Deal Secrets #100!

To celebrate, I'm giving away another Mystery Box! PLUS: $14 shop-light two-pack (save $15) and an amazing new app that wrangles all your streaming services into one place.

Aug 06, 2023

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links included herein are affiliate links (usually those in bold type), meaning if you make a purchase via one of them, I may get a small commission. I promise you, now and forever, that I won’t choose deals based on whether there’s an affiliate option available.

Happy Sunday, all!

Although I stopped numbering Deal Secrets issues at around #43, curiosity got the better of me. I mentioned recently that I’d been at this two years now, but with a few weeks off here and there, I wondered if I’d hit the 100th-issue milestone yet. Sure enough, this is it!

You know what this means, right? Time for another Deal Secrets Mystery Box! For those unfamiliar with it, this is basically a big crate of (mostly tech) loot that’s either new or very lightly used (having been briefly tested for review purposes). And I want you to have it.

To enter this giveaway, you simply need to be a Deal Secrets subscriber. That’s it; no other requirement. (I mean, sure, if you want to refer some friends, that would be amazing, and you could also help keep the proverbial lights on by buying me a coffee. But both are entirely optional.) On Friday, Aug. 11, I’ll randomly select a winner. It’s my way of saying thanks for being here.

Refer a friend

Save over 50% on a pair of LED workshop lights

Bulb out in the garage? Workshop? Barn? (Wait, you have a barn? Luckyyy…) No more incandescents for you, but luckily there’s something even better: For a limited time, and while supplies last, the Mefflypee…

Celebrity gif. Chris Evans throws his head back in hysterical laughter.

Yeah, I don’t know who names these “companies,” but, seriously… Mefflypee? I just can’t…

OK, Broida, pull it together. Be professional. [Clears throat.]

For a limited time, and while supplies last, the Mefflypee—

Nope, sorry, couldn’t get through it. Let me just skip to the important part: This 2-pack of 120-watt LED garage lights drops to just $14.59 when you clip the on-page $7-off coupon and then apply promo code IE2BCFLM at checkout.

What’s cool about these is, well, they’re LEDs, so they consume very little electricity, generate very little heat and last a lot longer than incandescents. Great bang for the buck.

Plus, they’re “deformable,” meaning you can tilt each of the five panels independently to better point light where you need it.

Mefflypee. I just can’t…

The Younify app is here to save your streaming-service sanity — and it’s free

It’s a silly-sounding problem, but a problem all the same: How to keep track of what you’re streaming and where you’re streaming it. Let’s see, what was that new show you just started? You know, the one with that guy from the thing. Oh, and there’s a new season of The Bear… is that on Netflix or Prime? (Trick question: Hulu!) The struggle is real.

Younify simplifies that struggle by putting all your streaming services under one app roof, making it simple to peruse your watchlists, continue whatever you were watching last, view recommendations and more. It’s free, easy to use, and pretty damn useful.

It works like this: Install the app on your Android or iOS device, then sign into whatever services you subscribe to. Younify will then present scrolling carousels under the headings Your Watchlist, Continue Watching, Recommend for You, Trending & Popular, and Critically Acclaimed.

Tap any thumbnail to see a summary, then tap Watch Now to start or resume the show. It’s all very quick and seamless, and it even saves you the step of having to choose your user profile every time (because you chose it when you added your account).

By default, the listings include both TV and movies, but you can filter by one or the other if you prefer. You can also tap the logo for any individual streaming service to see just that content. This drill-down, menu-driven approach can actually be a lot easier than trying to navigate each service’s user interface. As we all know, those are varying degrees of terrible.

Right now, Younify supports exactly 10 streaming services — all the major ones (Netflix, Prime, Max, etc.), but none of the live-TV apps: Sling, YouTube TV, etc. What’s more, while you can access it on your phone, tablet, or Mac, there’s no Younify app for Fire TV, Google TV, Roku, or the like — arguably the places it’s needed the most.

Meanwhile, I will admit I hesitated a bit before sharing my streaming usernames and passwords with a third-party company; it just felt a little weird, even though MediaMall Technologies has been around a long time, and I’ve found its products to be both useful and trustworthy. (Read MediaMall’s privacy policy if you have concerns.)

And because Younify is free, there’s undoubtedly some data-selling at work. Curious about that, I asked the company CEO how an app like this makes money. He told me that at some point down the road, when there’s a large enough user base, MediaMall will sell aggregate viewership data (“what people are watching, what people like/dislike, etc.”), but not individual data.

I’m fine with that. Every streaming service is already collecting piles of data about my viewing habits; the only thing I’m embarrassed about is anyone finding out I slogged all the way through The Book of Boba Fett.

Anyway, assuming you’re comfortable with all that, Younify is a decidedly useful tool for managing your streaming life. Unlike other apps, which merely provide show tracking and recommendations, this one actually serves up what you’re watching and planning to watch.

The best backyard game you’ve never played

This is my annual recommendation to try Kubb (pronounced “koob”), one of the all-time great backyard games. It’s a bit of horseshoes, a bit of chess, and incredibly fun for all ages. All you do is lob wooden dowels and try to knock over wooden blocks. (Bonus: Unlike a lot of outdoor games, this one can be played on windy days.)

For the best experience, grab GoSports’ regulation-size Kubb Viking Clash set, which is currently on sale for $54.82. You can save $10 by opting for the slightly smaller “backyard” size, but I say if you’re going to do it, do it right.

There are cheaper options, like this Get Out! Kubb set for $34, but it’s made of lighter pine wood that might not last as long. (It has pretty good user ratings, though.)

What’s your favorite lesser-known outdoor game? There’s not much summer left here in Michigan (aargh), so give me some recommendations while there’s still time to enjoy the backyard!

Deal Secrets