Get Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy game free for PC (save $60)
No strings, yours to keep forever. PLUS: A portable 15.6-inch monitor for $65, a pure-Android tablet for $100, and more!
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I’m off to CES, aka the Consumer Electronics Show, but judging by the press releases I’m getting every 30 seconds leading up to it, they should be calling it AI-ES. Because AI is coming to everything — not just online tools that help students write term papers, but also skin care, footwear, weather apps, robot vacuums, and much more. Some of it sounds ridiculous; some makes me think we’re in the midst of a sea change.
Reminds me of the early days of the internet, actually, and look how that turned out. (A lot of good, a lot of bad.)
If there’s anything great to report on, I’ll bring it your way next weekend. In the meantime, here’s a short but sweet assortment of deals and other stuff.
QUICK HITS
🔌 For Amazon Prime subscribers only, the Trond Flat Plug Power Strip (5ft) is just $9.50. Loooove me a flat plug. This isn’t a surge protector, but it does extend an outlet with four additional outlets (though only two of them are 3-prong) and four USB ports. Equally well-suited to home and travel.
🖥️ Also for Prime subscribers only, the Ingnok Portable 15.6-inch 1080p Monitor drops to $65 with promo code CFAEHVNQ. It normally sells for $100. You can use this as a second monitor, a mobile screen for a game console, and so on. Weighing about 1.5 pounds, it features two USB-C ports and a mini-HDMI port. I’ve tested several of these no-brand monitors; they’re all roughly the same and all surprisingly good.
🎮 Good — no, spectacular — news for game fans: For a limited time, Epic is offering Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (PC) absolutely free. It’s normally $60, which is what you’d currently pay for it on Steam. To get it, you’ll just need an Epic account and the Epic client software. This 2021 action-adventure is “a fun, no-frills single-player campaign full of cosmic comic book flavor,” according to IGN. I’m downloading this baby right now.
📱 Looking for an inexpensive Android tablet that’s not an Amazon Fire? (I don’t blame you; the Fire OS interface is fairly terrible and doesn’t allow access to the Google Play Store.) For a limited time, the Lenovo Tab 9 is down to $99.99, which is $50 off the regular price. Specs include a 9-inch screen, 64GB of expandable (!) storage, Dolby Atmos speakers, and Android 12.
🍔 Cheap eats! If you live near a Smashburger, use promo code OGSINGLE to get an original burger for $4.99 — aka the 2007 price. You can order online or in the app.
PLAYLIST
The Holdovers (Peacock): A movie that made a lot of best-of-2023 lists, The Holdovers lulls you into thinking it’s a riff on Dead Poets Society or maybe School Ties. But before long it becomes its own thing, which is an occasionally funny, occasionally sad tale about three damaged people. Is it Best Picture-worthy? Not in my book; I’m a little puzzled by the critical gushing. But I did enjoy it, so you might as well. Rick’s Rating: B
Fargo S5 (Hulu): I loved every season of Fargo except the fourth, which I didn’t even finish. (Sorry, but whoever cast Chris Rock made a huuuge mistake.) Thankfully, season five marks a return to dark, twisted, impeccably acted storytelling; it’s hard to believe this is the same Juno Temple from Ted Lasso (or, for that matter, the same Jon Hamm from Mad Men). There’s just one episode left, and I’m both excited and terrified (in a good way) to see how it turns out. Rick’s Rating: A
Mrs. Davis (Peacock): I forgot to note the occasional moments of outright weirdness in this season of Fargo, but weird can be good — as evidenced by Mrs. Davis. I’m just three episodes in and already hooked on its quirky, gonzo vibe. A little comedy, a little mystery, a little what-the-heck? My wheelhouse, definitely. Maybe it’s a little soon to give it a grade, but I’m doing it anyway. Rick’s Rating: A-
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!
I take umbrage, sir... I have NEVER been interested in Bluetooth toothbrushes. Now, Bluetooth frying pans, OTOH...
Loved Mrs Davis and it only gets weirder!