downgrading to XP/installing XP:
    * Do a full backup of your current, Vista system. If something happens, you can always revert to the backup.
    * Boot your computer off the Windows XP disc. Just pop the CD into the CD-ROM and reboot. If, for some reason, your computer boots without looking for the CD drive,
      you need to go into your system BIOS and change the boot order so that it checks for the CD drive during the boot process.
    * When the computer asks to press the space bar to boot from the CD, do so.
    * When Windows XP Setup starts up, press “R” to enter the recovery.
    * If it asks you to choose a Windows installation, press a number and hit Enter. The likely number will be 1.
    * If you get asked for an Administrator password, enter when asked. If you do not know it, you will need to abort and go back into Windows Vista to get your password.
    * At the command prompt, we’re going to use the “fixboot” command. We’ll use the following commands in sequence to prep for XP:
      Code:
      fixboot
      fixmbr
      cd \
      ren windows winvista
      exit

    * When done, reboot the machine again using your Windows XP CD. This time, you can proceed normally with a normal XP setup.

When setup is complete, what you’re going to have is a separate installation of Windows XP. You’re still going to need to re-install your applications and manually move all your data. You will see Vista’s documents on the hard drive. Just move them over to the location you want them to be.

Do a dual boot installation:
Install XP alongside Vista, using a dual-boot configuration. You'll need a second hard drive, or a second partition on your primary drive, on which to install XP.
Thereafter, you'll be prompted to choose between XP and Vista each time you turn on your PC.
This way you can also get all the drivers for XP - then you can later safely uninstall Vista.

Upgrade to Windows 7:
I haven't upgraded to Windows 7 yet & haven't gone through the steps yet - I am waiting on the disc to arrive. Soon as I get it I will upgrade my laptops.

Whichever one you choose will be better than Vista - let me know if you need any further assistance & I will point you in the right direction.

[thekfc]

For anyone near a Walmart.

Xbox 360 Arcade $199 w/ $100 Gift Card on Saturday.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=648061&povid=cat14503-env172199-module110409-lLinkSP1&sourceid=38030797380598261298

[piglett]

Hey kfc thanks for the info on vista
as far as removing any files.......there are zero to be removed
all the system has is what it came with.
none of the other software that she had would work, or at least i couldn't get it to work.
so after beating my head against the wall for 2 hours i through up my hands kissed my mother goodbye & headed home.
& that was the last time the system was turned on as far as i know.
this was probably about 2 years ago.


piglett

[piglett]

KFC you shouldn't post things like this  , if i wasn't saving my cash for a plane tichet i would be all over this baby.
BTW does the xbox 360 play blue-ray??

[thekfc]

KFC you shouldn't post things like this  , if i wasn't saving my cash for a plane tichet i would be all over this baby.
BTW does the xbox 360 play blue-ray??

That is a great deal an Xbox 360 for technically $99.  I would jump on it too but I already have an xbox 360 & a PS3.

Negative, the Xbox 360 do not play blu-ray only the PS3. The Xbox 360 plays HD movies via the HD add-on. I did get a HD add-on when they were on clearance out along with plenty of HD movies for dirt cheap.

[piglett]

That is a great deal an Xbox 360 for technically $99.  I would jump on it too but I already have an xbox 360 & a PS3.

Negative, the Xbox 360 do not play blu-ray only the PS3. The Xbox 360 plays HD movies via the HD add-on. I did get a HD add-on when they were on clearance out along with plenty of HD movies for dirt cheap.

AAAAh OK i thought both systems would play blu-ray
Well i guess I'll pass on the "360"
maybe it had some other features that the PS3 doesn't have?
i may go online & see if i can find an Atari 2600 like i used to have as a kid
i guess I'm a bit out of date cause that was the last & only game system that i ever had.



thanks piglett

[thekfc]

AAAAh OK i thought both systems would play blu-ray
Well i guess I'll pass on the "360"
maybe it had some other features that the PS3 doesn't have?
i may go online & see if i can find an Atari 2600 like i used to have as a kid
i guess I'm a bit out of date cause that was the last & only game system that i ever had.

thanks piglett

Atari 2600, I remember those  . 

I view the two mains systems as follows:
XBox 360 - have much more games
PS3 - better entertainment system - the PS3 is basically the best blu-ray player on the market.

[piglett]

Atari 2600, I remember those  . 

I view the two mains systems as follows:
XBox 360 - have much more games
PS3 - better entertainment system - the PS3 is basically the best blu-ray player on the market.

well..........does the PS3 have action games where i can kill lots of things & cause plenty of damage??
if so that sounds really good to me


thanks piglett

[thekfc]

well..........does the PS3 have action games where i can kill lots of things & cause plenty of damage??
if so that sounds really good to me


thanks piglett

Yep 

[piglett]

Yep 

SWEET
Well once i get these 2 trips out of the way
yes 1 should be in Jan & a 2nd within 90 if things all go as planned.
I'll have to treat myself to a new toy

thanks
piglett

[thekfc]

Piglett,
I bite on the XBox 360, I was trying to resist so much. I already have both aPS3 & XBox 360. I intentionally didn't go online when the deal when live.
I did tell a few friends about the deal & they got it. Then one of them call me & told me that Amazon was matching the Walmart deal and he gave me one of his $50 promotion code.

So I paid $150 & got a $100 gift card - my net charge: $50.

So I paid $50 for a XBox 360 that I do not really need.