Just noted from WhatsInAName.com.au, that IntaServe is now the cheapest .au domain reseller — even cheaper than the Canadian-operated NameScout. Here are their prices:

Update: Even though IntaServe is currently the cheapest .au domain registrar, but their software is quite lacking. Check out my review on transferring one of my .au domain over.

That’s a few dollars cheaper across the board than NameScout’s last price update. Moreover, they appear to be an Australian operation — office on York Street Sydney and have a 1800 number. Where with NameScout, you need to dial an IDD call to reach them.

My id.au domain is expiring middle of this year — should I save a few dollars and transfer it to IntaServe? Or wait for NameScout to update their pricing to stay competitive? Moreover, according to someone posted on WHT AU, their free reseller account is still $1 cheaper. Hmmm…

Still using your old Telstra fixed phone that ties you to the line? DealsDirect is selling Doro 530 cordless phone for AUD$29 (plus $9 delivery), which sells elsewhere for around $100 (just do a search on Google Australia.

It is even cheaper than the one you rent from Telstra, when you decide to purchase one from them! (Doubt anyone would do it though)

Features

• Hands-free speakerphone
• Headset outlet
• Backlit display
• Caller ID storing last 20 numbers
• Direct call function
• Multi-handset (up to 5)
• Volume control
• Wall mountable and belt clip
• Stand by time: approx. 100hrs
• Continuous talk time: approx. 10hrs
• Type: DECT
• Frequency: 1.8GHz
• Range: up to 300m
• Base can register up to 4 handsets (this is a one phone pack)
• Handset size: 146 x 51 x 31mm
• Handset weight: 118g
• 6 different ring tone melodies
• light bronze colour
• 12 months manufacturer’s warranty

For more information please see DealsDirect’s page

Saw the Harvey Norman ads on Southern Courier yesterday, selling Compaq Presario V2417AU for merely AUD$796, after $200 cash back from Compaq/HP. Apparently this cash back lasts until 31^st January by checking different resellers.

That’s quite a cheap notebook after the cash back, especially from a shop usually known as “Hardly Normal”. It is quite a nice wide-screen machine as well. Here’s the spec:

Here’s Whirpool.net.au discussion thread on this notebook. Looks like quite a lot of people are interested.

Received this email from my current web host, DreamHost, a few days ago:

… First off, we’ve just QUADRUPLED disk space on all our shared hosting plans! The disk space growth rate on all shared plans has also QUADRUPLED!

… We’ve also OCTUPLED (eight times) bandwidth on all plans (including dedicated servers)! The bandwidth growth rate has also octupled, and don’t worry, you don’t have to do anything to get the new values for this either.

That’s really a LOT of disk and bandwidth…

That means for USD$9.95 a month, with their Crazy Domain Insane hosting plan, you get 20Gb disk storage, increasing at 160Mb a week, and 1Tb monthly bandwidth, increasing at 8Gb a week. While you still cannot “back up the Internet” with it, it is still a lot of space for thier cheapest hosting account. It even has more space than free space I have on this computer…

They are giving Crazy Domain Insane users custom DNS feature, which was previously reserved for more expensive accounts.

My DreamHost promotion code that saves $77 is still available — that’s $77 off all 12-month hosting plans for the first year.

Aldi Australia has got a special buy on their website — Student Chair and Workcentre Package for AUD$99. That’s normally the price you pay just for the desk. Sales start on Thursday 12 Jan 2006, and it’s limited to 2 desks/chairs per customer.

• Sturdy desk with 18mm/15mm timber and steel construction.
• Gas lift student chair included.
• Workcentre features PC shelf, slide out keyboard tray, CD rack, file shelf, 2 corner shelves and printer shelf.
• Hardy PVC scratch resistant beech laminate.
• Flat packed ready to assemble.

Looks good in the picture. Personally I prefer buying second-hand solid wood furniture off eBay, but just thought someone might be interested in getting a new desk.

Normally I won’t associate Dick Smith Electronics with “bargains”, but I saw this posted to a forum yesterday that DSE is selling Canon Powershot A610 for AUD$347 (RRP $499, cheapest at staticICE $383).

Apparently the same camera is selling for $350 at Harvey Norman, which is another place where I don’t consider to find bargains. Still cheaper than many other smaller retailers.

Powershot A610 (5MP, 4X optical) will definitely be my preference if I choose to buy a consumer digital camera in $300-400 price range. It is versatile, has lots of manual controls and can take good still shots, unlike our current camera (Casio Exilim EX-Z55) which we didn’t really choose it :(

Some reviews grabbed from our friend Google:

• Imaging Resource: Quick Review
• DPReview: Review Powershot A620 (A620 is exactly the same as A610 except with 7MP CCD and a price that doesn’t justify the difference)
• Photo.net: Powershot A610 Review

Kmart is having its Monster 15% off store-wide sale again.

Hurry into Kmart for the Monster 15% off Storewide Sale between Wednesday January 4 and Friday January 6. Get Monster savings storewide for 3 days only. Excludes iTunes, iPods, Console Hardware, Cigarettes, Gift cards, Pixifoto and Kmart Tyre & Auto Service. No rainchecks.

Just noted that there’s actually quite a few exclusions that are not part of this sale. Nevertheless, you’ll only get this kind of store-wide sale a few times a year. Time to do some post-Christmas/post-New Year shopping.

Just visited the Yahoo! Small Business, and it appears that their USD$2.99 per year domain deal (for .com/.net/.org/.biz/.info/.us) has been extended to 26 January 2006 8 March 2006. Yup — that’s less than $3 per domain per year, and you can register up to 5 years.

Moreover, you can also transfer your existing domains to Yahoo for the same great price. I am now thinking of jumping ship and renew my domains elsewhere, as GoDaddy no longer privides cheap (and no frills) domains. Update: I tried to transfer one of my domains, and it only prompted me that the $2.99 deal is only available to new customers, AFTER I put in my credit card details (and that’s way after I put in my Yahoo! ID). Dodgy.

iPowerWeb is also running a USD$2.95 per domain per year deal. That might be 4 cents cheaper than Yahoo’s current sale, but it applies to new customers only, and this price is only valid for the first year and $8.25 afterwards, which is still quite good. Update: This special actually applies to up-to 100 domain names — so if you have already got a domain from Yahoo, I think iPower has the next good deal.

Just spotted a new advertiser on my index page — OO.com.au (not zero-zero, but Oh-Oh). They are a bit like one of my old-time favourite, DealsDirect, who is like a department store that sells a bit of everything at bargaining price. They called themselves an Overstock Outlet company (hence OO). From its About page,

oo.com.au has agreements and relationships with many leading factories, distributors and retailers around the world. Because of these relationships, we are able to buy their Overstock at significant discounts, which then allow us to pass these great savings on to you…

Some of the items are significantly cheaper than what staticICE can find. For example,

• PC Camera — here’s a 500k pixels USB webcam for $26, free delivered. At this price point you can only get a 350k pixels cam from cheapest eBay shops. (PS. I was in the market for one to do video over Skype with families overseas)
• Panasonic 5 Megapixel LZ2 Digital Camera — not sure about how good this camera is, but at $349 with free delivery it is $50 cheaper than the cheapest reseller queried from staticICE

They sell much more than just gadgets! I only used those as I am only familiar with gadget prices :) A site worth checking out if you are looking for cheap things to buy (to use or to resell :)

Got this email from our beloved Matthias Media:

We don’t hold sales very often at Matthias Media. But when we do have a sale, you can be sure it’s a good one. And this one is both a good one and simple:

Place any order this week (Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday), by 4pm Sydney time on Friday (30 December) and we’ll take 20% off the normal order total (including the postage charge).

That’s 20% off anything: books, bible studies, CDs, tracts, DVDs, Briefing gift subscriptions (but not renewals). And if you are buying in quantity, you’ll get 20% off our quantity discount prices.

More info on Matthias Media’s blog (PS. Why making permalink difficult?). That is a great news for your post-Christmas Christian book shopping! Bible study group leaders — it is also an excellent opportunity to stock up their interactive Bible study series for your groups next year.

That is in direct competition with Koorong’s end of year sale, which also offers 15%-25% off all purchases, depending on how much you have spent. I’ll say spend your money with Matthias Media, who are more than just selling books, but also publishing some of the best Christian books in Australia.

Argh! Not sure how I missed out this one, however there is apparently a sale at DealsDirect — 10% off everything at check out, excluding shipping.

It started on 19 December, and the sale will end at noon 23 December. That means there’s only 24 hours before you can save 10% from already good prices at DealsDirect.

* * *

Something caught my eyes is this Doro DECT 855 Twin Colour Screen SMS Cordless Phone that is selling for $99 + $9 delivery (or $89.10 + $9 with 10% discount). One thing sure is that it is a DECT phone (unlike this Binatone AT2000 which they still haven’t replied my enquiry email). Quite a bargain for a cordless home phone.

First of all, Doro is a reputable brand. You got two cordless handsets with colour LCD display (not even my mobile phone has that), that allows you to send and receive SMS (ever sending SMS to a landline number?). It has got polyphonic ringtone, and even a sim card reader for transfering contacts from your mobile phone.

What’s lacking though, is an answering machine. However, with my “probably” next major telecommunication move to VoIP, where most service providers include voice mail as part of the deal, a digital answering machine is no longer a desirable feature — for me at least.

Elsie wrote about this special:

My friend Rose told me about this:

EasyWay Grand Opening Special at Macquarie Centre in North Ryde. From December 14^th– 24^th, Buy 1 EasyWay Drink and Get 1 Free. Fresh juices and specialty beverages are excluded.

EasyWay Macquarie is located opposite Greater Union Cinemas and Giodano.

Hmm. Free drinks…

Koorong just got their never ending sales on again! There were only having their 2 day web sale last week, and now they are having their end of year super sale from 26^th December 2005 to 4^th January 2006.

It’s that time of year again! Koorong is offering up to 25% off everything in stock during our End of Year Super Sale.

Now is the time to stock up, with the following discounts on offer:
15% off all purchases up to $100
20% off all purchases $100-$300
25% off all purchases over $300

That’s up to 25% off all our books, Bibles, CDs, DVDs, gift items and more.

Our End of Year Super Sale starts 26 December, 2005 and is on sale until 4 January, 2006.

Web orders are still offering free postage for $99 and over. Although after the previous sale (and stocking up), we are not sure what to buy now.

Elsie wrote to inform us about this freebie:

25 Free 6×4 Digital Prints from Paxtons.

Grab their current catalogue (which can be acquired in their store) and turn to page 3 for the coupon. Apparently the coupon has also appeared in Sydney Weekly.

This offer expires on 31st of July, 2006

Great news! Althought I could not spot the ads inside Sydney Weekly. These are the locations of the stores, close to the Eastern suburb part of the city:

Bondi Junction
Westfield Shop 1019, Level 1 (near Coles)

City
285 George Street (next to Wynyard station)

Got this email from Koorong today.

Koorong Web Store’s 2-Day Sale!

20% Off Everything in Stock (Web Store credit card purchase only)

48 Hours Only!

Midnight Wed 14th December to Midnight Fri 16th December

All web orders under $99 SAVE $1.50 postage! All web orders $99 and over are postage FREE.

This is even better than their previous 15% off everything sale. 48 hours only — so stock up your Christian books for Christmas tomorrow and on Friday.