Best Buy notebook Deals - This Sunday?

[gocal73]

Best Buy has been offering low cost deals on notebooks as part of their go wireless promotion. Someone posted that BB planned this promotion for a 3 week period. The first offering was a Toshiba M35X-S111 for $499 after rebates on 2/6/05-2/12/05. The second offering was an HP ze2000 also for $499 after rebates, 2/13/05 - 2/19/05. Does anyone know which notebook will be offered starting Sunday, 2/20/05? All I know is that it was posted as a Toshiba. Thanks!

 

[Vasp]

Will probably be the m35x-s161 for around $600 AR.

OD has it for $599 AR next week

 

[gocal73]

Where did you see the m35x-s161 at Office Depot for $599 next week? This sounds good to me! Also, do you have any info on OD's extended warranty - does it include battery and screen replacement like Best Buy does? Thanks!!!

 

[nguyendot1]

S111 again.

The point of the 3 week campaign was the "$499" laptop. The s161 probably won't be seen at that price range for some time.

 

[kamranziadar]

thanx

 

[Vasp]

The m35x-s161 will be 999.99- 200 MIR-150 OD MIR- 50 instant saving for a final price of $599.99 AR at OD starting this sunday. But as of yesterday inventory is pretty low in stores. I'm not sure how it is going to work online though.

SKU:156-328


The next upgrade would be the centrino Pentium M 1.5 w/5-in-1 media reader, 60GB, 512MB RAM at $899.99 AR
Model S311

$1249.99 - $50 toshiba MIR- 150 instant savings- $150 OD MIR= $899.99

This is also a sweet deal.

 

[jhill1977]

I can't speak for Office Depot extended warranties, but I can tell you first hand that Best Buy's service plan doesn't cover screen damage/breakage. It will only cover internal failure (i.e. failed LCD backlights, nureous dead pixels, display distortion, etc.)

 

[QueHuong]

Wow, thanks for the heads up. I need a laptop between now and the April - should I jump on one of these deals or wait for Easter sale?

 

[gocal73]

According to my local Office Depot in Berkeley, CA. there will be no Office Depot sale ad this week and therefore no sale on the M35x-S161! I'm going to call some other stores just in case they are mistaken. If true, this would be a major bummer. I really like this machine.

 

[Vasp]

OD managers will not reveal anything before hand. Wait till sunday

Here is a link to the first page

OD ad w.e.f 2/20

 

[Vasp]

Another deal in the making

Palm T5.

OD had 15% off by MIR on any digicam or pda purchase. Couple this with the 10% off adv rewards and the $50 MIR from palm and ofcourse add a coupon

399.99- 30 (coupon-YMMV)- $27 (10% adv rewards)- $40 (15% MIR)- $50 (Palm MIR)= $250 (approximately) + applicable taxes

This is a pretty good price for the T5.

 

[Lucky]

I'll get ahold of the ad tonight and post what I see in it.

 

[gocal73]

Vasp is right on! After calling a few stores I finally found a friendly manager who did verify this excellent deal! Thanks.

 

[ir0nw0lf]

Vasp, thanks for posting the image with the deal on it! That's a very very tasty price for what is in it.

 

[xnguyenx]

Originally posted by: gocal73
Where did you see the m35x-s161 at Office Depot for $599 next week? This sounds good to me! Also, do you have any info on OD's extended warranty - does it include battery and screen replacement like Best Buy does? Thanks!!!

How come this one is not as good as the one on sale earlier m35x-s149 in term of processor speed?. This is B/S.

 

[gocal73]

It appears that the only negative about the m35x-s161 is the weak battery. It is a cheap 4 cell version good for only 1.5 hours according to Toshiba. There is an upgrade battery good for 3.5 hours but it costs about $150.00 (best I could find was $145.73 @ Provantage.com)! Anybody know where the upgrade (PA3395U-1BRS) can be had at a reasonable price?

 

[Vasp]

CC has the same deal with free router and printer

 

[kaborka]

The specs for the s161 indicate it has no VGA connector. Not good for use giving a presentation connected to a projector. link

 

[LightningStrikes]

Originally posted by: kaborka
The specs for the s161 indicate it has no VGA connector. Not good for use giving a presentation connected to a projector. link

You might have better luck looking at the *actual* Toshiba detailed specification before spreading misinformation:
http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/content...detailed_specs/satellite_M35X-S161.pdf

Ports
Standard
? RGB (monitor) port
? TV-out (S-Video)
? i.LINK? IEEE 1394
? 3 Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports (v2.0)
? External Microphone jack
? Headphone jack
? RJ-45 LAN port
? RJ-11 modem port

-LS

 

[uurda]

Originally posted by: Vasp
CC has the same deal with free router and printer

Can you please tell me who is CC?

Edit: Okie - I figured it out - Circuit City. Now to see if that notebook deal is for real...

Edit 2: Yep. It's for real. Starts tomorrow morning at 10 am.

 

[SirPsycho]

Originally posted by: jhill1977
I can't speak for Office Depot extended warranties, but I can tell you first hand that Best Buy's service plan doesn't cover screen damage/breakage. It will only cover internal failure (i.e. failed LCD backlights, nureous dead pixels, display distortion, etc.)

Actually, that's not true at all, unless it has changed in the last couple years. They'd certainly like you to believe that, as replacing the screen is often more expensive than replacing the entire laptop, but it's not the case. However, Best Buy completely sucks when it comes to honoring their extended warranties in any situation where they think there's even the slightest possibility that they can blame the damage on you. My wife has a vpr Matrix 180B5 laptop, which has several known manufacturing defects, among which are faulty hinges. The hinge locks up, and when you go to close the case, it breaks the plastic holding it to the bottom of the case, and then breaks through the plastic on the back of the case, leaving a gaping hole. Even their own technicians in the store know that it's a manufacturing defect, and even though manufacturing defects are explicitly covered by the extended warranty, they won't fix it because it has "physical damage" (in other words, saying that we broke it ourselves). They're being sued by the attorneys general of several different states for exactly that reason, and I'd be very happy if it happened here in Arizona as well. I could provide our AG with plenty of information to help make their case.

To be fair, Best Buy did repair this same laptop on two other occasions for things that they couldn't weasel out of, and the service plan does cover battery replacement, which is why we bought it in the first place. It may still make sense to buy an extended warranty from them for a laptop, but be prepared for a fight if there is any question about what happened.

 

[gocal73]

Vasp,

Can you provide a picture of the CC ad like you did for BB ad? What did of router and printer? $599.99AR for all three?

 

[uurda]

I just talked to a sales guy at CC in Seattle he confirmed $599 AR with the router and printer included. Heck of a good deal and we're gonna be waiting for the doors to open at 10 am....

 

[KalieMa]

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by: jhill1977
I can't speak for Office Depot extended warranties, but I can tell you first hand that Best Buy's service plan doesn't cover screen damage/breakage. It will only cover internal failure (i.e. failed LCD backlights, nureous dead pixels, display distortion, etc.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Actually, that's not true at all, unless it has changed in the last couple years. They'd certainly like you to believe that, as replacing the screen is often more expensive than replacing the entire laptop, but it's not the case. However, Best Buy completely sucks when it comes to honoring their extended warranties in any situation where they think there's even the slightest possibility that they can blame the damage on you. My wife has a vpr Matrix 180B5 laptop, which has several known manufacturing defects, among which are faulty hinges. The hinge locks up, and when you go to close the case, it breaks the plastic holding it to the bottom of the case, and then breaks through the plastic on the back of the case, leaving a gaping hole. Even their own technicians in the store know that it's a manufacturing defect, and even though manufacturing defects are explicitly covered by the extended warranty, they won't fix it because it has "physical damage" (in other words, saying that we broke it ourselves). They're being sued by the attorneys general of several different states for exactly that reason, and I'd be very happy if it happened here in Arizona as well. I could provide our AG with plenty of information to help make their case.

To be fair, Best Buy did repair this same laptop on two other occasions for things that they couldn't weasel out of, and the service plan does cover battery replacement, which is why we bought it in the first place. It may still make sense to buy an extended warranty from them for a laptop, but be prepared for a fight if there is any question about what happened.

If the screen's damage by the user, there's nothing a BBY can do - or any other factory/store warranty or service plan out there. If they can deny the claim, they will and at the store level people can't do jack about it.

Other than the physical damage exclusion the plans at BBY are great, although the 3-week turn around time isn't exactly stellar. Hard drives, DC adapter ports, keyboards, batteries, AC adapters, and the like get replaced quite frequently. In all honesty, it's very rare to see a notebook with service disqualifying damage there. When they see one it's within their right to deny service. People just hate hearing that their negligence (even if it's not their direct action) caused some kind of damage, and loathe being implcated in it.

Fair disclosure, I used to work there. I've worked for other big name retailers and within the industry for about 12 years. Some advice - buy a hard-case notebook bag/attache. Don't ever drink near it, and don't drop it. Following that you can live without a service plan of any type.

Sucks that you had a bad experience SirPsycho, but it's just bad business (and would've been found to be illegal) for a company to deny legitimate repairs. I'd love to hear about these lawsuits if they do exist, as the customers of my current business would enjoy hearing it. Link em up so I can help fight the man or something.

 

[thunderroller]

i will wait till then