Black Friday / Cyber Monday Deals

It's one of the best weekends for online shopping, and Amazon.com has some great items on sale that are worth mentioning.

If you've been considering  an Amazon FireTV now is the time. The 4K capable FireTV is on sale for $74.99USD. If you still have a first generation FireTV you won't be able to run Kodi's next release (Version 17) on it, as the Android OS on first-gen FireTV's isn't compatible. I've written about the FireTV in the past, it's a great device and by installing Kodi you can watch all the major television shows & movies without needing cable, commercial free.

The FireTV stick is a more portable (and less powerful) option to the full FireTV.  You can still load Kodi on the FireTV stick, but the memory and processing power isn't going to be the same as the FireTV. Still, if you're looking for a low-cost way to try Kodi the FireTV stick may be for you. The FireTV Stick is on sale for $29.99, a 25% saving on the regular price.

The Amazon Echo Dot is on sale for $39.99USD, a savings of 20%. This cool little device is a great way to have Alexa enter your home without having to pay for the full Echo device.

The Dot will connect to existing stereo or bluetooth speakers either using a 3.5mm headphone jack, or over Bluetooth. I've been eyeing the Dot for a while now and will probably order it today.

The Amazon Echo is also on sale for $139.99 (regularly $179.99). The Echo does everything the Echo Dot does, but it also has substantial sound built in to it, making it a great option for the kitchen or anywhere else you might want to listen to music.

It's fully integrated with Alexa, Amazon's cloud-based voice assistant. You can ask Alexa to call you an Uber, read you the news, give you a recipe for dinner, or a growing number of other things.

I like the fact that Alexa can work with my Wink home automation hub, so I can ask Alexa to dim the lights or turn up the heat. I'm on the fence about ordering the Echo only because I live in Canada, so I can't easily return it. If I was in the US it would probably already be in my kitchen.

With all these devices you're going to want to make sure you have good WiFi through your home. The Luma mesh WiFi 3-pack is on sale right now for $295.99, a 26% discount off the regular $399.99 cost.

I've written about Luma before, I use this system personally and recommend it to friends.  The folks at Luma are always seeking customer suggestions, and adding features & functionality.

A big difference with Luma is the customer support. Luma does it right, they have invested in a strong team, ensuring any challenges you have are easily resolved. The system you buy continues to be enhanced long after you get it home, making it a better value as time goes on.

With their focus on performance and online security you not only get great speed but it offers extra peace of mind on your protection level from many internet threats.

There are a whole host of other deals on right now through Cyber-Monday. (I'm seeing laptops with decent specs for under $350 on Amazon.ca) so if you've been thinking about upgrading or just getting a new laptop for the kids it's definitely worth a look.

Don't forget Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals extend beyond technology. Last night we found The Gap had everything listed for 50% off, and you also get 50% of your purchase value back in "Gap Dollars". Assuming you're going to buy something from The Gap in the future it makes a compelling case for ordering now.

Whatever you're looking for this weekend good luck in your shopping.

Did you find a great deal everyone should know about? Mention them in the comments section and share your finds!

Happy surfing!

-The Home Geek