Best

Best Buy starts taking pre-orders for Windows 8 Phone handsets

With the debut of Windows Phone 8 a little more than a week away, Best Buy has begun taking pre-orders for Nokia's and HTC's flagship smartphones running Microsoft's new mobile operating system.

The electronics retailer's Web site now lists the Lumia 920 for $149.99 with a two-year commitment and off-contract at $599.99. It also lists the HTC 8X for $99.99 with contract and $599.99 without contract.

The listing doesn't indicate when customers can expect delivery, saying only that the phones "will ship when available." Earlier this month, AT&… Read more

Best Buy employee gets dumped by lover, wins $30.5M

As Cher almost sang once: Do you believe in loot after love?

It's funny how the fates can bring a fetching closure to an unsuccessful relationship. Ask 22-year-old Best Buy employee Sandeep "Sunny" Singh from Hyannis, Mass.

It seems he wasn't quite so sunny when his girlfriend tossed him to other fish in the sea just two weeks ago.

And then, as CBS Boston reports, it was as if Best Buy's new Insignia Flex tablet suddenly outsold the iPad.

For Singh was rather chirping after winning $30.5 million in the lottery.

"Ahh, I'… Read more

Google tops study of best-paid software engineers

Google has been found to be the financial sweet spot for software engineers this year, according to a new report from jobs and careers site Glassdoor.

Based on salary reports shared over the past 12 months by software engineers at 15 various tech companies to compare average base salaries, Google was found to have the highest average base salary among the top dogs in technology.

Here's a glance at the top five:

Google: $128,336 Facebook: $123,626 Apple: $114,413 eBay: $108,809 Zynga: $105,568

Based on more than 5,000 salary reports, Glassdoor cited that the … Read more

Amazon pushes Kindles for classrooms

Wednesday's CNET Update is syncing your reading assignment:

Amazon has launched a way for teachers to easily push out reading assignments through a Kindle. Today's tech news roundup looks at Whispercast, which allows organizations to manage books and documents synced to a group of Kindle accounts. Everyone the group doesn't need to own a Kindle, but they do need a device with a Kindle app. Classrooms can also order Kindles with custom profiles that block Web browsing or disable purchasing.

In other news, Best Buy is joining retailers like Barnes & Noble and Toys "R" … Read more

Best Buy's Insignia Flex tablet to get mid-$200 price tag

Best Buy has priced a homegrown Android tablet to take on offerings from Apple and Samsung.

The Insignia Flex, which the electronics retail giant revealed on Facebook last week, will sell for between $239 and $259 when it hits the market on November 11, according to a Reuters report. The tablet will feature a 9.7-inch screen and be powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The tablet will be available only from Best Buy, but the page didn't reveal any additional details regarding memory, storage, screen type, or wireless configurations. CNET has … Read more

Which gadget would you buy for $300?

In the past week, CNET has reviewed three separate media devices, each costing $300, and one of them was a television. And guess what: the TV wasn't terrible.

The three products were the TCL L40FHDP60 ($309), the 3M Streaming Projector ($299), and the Apple iPod Touch ($299). Seeing them all together got me thinking: which one of these would I actually buy if I had the money? Is there something else I'd rather do with my $300?

Until we find out whether the Apple iPad Mini exists, I cast the net out a bit farther and two other … Read more

Apple might unwrap iPad Mini on Oct. 23

Friday's CNET Update is scanning for sales:

Best Buy plans to match prices on Amazon this holiday season, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Today's tech news roundup dives into the trend of "showrooming" and how you can use apps to get the best price at the register.

There's a fresh report on the iPad Mini. All Things Digital says Apple will reveal the smaller tablet at a news event on Oct. 23. But of course we won't know for sure until Apple breaks its silence. Pricing will be a big … Read more

Best Buy ready for battle with Amazon on pricing

Best Buy, hit hard by cheaper online prices, has decided to take the fight to Amazon.

During the holiday shopping season, Best Buy will match Amazon's prices in its stores to keep pace with its chief competitor, the Wall Street Journal is reporting today, citing a source. In addition, the retailer will offer free home delivery on products that are out-of-stock at its brick-and-mortar stores.

The move is a thinly veiled attempt on Best Buy's part to head off so-called "showrooming," which sees consumers come into the company's stores to check out products without buying. … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S3 price drops $100 Sunday only at Best Buy

And just like that, the Samsung Galaxy S3, which has reigned as king of the Android smartphone hill since the summer, seems to be on its way to being a has-been.

A release from Best Buy indicates that the retailer -- also not quite the big shot it used to be -- will be slashing $100 off the price of the Galaxy S3 for this Sunday, October 14, only.… Read more

Printer buying guide

Choosing the right printer can be a daunting task. There are several types of printing technologies to choose from, each suited for different needs. Printers come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny travel companions to work group workhorses; some are geared toward photographers, others are for multitaskers. And the many specifications for resolution and speed can be misleading. As a loose rule of thumb, inkjet printers like the HP Photosmart 7510 and the Canon Pixma MG3220 are a must for vibrant colors and long-lasting photos, whereas Canon's ImageClass MF3010 and similar laser printers are best at producing speedy … Read more