Read any good books lately? (Hope you'll read this one!)

My pickleball book has published, which means a return to a more consistent Deal Secrets schedule! PLUS: A $36 Ember Mug, a surprising Kindle secret, and more!

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links included herein are affiliate links (usually those in bold blue 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.

Greetings, all! Well, it’s official: I have published Everything I Need to Know, I Learned Playing Pickleball: Stories from the Court, Lesson from the Sport. If you’re a player yourself, I think you’ll find it an enjoyable read. And if you need a gift for the pickleball player in your life, well, cough-cough, hint-hint.

I can’t believe it was February that I paused Deal Secrets so I could focus my spare time on this project. But, as promised, now that the book is done, I’m getting back to a more regular schedule. I don’t know if I’ll return to a weekly send, but certainly more often than every month or two.

Semi-related: I am trying yet again with Amazon Associates, the affiliate-program equivalent of Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown. A recent change in the terms of service would seem to permit affiliate links in emails like this one, but I fully expect they’ll pull the old “You violated our TOS in the past so out you go!” routine. (I am… extremely familiar with that routine.)

I’m miles past caring anymore. Much as I’d like to make a few bucks off this newsletter, it’s not going to be from Amazon. Maybe I’ll find a sponsor. Or maybe I’ll just rely on the amazing generosity of readers who buy me a coffee once in a while. For now, I’m good with that. I enjoy doing this, enjoy the connection it brings me with you. I hope you enjoy it too.

OK, time for some DEALS already!

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Get a refurbished Ember self-heating mug as low as $36

My Ember mug is one of my most prized possessions, as it keeps my coffee at the perfect temp from first sip to last. But, um, these freaking things start at $100, which is insane. (Worth it, to me, but insane.)

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Woot has refurbished Ember self-heating mugs starting at $36 (that’s for the 10-ounce model in white), with free shipping if you’re an Amazon Prime member. (Woot is owned by Amazon.) These will not last long. The warranty is just 30 days, but if you’re so inclined you can buy a 3-year protection plan for as low as $7.

I think if you’re going to jump in, it’s worth “splurging” on the 14-ounce Ember 2, which is $57.

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Do NOT buy a new Kindle until you read this

Ready for a Kindle upgrade? I have a genuine secret to share, one I haven’t seen reported elsewhere: The new, just-released Kindle 2024 has a brighter, whiter screen than the new, just-released Kindle Paperwhite 2024, which costs $50 more. Why? I have no idea, but I’ve looked at them side-by-side, fiddled with all the screen settings, etc., and there’s no question about it.

Read my full Kindle 2024 review to learn more. But if you’re planning to buy, wait. I guarantee it’ll be discounted sometime in the next 1-2 two weeks, as we swing into full Black Friday season.

(More than that, never pay full price for Amazon-branded devices, because they’re typically discounted at least once per month. I have the stats to prove it.)

By the way, if you’re wondering whether you should splurge on the newly announced color Kindle, stay tuned.

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My favorite gadget of 2024 is a lot like my favorite gadget of 2023, but half the price

Takes off from your palm, follows you around while shooting 4K video, then lands on your palm again. Freaking awesome.

Mark my words, the hottest tech gift this year will be the $199 DJI Neo video-selfie drone. It’s a much less expensive alternative to the fantastic HoverAir X1 I’ve written about before — and there’s already a 2-3-week wait at Amazon (though you can get it sooner from Best Buy and elsewhere).

Read my DJI Neo review over at Yahoo to learn more about this super-capable, super-fun drone. Oh, and while you’re at it, take a listen to this podcast, which is actually about my review. You don’t have to play the entire thing, but I’d encourage you to listen for at least a couple minutes. Then meet me at the bottom of the newsletter for an interesting footnote.

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QUICK HITS

🤖 If you’ve fiddled with ChatGPT at all, you know it’s pretty amazing. But I would encourage you to install the ChatGPT app on your phone, then enable the newly upgraded Conversation Mode — which is nothing short of remarkable. Get ready for a natural-language conversation with an AI, the likes of which have previously been the domain of movies and TV shows. Here’s a how-to that explains more. Friends, I am gobsmacked by this.

Incredibly good buy at $379.99.

💻 I’m often asked, “What laptop should I buy?” The answer depends on what your needs are, what your budget is, etc. But here’s a mainstream machine that should suit most users, and it’s a steal: The Asus Vivobook 15 (F1504) for $379.99, a savings of $220. On paper, it’s rock-solid: Intel Core i5 processor, 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, 15.6-inch Full HD screen, even a backlit keyboard. For just $20 more, you can get it with 16GB of RAM from Staples instead.

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PLAYLIST

A roundup of books, movies, and TV I’ve consumed recently…

📖 Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (audiobook; available from Libby and Hoopla): A simple story, beautifully told — what more could you want from a book? Mrs. Cheapskate and I started listening to this together on a recent road trip, then raced to finish it separately during our commutes; we were too hooked to wait until our next ride together. Rick’s Rating: A

📖 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: A complex story, beautifully told — what more could you want from a book? This modern retelling of Dickens’ David Copperfield grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go; it’s as unputdownable as they come. Be warned, it’s painful in places, but so, so good. Rick’s Rating: A

Don’t let the dumb title keep you away from ‘Love.’ And, yep, that’s Gillian Jacobs, aka Britta from ‘Community.’ She’s amazing in this.

📺 Love (Netflix): This is my second watch of this unfortunately named but really charming 2016 series, and I’m mystified why no one talks about it; it’s one of the best takes on modern relationships in recent memory. (Again, probably because of the bad title.) Co-created by Judd Apatow, it’s funny, raunchy, cringey, and occasionally heartfelt. Mostly, it just feels real, with two deeply flawed main characters you still like and root for. Three seasons, each one better than the last. Rick’s Rating: A-

📺 Bad Monkey (Apple TV+): Based on the eponymous Carl Hiaasen novel, this funny, occasionally gruesome crime-caper series does the impossible: makes Vince Vaughn likeable. I won’t give anything away, of course, other than to say the title is misleading: There’s very little actual monkey in this show, and he does nothing bad. Rick’s Rating: B+

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About that podcast: It was generated entirely by AI — specifically Google’s NotebookLM tool. There was no recording studio, no microphones, no people. Remarkable, yes? Between stuff like this and the aforementioned ChatGPT AI, I don’t know whether to be amazed, terrified, or both. (I’m going with both.)

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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!