Cheap TV as a Gift Idea

A cheap TV makes a great gift idea for kids – and cheap doesn’t have to mean poor quality

These days, kids and teens have come to expect that they must have a personal TV in their bedroom. However, the new flat screen televisions may cost a bit more than you can afford for this indulgence. If your kids have been dropping thinly-disguised ‘hints’ for their own TV, there’s a way to make this happen without busting the budget. While they still have access to the nice, big family flat screen TV in the living or family room, a cheap TV is quite satisfactory for watching in their bedroom. So where can you find a quality cheap TV?

You have a few options. If you’re looking for a new cheap TV, go to the discount electronics store and look over the selections. There are the small, four inch screen TVs which operate on either electricity or batteries. Kids think these are really cool, probably because they’re accustomed to all the tiny electronic gadgets they already have.

These are also a good remedy for boredom when there’s a power outage. This type of cheap TV will run for about 4 hours on batteries. If you live in an area where winter power outages happen frequently and may go on for days, the cost of batteries can add up. In my rural location, this is a problem. If you’re in a metro area, this isn’t usually a concern. This type of cheap TV solution is also good for camping or fishing trips. You might want to wrap up an 8-pack of batteries with this gift and let the kids know they are responsible for future battery needs.

The battery-electric TV also makes a good gift idea for Dad, if he’s into fishing or camping adventures.

Another cheap TV option may be found at the thrift shops. Yes, indeed, if you have two or three kids, vying for the personal TV, this can be the way to go. Check out the selection at the Salvation Army or Goodwill type stores. They usually have several on hand, in a variety of sizes, often at unbelievably low prices. For example, you can probably pick up a 19 inch TV for about $25! Now that’s a cheap TV. For less than the price of the new, battery or electric powered TV, all three kids can have a TV in each of their rooms. The thrift store clerk will plug the TV in so you can see the picture quality and be sure it works. If the tag says “sold as is”, it’s probably not a good choice. Sometimes, it may be marked as such because a dial or knob is missing, or the antenna is broken. If you can make the repair, it might still be a good deal. If not, move on to another.

Another place to find a cheap TV is through the classifieds or at garage sales. These can be great deals. The seller might have recently upgraded to a fancier model, although there is absolutely nothing wrong with his old one.

So there you have it. Your kids will be happy and you’ll have saved a ton of money!

Garmin GPS V

Nothing stinks more than getting lost! There have been several occasions in my life where I’ve found myself driving, but clueless as to where I was. I’m sure you can relate. And if you’re like most of us, you probably pulled the trusty map out of the glove compartment to get an idea of where you actually were. Sadly you then realized that the map was a general U.S. map and had no details of the small town you’re in. Yeah, that’s when things really get fun. After a bit of driving in circles, searching for the interstate, you make the decision to pull over at a gas station and ask for directions. Just make certain you remember what they tell you or you’ll be back at square one. Now, if you’re still grappling with situations like this, you truly shouldn’t be. Not with technology such as Garmin GPS V at your fingertips.

I think all vehicles should now come standard with GPS navigation systems. It just makes sense. This is an accessory we all need from time to time. Especially if we’re headed out on a road trip. It’s pretty easy to lose your way in that labyrinth of roads and highways out there. But, with a Garmin GPS V you don’t ever have to. Even if you miss your turn or exit, the GPS system will redirect you and set you back on the right course of travel. The first time I used a Garmin GPS V I was shocked. I fell utterly in love with this high-tech mapping system. I didn’t even have to look at the little screen. I simply punched in my starting address and the destination address. The GPS system informed me of how many miles I would have to travel and what time I should expect to arrive. As I drove, it spoke to me and told me what exits to take. And even when I wasn’t able to take a particular ramp due to construction, the Garmin GPS V quickly re-routed. Now I never travel anywhere in a vehicle without my trusty GPS system.

A Garmin GPS V can assist you regardless of where you reside. These innovative devices have the entire globe programmed into them. All you need to know is your starting coordinates and your destination address, and you’re good to go. I guarantee you won’t get lost ever again. Take a Garmin GPS V on your next road tripping adventure.

Remote Control Car Ferrari Enzo, Cool

Over the holidays, good friends of ours drove to Grand Forks, which is just a couple of hours away, and just on the other side of the Canadian/American border. They wanted to take advantage of the fantastic post-Thanksgiving sales and spend some time together as a family.

These particular friends are what I consider to be power shoppers. They seem to intuitively know where to shop, when to hit the stores and make a beeline to the very best deals to be had.

They returned home laden down with shopping bags and boxes galore! They were able to fully stock their liquor cabinet, fill up their already packed closets, and bring gifts for everyone in our family to enjoy.

One of the absolutely best purchases they made was an incredible remote control car for their youngest son. Regularly retailing for as much as $250 US, they were able to get a steep discount, checking out at a mere $79!! This remote control car is cool – Ferrari Enzo. The range from which you can control the vehicle is unbelievable, and what is more, the remote control controls the headlights and turn signal lights!

Our family had to make a special trip over to our friends’ house just to have a look at this dream-come-true remote control car, for ourselves! Our own son was dumbfounded. He had never even seen any vehicle, even close to the likes of this remote control car. This baby sported an all leather interior with working horn and headlights, and is modeled after a the real Ferrari ultimate sports car. The paint job is a sweet racing candy apple red. My son was in absolute awe and drooling with envy. Without him saying a word, we already know what toy has moved to the top of our son’s list of wants! We only hope we’ll be as fortunate when finding a similar deal of our own.

In the past, we have done our best to find the best remote control toys for our kids. Last year, we were delighted to find one of hottest toys of the season – Robosapien – at a mere fraction of the original cost of up to $140. We just happened to be in a local store, just after Christmas. Some fortunate child must have received two of this much longed for toy and one was returned to the store shortly thereafter. We ended up with the extra one, paying a mere $20 to account for it previously having been opened. Upon arriving home, we were pleased to discover that on top of the already ridiculously low price, our new toy also contained at least $10 worth of brand new batteries! Our son was thrilled with his new toy and spent hours programming it to carry out a host of various tasks.

Sadly, the novelty didn’t take long to wear off, and Robosapien now sits on a shelf collecting dust. All our son can talk about now is getting a remote control car, just like his friend. As parents, we are torn between knowing how quickly he’ll move on to the next latest and greatest toy, and wanting to fulfill our son’s every childhood fantasy. In the end, we know, that all the toys will be just a blur. We can only hope that the joy that these toys temporarily bring, will long remain a happy, childhood memory.

If you are interested in this very cool Ferrari Enzo remote control car, go here for the $79.95 deal:

http://coolthisyear.com/remotecontrolcar

Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K

Many avid photographers love the top notch cameras on the market today. One such item is the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K. This digital camera offers all of the quality that you would expect from the Nikon or Olympus cameras but without the high price. This compact camera is a fantastic addition to your photography gear.

I bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K on a whim. I usually do quite a bit of research when buying electronics but the price was just too reasonable to let this digital camera slip by. The compact design is what initially drew me to this particular model. I really wanted something petite.

The Panasonic digital camera is about the size of a regular cell phone. I was not expecting to get very high quality images with this little number but I couldn’t resist buying something that was so compact and easy to carry around. There are many opportunities that call for a snapshot and the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K is the perfect camera for impulsive picture moments.

I can’t tell you how pleaseant my surprise was when I looked at the images that this camera produced. The Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K helped me capture a lot of wonderful shots that I would have guessed I took on my Olympus. This is a real treat for me because I don’t have to tote around a big digital camera to get great shots.

The picture quality is nothing short of amazing. Part of my amazement lies in the fact that this little number has some wonderful features that I would expect from a high end digital camera. The Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K has an anti-shake function that keeps the image still even when you (or the image) are in motion. I have no idea how this works but it does and I love it.

The lens is another great feature that is very surprising to me. I would expect the quality lens to be attached to a high end digital camera that costs a lot more than the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K. The images that I get with this unit are clear and clean and brilliant. The colors are outstanding and I just couldn’t ask anything more from a compact digital camera.

If you are looking for a small camera with a small price tag, don’t think that you have to give up quality in the process. The Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ5K is a winner every time.

Panasonic DMC FX500K Lumix 10.1 Digital Camera

Panasonic DMC-FX500K

Price $399.95, Discounted Price $269.99, You Save $129.96 with rebate

The Lumix DMC-FX500 is Panasonic’s first digital camera with a 3-inch touch-screen LCD, and also features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle Leica DC lens, 5x optical zoom and 10.1-megapixel resolution. With a dual control system using both touch-screen and joystick operation, the ability to record high-definition video and advanced Intelligent Auto technologies, the DMC-FX500 packs both innovative features and intuitive design.

The DMC-FX500 has a hybrid control system that combines joystick control with touch-screen operation, so users can make fine adjustments by touch, using their finger, or the included Lumix stylus-pen. In manual exposure mode, adjustments can be made using the on-screen sliders to adjust aperture and shutter speeds. You can also set the auto focus and exposure in frames by simply touching the subject, on screen, while recording. In playback mode, a new Easy Organization menu allows for photos to be selected and viewed by scrolling through the thumbnails located below the main window. Then, users can edit the titles using an on-screen keyboard.

Plus, with an ultra-wide-angle, 25mm lens, the DMC-FX500 can capture almost double the photo area at the same shooting distance compared with a conventional 35mm lens. Also new is Auto Focus (AF) tracking, a feature that tracks the photo subject even if it moves after the AF is set — especially helpful for catching active children or pets.

Panasonic’s iA (Intelligent Auto) mode is an advanced system of technologies that engage automatically, so the user does not have to change any settings. Maximizing the iA mode, users can go a step further and easily set auto focus and exposure by simply touching the screen. This kind of quick, easy operation is made possible with the touch-screen technology.

Click here to get the Panasonic DMC-FX500K digital camera.

http://coolthisyear.com/dmcfx500k

For Panasonic DMC FX500K reviews, read the comments below:

Kodak SV811 8-Inch Digital Picture Frame

Kodak SV811

Price $179.99, Discounted Price $107.95, You Save $72.04

Kodak’s legendary “Easy Share” label acquires new meaning with the superb Easyshare SV-811 digital photo frame. This is truly the total solution to framing and bringing hundreds of favorite pictures to life. For openers the format is a large 8″ – so no more squinting. This frame is equipped with built-in speakers, 128 MB of memory and an SD slot for further storage capacity. What this means is you can view pictures, slide shows and videos right out of the box; and play/add MP3 files for your personal soundtrack. You can program this Easyshare SV-811 digital photo frame to be on or off per your schedule. A remote control puts you in charge no matter where you’re sitting. Pictbridge and drag-and-drop make loading and transferring snapshots a snap. Since everyone needs a digital frame after the holidays, now’s the time to make a snap decision.

Click here to get the Kodak SV811.

http://coolthisyear.com/sv811

Cobra NAV One 5000 5-Inch GPS with Bluetooth

Cobra NAVONE5000

Price $529.90, Discounted Price $194.95, You Save $334.95, Plus Free Shipping

The Cobra NAV ONE 5000 is the next generation of portable, plug-and-go GPS navigation. The the Cobra NAV ONE 5000 combines effortless technology and features, all in a compact, portable design. The device includes an award winning, easy-to-use screen design with the exclusive My Favorite Brands feature, which provides more than 600 brands accessible at the touch of a button. In addition, Cobra’s patent-pending Compare Routes feature allows the driver to choose from two on-screen routing options to navigate around the traffic. The new, slim compact design features and easy to read 5.0″ display with a highly rated, state-of-the-art user interface.

Click here to get the Cobra NAVONE5000.

http://coolthisyear.com/navone5000

Sylvania LC320SS9 32-Inch LCD TV

Sylvania LC320SS9

Price $699.99, Discounted Price $498.72, You Save $201.27

For high performance and the extra features you want, Sylvania introducesthe LC320SS9 LCD TV. Enjoy this stylish LCD television that offer you the features you need and more. All TV Tuner products receive ATSC digital broadcasting.

The LC320SS9 has 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 176 H/176 V viewing angle, 500 cd/m brightness, 8ms response time, Built-in analog/digital tuner (NTSC/ATSC), 2 HDMI, component, composite, S-Video and PC input.

Click here to get the Sylvania LC320SS9.

http://coolthisyear.com/lc320ss9

Garmin Nuvi 205W Portable GPS

Garmin NUVI205W

Price $249.95, Discounted Price $169.95, You Save $70, Free Shipping

No excuses! Now anyone can afford a widescreen GPS, especially at today’s giveaway price. The Garmin nuvi 205W packs all the must-have features including a panoramic, sunlight readable, 2D/3D, 4.3″ screen. Turn-by-turn directions will get you anywhere in the Lower 48, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The nuvi 205W mounts on your windshield with a suction cup, is powered through an on-board cable, and comes with a one-year warranty and a dashboard disc Quick-Start manual. What’s more, it’s a great GPS to tote when you’re exploring on foot too – thanks to its light weight, sleek profile and long-lasting rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Now $70 off at a mere $169.95.

Click here to get the Garmin NUVI205W.

http://coolthisyear.com/nuvi205w

Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD Digital Camera

Fujifilm S2000HD

Price $299.95, Discounted Price $223.95, You Save $70

The Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD would be a great choice just as a digital still camera. After all, it’s lithe 13 ounce body houses a magnanimous 10 megapixels and a gargantuan 15x optical zoom lens (that’s the equivalent of 27.6mm-414 mm on a 35 mm camera), not to mention shutter speeds from 1/4-1000 , 2.7″ LCD, and ISO sensitivity to a whopping 6400. And, of course, it sports the full complement of settings to make you a most versatile photographer. But where the 22000HD leaves all competitors in the dust is its other personality-that of videocam . For once, videograpy is no stepchild in a point-and-shoot. The Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD is 100% compatible with HDTV for both stills and movies. So you can capture and play back your pix or videos is stunning hi-def resolution at FULL screen. How Fuji can market this gem at an affordable price is a mystery. And now we’re adding to this wonderful mystery by subtracting an additional $76 off the already bafflingly low price – in time to make someone deliriously happy for the holidays.

Click here to get the Fujifilm Finepix S2000HD.

http://coolthisyear.com/s2000hd

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