Free MasterClass classes | $70 Samsung soundbar (save $80) | Beat the Apple TV+ price increase
Plus: My favorite portable outdoor speaker is $50 off
Yesterday morning, I did the usual: Woke up, grabbed my phone, scanned my inbox. A rather disappointing email had arrived during the night, and so I skulked around all morning feeling irritated about it. What a terrible way to start the day!
Today, I did the unusual: Woke up, left my phone on the charger, made my coffee and sat with a book for half an hour (Richard Powers’ breathtaking The Overstory, if you’re curious). Now I come before you calm and at peace. What a difference. From now on, I’m not touching my phone for at least 30 minutes after waking up.
This week’s quick hits:
📧 Scam alert: If you receive an email from “Amazon” claiming there’s a problem with your order or account, don’t click any link in that email. Same goes for text messages. These phishing scams are designed to cause panic; the phony links will take you to a web page that might look exactly like Amazon, where you’ll be asked to “verify” all kinds of personal information. Don’t fall for it. Instead, access the Amazon app or site directly, then look in Message Center to see if there is indeed some kind of issue. (In most cases there won’t be.)
📽️ Regular readers know of my love for ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors, which turn any wall into a giant screen without the usual projector hassles. If that appeals, check this out: Top-rated eBay seller Buydig has the certified-refurbished Samsung The Premiere LSP7T UST 4K laser projector for $1,835 when you apply promo code REFURB20 at checkout. Price for a new one: $3,500. It has built-in streaming apps, soundbar, Alexa, etc. — basically a complete home theater in a box. And it comes with a 2-year warranty. I 😍 this.
🍿 I forgot what a genuinely great movie Up in the Air is. It’s now streaming on Netflix. Smart, funny, insightful, packed with great actors… and I’m not sure George Clooney has ever been more likeable.
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.
Free MasterClass classes!
There goes your library, offering even more cool stuff for absolutely free. Just weeks ago I wrote about the best secret freebies for library card holders, and now there’s this: Digital service provider Hoopla just added a handful of MasterClass videos. There are five currently available, with a new one coming each week. (There will be 13 in total, I’m told.)
For those unfamiliar with it, MasterClass is a subscription service (priced at $180 annually) offering a wealth of video tutorials from experts — masters, you might say — in their fields. Aaron Sorkin teaches screenwriting. John Legend, songwriting. Samuel Freaking L. Jackson, acting. And so on.
Right now, Hoopla’s library includes the following:
Neil Gaiman: The Art of Storytelling
Gabriella Camara: Mexican Cooking
Angela Davis: Black History
Donna Farhi: Yoga
Neil deGrasse Tyson: Scientific Thinking and Communication
Check with your library to see if it offers Hoopla. The service is available on phones, tablets, and most streaming devices (Roku, Fire TV, etc.).
Apple TV+ will soon cost $7 monthly. Here are some tips
Three years after its debut, Apple TV+ is getting a price hike. Your next bill will be for $7, up from the previous $5. Worth it? My advice here is the same as with every other streaming service: Subscribe for a month or two, blow through your favorite shows, then cancel until new seasons arrive.
There are other strategies worth considering:
FREE #1: Non-subscribers can watch the first episodes of various shows free of charge. And newcomers to the service can binge their way through a free 7-day trial.
FREE #2: Before you sign up for that, head to Target: If you’re a Circle member (it’s free to join), you can get a 3-month Apple TV+ trial. (Check that same page for other greatly extended trials for Apple services.)
FREE WITH PURCHASE: Similarly, in the market for any new Apple gear? If you purchase an Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you’ll get a 3-month Apple TV+ subscription — even if you were a past subscriber. (If you previously grabbed a free 1-year subscription, however, you’re not eligible.)
FREE WITH SERVICE: See if there’s a deal available with your phone carrier. T-Mobile, for example, offers Apple TV+ as a free benefit to Magenta Max subscribers. Magenta Plus subscribers can get it free for six months. On certain US Mobile Unlimited Premium plans, you can get reimbursed for one or two streaming services, Apple TV+ among them, effectively making them free. (Use code GMKGKPD for $10 off your first month.)
FREE FOR STUDENTS: College students can subscribe to Apple Music for just $5 (a 50% discount), and for a limited time that also includes a free Apple TV+ subscription!
You know I can’t leave you without listing my favorite Apple TV Plus shows and movies:
CODA
Mythic Quest (S3 drops Friday!)
Schmigadoon!
Severance
The Afterparty
Ted Lasso
The Morning Show
Click the button below to share your favorites!
Get a $150 Samsung 2.1-channel soundbar for just $70
The single best way to upgrade any TV? Add a soundbar. There are plenty of mediocre no-brand models out there for under $100, but nothing can match this: For a limited time, and while supplies last, eBay seller VIPOutlet has the refurbished Samsung HW-T415/ZA 2.1-channel soundbar for $70 shipped. It sells new for $150.
Wait, refurbished = used and banged up, right? Wrong: This is a “Grade A” item backed by a one-year warranty. I purchased a similarly graded refurb from this same seller last year; it arrived in like-new condition (though that’s just one anecdotal example; your mileage may vary).
The HW-T415/ZA combines a multi-speaker soundbar with a wireless subwoofer. The former can be connected to your TV via Bluetooth, though you need to make sure your TV supports that option. If not, you’ll need to use the included optical cable for a wired connection.
Keep in mind, this is a fairly basic model, one without features like HDMI-ARC or Dolby Atmos. Also keep in mind: It’s just $70. That’s a killer bargain for a Samsung 2.1-channel soundbar, one that will deliver a huge improvement over your TV’s built-in speakers.
My favorite portable outdoor speaker is on sale for an all-time-low $150
Speaking of speakers, I recently reviewed a bunch of portable outdoor ones — the kind you use in the backyard, at picnics, etc. My favorite, except for the price: Tribit’s StormBox Blast, an absolute beast that’s darn near perfect.
It normally runs $200, but for a limited time, you can get the Tribit StormBox Blast for $150 when you add it to your cart (a coupon is automatically applied at checkout). Be sure to choose “US Plug” before doing so. That’s the lowest price to date.
If you’re old enough to remember boomboxes, you’ll appreciate the Blast’s retro, handle-forward design. But it’s decidedly modern as well, with flash-to-the-music LEDs built into the sides and front. It’s completely waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about splashes or even dunks.
And it sounds fantastic. Better, even, than a Sonos speaker I tested (which is over twice the price). Music comes through big and loud, with plenty of bass. Tribit promises up to 30 hours of playtime on a charge, which puts most other portable speakers to shame, and you can even use it to charge your phone.
An optional companion app lets you tweak various settings, check battery status, and so on.
If you’re in the market for something like this, either for yourself or as a gift, look no further. The StormBox Blast is a personal favorite, and it’s never been priced lower.
Thanks for reading Deal Secrets! Questions? Comments? Hit me up on Twitter or Facebook, or shoot me an e-mail. I’ll do my best to respond to all inquiries! Want to show your support? Buy me a coffee!
interesting recommendation on the movie "Up in the Air" - but the multiple layoff scenes were just a little bit TOO realistic!
Samsung 2.1-channel sound bar for just $70 -- Just bought it for Jo's birthday surprise ;-) Tx Rick !