Black Friday-What are you buying?

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Tailg8er

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2011
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Johnston
Shopping for the wife (I just buy my own gifts throughout the year when slickdeals tells me I need them) - anyone know of any better deals on an ecobee (the full smart version, not the lite)? Costco online now has the 4 WITH a room sensor for $150: https://www.costco.com/ecobee-4-smart-thermostat-with-room-sensor.product.100508255.html

She also wants an Apple watch (she has an iPhone 10 but has never had a smart watch) - I'm thinking the Walmart black Friday deal on the 3 gps for $130 (supposed to be available online Wed night).
 

enisthemenace

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2009
12,881
8,455
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Runnells, IA
I want a good garage TV. My garage isn’t heated, per se, but it is attached, so stays warmer than detached. Any thoughts on BF deals on a TV for that purpose?

Also thinking of google mesh system, as well as splurging for a Sonos system to put throughout the house, in garage and a little outside.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, especially the Sonos thought. Are there better options for a sytem that can either be used all together or isolated to a specific area if I wanted?
 

MeowingCows

Well-Known Member
Jun 1, 2015
35,532
33,824
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Iowa
This whole week, Samsung's website and at least Best Buy have had great carrier deals on Galaxy phones. Upgraded last night to a Note 10, usually runs just under $40/mo on 2-year agreements... Got one from Best Buy at under $16/mo through my existing Verizon plan. Never seen them that cheap, at all.

Best Buy was just the phone and trade-in of old device. Samsung's website offers carrier deals that were a little more expensive (~$20/mo instead of ~$15), but also included trials to YouTube Premium, Spotify Premium, a free pair of Samsung Buds (their AirPod competitor, which normally cost $120 or so). Only weak point there is having to wait for everything to ship to you... Best Buy got me a phone at the store same-day (although I had to drive to a different store in town that did have them in-stock).
 
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Gunnerclone

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2010
68,681
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DSM
I want a good garage TV. My garage isn’t heated, per se, but it is attached, so stays warmer than detached. Any thoughts on BF deals on a TV for that purpose?

Also thinking of google mesh system, as well as splurging for a Sonos system to put throughout the house, in garage and a little outside.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, especially the Sonos thought. Are there better options for a sytem that can either be used all together or isolated to a specific area if I wanted?

Skip all that and get your garage heated and cooled. The gift that gives back all year for many years.
 

knowlesjam

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2012
4,279
4,691
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Papillion, NE
I want a good garage TV. My garage isn’t heated, per se, but it is attached, so stays warmer than detached. Any thoughts on BF deals on a TV for that purpose?

Also thinking of google mesh system, as well as splurging for a Sonos system to put throughout the house, in garage and a little outside.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, especially the Sonos thought. Are there better options for a sytem that can either be used all together or isolated to a specific area if I wanted?
Your question on a BF deal for a garage TV actually matches up with your Google mesh question...I'm doing the exact same thing for my garage and home network. Decided on the TCL 50 inch at Target ($249 for BF) that has the internal Roku device. Also going with the Linksys Velops mesh system from Best Buy ($199 for the 2 device setup). I choose the Velops because it is Tri-Band versus the Dual-Band Google system. The Velops dedicates one of the 5.0 Gig bands to communicate between the two devices, leaving the other 2.4 and 5.0 Gig bands free for all of your devices. The Dual-Band Google system makes you share the 5.0 Gig band between your devices and the mesh system. The Velops also communicates directly with all of my Amazon Alexa crap. I'll put one of the Velops in the basement and the other on the main floor.
 

enisthemenace

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2009
12,881
8,455
113
Runnells, IA
Your question on a BF deal for a garage TV actually matches up with your Google mesh question...I'm doing the exact same thing for my garage and home network. Decided on the TCL 50 inch at Target ($249 for BF) that has the internal Roku device. Also going with the Linksys Velops mesh system from Best Buy ($199 for the 2 device setup). I choose the Velops because it is Tri-Band versus the Dual-Band Google system. The Velops dedicates one of the 5.0 Gig bands to communicate between the two devices, leaving the other 2.4 and 5.0 Gig bands free for all of your devices. The Dual-Band Google system makes you share the 5.0 Gig band between your devices and the mesh system. The Velops also communicates directly with all of my Amazon Alexa crap. I'll put one of the Velops in the basement and the other on the main floor.

Oooo...I like this. Thanks!
 

dmclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2006
20,690
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50131
One thing to keep in mind with the Linksys Velops system that is being talked about is that it's $200 for a 2 piece systems compared to the Google Mesh System with 3 points. You may get better speed with the Linksys but the range may not be as good. It probably depends on your setup but I have one device on each floor and get 200mbps speed throughout the house, in the garage, in the back yard, etc. I also have over 25 devices connected.
 

Chad

Active Member
Sep 10, 2007
469
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28
Ankeny, IA
I want a good garage TV. My garage isn’t heated, per se, but it is attached, so stays warmer than detached. Any thoughts on BF deals on a TV for that purpose?

Also thinking of google mesh system, as well as splurging for a Sonos system to put throughout the house, in garage and a little outside.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, especially the Sonos thought. Are there better options for a sytem that can either be used all together or isolated to a specific area if I wanted?

regarding the Sonos question, I have tried cobbling my own through AirPlay, and Sonos is awesome. Would be hard to give Sonos up now.
 
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cyclonetrent

Active Member
Feb 27, 2011
201
62
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Johnston
Get a good road bike, smart trainer, and subscription to zwift and then you have a bike for outdoors for the same price.

1000X this! I love my Wahoo Kickr + Zwift subscription. I cant figure out why people would spend the same money for a system where the resistance can only be changed on a knob by hand.
 

motorcy90

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2018
3,673
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Iowa
Tires possibly for 2 different vehicles.:(:( my Beater that came with side walls severely weather cracked (good tread though), and our new family hauler that the stock all season Bridgestone Dueler H/P sports suck ass in the snow. so far that has been the only complaint about it though.

and a new Xbox one controller seeing how one of the dogs just chewed up my other one (second one replaced because of the dogs now).
 

brianhos

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SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 1, 2006
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Trenchtown
1000X this! I love my Wahoo Kickr + Zwift subscription. I cant figure out why people would spend the same money for a system where the resistance can only be changed on a knob by hand.

Meh who cares. Lowering the barrier to entry is important. I am an outdoor road biker all summer, but once I put together the costs and hassle of a trainer and zwift, plus indoor tires, it was just not worth the hassle. Plus my wife will use this also.
 

Cydkar

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
26,469
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1000X this! I love my Wahoo Kickr + Zwift subscription. I cant figure out why people would spend the same money for a system where the resistance can only be changed on a knob by hand.
Correct. Not to mention that I couldn't handle the verbal motivation from a beautiful stranger while I'm trying to give 110%. I'd break the screen.
Peloton is WAY better than nothing but you are paying a 2X premium for the advertising.
I've got a "dumb" turbo trainer and even that is pretty damn good but I'm looking to upgrade for Christmas. Would love a Kickr and may slum it with a Snap.