Beginning May 20, students going back to school can get a steal on an Xbox 360 when they buy a qualifying Windows PC for $699 or more. I say a steal because, you’ll feel like your stealing since the 4GB Xbox 360 is free.

That’s right! Get a free Xbox 360 with a band new PC for back-to-school.

Microsoft offered his promotion last year and it they will repeat the offer this year. In the United States you must buy a $699 PC, while in Canada you’ll get a free Xbox with a $599 Windows PC.

Outlets offering the deal in the United States include the following:

• Best Buy
• Dell
• Fry’s Electronics
• HP
• Microsoft Stores
• NewEgg

Canadian buyers can shop at:

• Best Buy
• Dell
• Future Shop
• Staples
• The Source

Many students will either start or return to college this summer and fall. A new notebook and an Xbox 360 will come in handy.

Use the computer for all those papers and projects. Get on the Xbox to play some games or use one of the many video apps, like Netflix or Hulu to watch TV and movies over the campus network. You can hook them up and play movies, videos, music and slide shows streamed from your computer. Maybe your dorm room will serve as the hub of fun and entertainment on your floor.

You’ll have to wait tilt he 20th to see which computers qualify for the deal at the various sites. The HP Envy Sleekbook 4t-1000 might offer a great option at $699.99 from HP directly. Its one of those new and thin 14″ models that offers some decent specs in a smaller form factor. Since you have the Xbox for gaming, you don’t necessarily need a powerhouse machine to carry to class and work on the papers you’ll write in the library.

The Toshiba Portege Ultrabook also might quality at $799.99 over at Best Buy. It offers a 13.3 display along with a 128GB SSD. it should provide enough battery life to get through your day and enough power for your basic student activities.

If you’re not satisfied with just Xbox gaming, then Dell’s Alienware M14x Gaming Laptop might show up on the list at nearly $1100. They build these for power with Core i5 or i7 processors at least 6GB of RAM. You also get at least 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with Optimus graphics powering a 14″ display. If you’re wiling to pay extra you can get 1600×900 resolution display. Dell recently refreshed the processor on these to offer the latest greatest.

You’ll find plenty of options at the above retailers, so check with them Sunday to see what you can get. For further details see the Windows Team Blog.

Students Get a Free Xbox 360 with $699 Notebook Purchase is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The MacUpdate Bundle puts a number of programs together into a bundled software collection for a deeply discounted price. The current MacUpdate Bundle includes some really great tools, utilities, and a game for only $49.99. Get it soon though because it expires on March 28.

In this current bundle you get $378 worth of software. If you don’t mind letting people know about the bundle on Facebook or Twitter, then you will get another program as well.

Here’s what you get in the bundle with the retail price in parenthesis after the description.

• VMware Fusion 4 – a virtualization tool that lets you run Windows or Linux on a Mac. You can also install a beta version of OS X for testing and learning. ($49.99)
• Drive Genius 3 – a disk utility that optimizes your drive by defraying, finding duplicate files, fixing corruption and checking the health of the drive. ($99.99)
• PDFpen 5 – a great PDF markup tool that lets you sign documents, take notes, or fill in forms. ($59.99)
• ForkLift 2.5 – A Finder replacement that handles things like renaming a bunch of files at once, remote file management, and zipping up collections of files. ($29.99)
• Typinator 5 – Helps you get more done by automatically putting often used text strings into places like online forms or documents by replacing the shortcuts that you type with the full text, like KAP for Kevin A. Purcell. ($39.99)
• Desktop Shelves 2 – Puts all your desktop content onto virtual shelves for easier viewing. Organize things like pictures, documents, and Internet shortcuts on separate shelves and then mouse over the self to see all of them fanned out. ($14.99)
• Snapheal – A simple photo retouching tool. ($14.99)
• Boom (Home Pack) – Boosts the volume of your Mac so you can hear hard to hear audio or video files. ($10.99)
• Phone to Mac – Moves files from your iPhone, iPod or iPad to your Mac using a drag-and-drop file explorer that looks like iTunes. ($24.99)
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – A fun Star Wars genre game. ($29.99)
• Worms Special Edition – A funny and fun strategy game. ($9.99)

The bonus app is Aurora and you get this $4.95 clock app for Tweeting about the bundle or liking it on Facebook.

If all you wanted was VMware and one of the tools like PDFpen, then it make the bundle worth it. You could get the light version of Drive Genius in the Mac App Store but it costs $59.99. PDFpen is also in the app store but the cheaper version costs $59.99 and the expensive one costs $99.99. Other apps in the Mac App Store include DesktopShelves, Snapheal, Boom, and Worms. I’d recommend getting it, especially if you need or just want one of the tools.

MacUpdate Bundle is a Great Deal for $49.99 with VMWare Fusion is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

AOC announced that their AOC 16″ Portable USB Monitor will go on sale for the attractive price of $99 for a limited time. The monitor gives mobile users a second display that gets the video signal and power from USB.

I love using a second display with my MacBook and have one set up on my desktop at home. I often miss it while I’m away from home, so I’ll be snapping one up.

The sale price comes in $40 less that the normal price of $139.99 (Best Buy link), which still isn’t bad. The price lasts from March 16-31. So don’t buy one till Friday.

For that price you get 1366×768 resolution screen powered by a DisplayLink DL-125 chip. That’s below average resolution for most 16″ displays, but considering this thing runs on USB, if your laptop has the power, you can’t complain too loudly. Because the USB port powers the display, you don’t need a wall plug to run it.

The monitor comes in black with a hard screen so it should stand up to average wear and tear. You can plug more than one into a laptop, but your battery life will likely take a big hit even with just one attached.

Look for the AOC USB monitor at Best Buy, Walmart, Micro Center, Newegg, HHGregg, Amazon, Circuit City, CompUSA, TigerDirect, ABC Warehouse, Electronics Express, and other major retailers.

Here are some of the key specs:

• Panel Type: LED
• Widescreen 16:9
• Screen Size: 15.6” Viewable Image Size, Diagonal
• Max. Resolution: 1366×768 @60Hz
• Input Signal: 1 USB
• Special Features: One USB cable supplies power and video
• Compatible with Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 & Apple MAC OSX Tiger / Leopard and Lion

When I get it in, I’ll let you know how well it performs.

AOC 16″ Portable USB Monitor for $99 is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

If you need a durable notebook to take back to school or to take to work, the Dell Latitude E5520 is a good choice, especially when you can save 42% off the list price. Through friday, you can get a Dell Latitude E5520 notebook for $779 with free next business day shipping after an instant $504 discount and a stackable $60 off coupon code.

The Dell Latitude E5520 is a business class notebook, which means it is designed to meet the higher demands of businesses.

This notebook has a sturdier feel than many consumer notebooks and the Tri-Metal design, screen bumper  and spill resistant keyboard provide better protection for the system. Mobile workers will also appreciate the ability to open the LCD 180 degrees to find a perfect viewing angle.

The Dell Latitude E5520 has the following Specs:

• 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 2nd Gen processor
• 4GB RAM
• 250GB hard drive
• 15.6″ Anti-Glare display with 1366 x 768 resolution
• WiFi and Bluetooth
• 8X DVD RW drive
• webcam and noise canceling digital array mic
• 6 cell battery
• 1 year American based support
• 1 year next business day on site repair
• 1 year accidental coverage

Deal Details

To get this deal, Add the Ships Fast Dell Latitude E5520 to your cart at Dell Small Business and enter the coupon code 535LFNF?JW8HL8 at checkout to take an additional $60 off. Your final price should be $779 before tax. Choose Next Business Day as your shipping option to get free shipping.

Deal Tips

You don’t need to be a small business to take advantage of this deal. these business notebooks don’t have the flash of other consumer models, but they do make a great fit for students, especially given the great warranty support that is included at this price.

If you have an American Express or MasterCard, you may be able to double your warranty by purchasing the notebook on your card. Call the number on the back of your credit card to make sure that the warranty extension is included on your card.

You may want to add the 3 year Basic Hardware Service warranty to your purchase, which for $156 includes 3 years of next business day on site service after remote diagnosis. This is a good price for users who think they will need support down the road, and want to have a single point of contact to get computer repair.

Dell Latitude E5520 Notebook Drops to $779 After 42% In Savings is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Apple has kicked off their annual Back to School promotion, with a new twist. Instead of a free iPod Touch, Apple is including a $100 iTunes gift card with the purchase of a new Mac. The gift card isn’t as good as a $200 iPod Touch, but it still offers a great extra on top of the traditional student discounts.

The Back to School iTunes gift card is worth $100 with no strings attached and you can use it in the Mac App Store to pick up some new back to school software or you can use it in the App Store to pick up some new iPhone and iPad apps. If you don’t need apps, the credit will also work in iTunes for music and movies or in iBooks.

To get a Mac with a free $100 App Store gift card you need to be accepted to a college, a current college student, a parent buying for a college student or a Faculty or Staff member teaching at any grade level. When you purchase a new Mac, you should shop in the online Apple Education store, bring proof that you are a student to an Apple Retail location or pick up your Mac at an authorized Campus Store.

In addition to the $100 worth of apps and media you get $50 to $100 off the most popular Macs including all of the Apple notebooks. Below you’ll find the student discount pricing on Apple notebooks.

• MacBook – $899 – $100 off
• MacBook Pro – $1,099 – $200 off
• MacBook Air – $949 – $100 off

While we imagine that most students will find a way to use the $100 App credit, you can subsidize the cost of your MacBook purchase by selling the code on eBay or Craigslist for a $5 to $10 discount. This is an excellent way to drop the price of your new MacBook down to $800 — which is an amazing deal for a brand new MacBook.

The Apple Back to School deal runs from June 16th through September 20th and is valid on qualifying Mac models including the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac notebooks purchased direct form Apple or from an Apple Authorized Campus Store.

Back To School: Buy a Mac get $100 worth of Apps Free is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Ad Memorial Day rolls around, Summer is practically here and that means parents and high school grads are looking for a back to school notebook deal. Memorial Day is one of the best times to find a low price on a new notebook or laptop without all the extra work. We’ve gone notebook hunting and have found deals on notebooks from Sony, HP, Dell and Apple that run through Memorial Day weekend. These deals require coupon codes that can run out, so if you find a notebook you want, be sure to move fast.

Apple Memorial Day Notebook Deals

MacBook Deals

• Apple 13.3″ MacBook -  Core 2 Duo/2.4GHz/2GB/250GB/GeForce 320M/SD (MC516LL/A) for $939.94

MacBook Pro Deals

• Apple 13.3″ MacBook Pro - i5/2Core/2.3GHz/4GB/320GB/IntelHD Graphics3000/SD/Thunderbolt/Glossy (MC700LL/A) for $1,138.95
• Apple 13.3″ MacBook Pro – i7/2Core/2.7GHz/4GB/500GB/IntelHD Graphics3000/SD/Thunderbolt/Glossy (MC724LL/A) for $1,419.83
• Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro – i7/4Core/2.0GHz/4GB/500GB/IntelHD Graphics3000/AMDRadeon HD6490M/SD/Thunderbolt/Glossy (MC721LL/A) for $1,699.83
• Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro – i7/4core/2.2GHz/4GB/750GB/Intel HD Graphics3000/AMDRadeon HD6750M/SD/Thunderbolt/Glossy (MC723LL/A) for $2,044.83
• Apple 17″ MacBook Pro – i7/4core/2.2GHz/4GB/750GB/Intel HD Graphics3000/AMDRadeon HD6750M/SD/Thunderbolt/Glossy (MC725LL/A) for $2,328.99

MacBook Air Deals

• Apple 11.6″ MacBook Air - 1.4GHz/2GB/64GB Flash Storage/NVIDIA GeForce 320M (MC505LL/A) for $937.99
• Apple 11.6″ MacBook Air – 1.4GHz/2GB/128GB Flash Storage/NVIDIA GeForce 320M (MC506LL/A) for $1,137.99
• Apple 13.3″ MacBook Air – 1.86GHz/2GB/128GB Flash Storage/NVIDIA GeForce 320M (MC503LL/A) for $1,233.99
• Apple 13.3″ MacBook Air - 1.86GHz, 2GB RAM, 256GB Flash Storage, NVIDIA GeForce 320M (MC504LL/A) for $1,498.99

HP Memorial Day Notebook Deals

HP is offering a collection of Memorial Day discounts and deals on the Pavilion and Envy notebook lines. Here are the best HP Memorial Day deals on notebooks from HP.

• 25% off customized HP Pavilion Laptop configured at $999 or greater –  Use coupon code MEMORIAL25
• 25% off customized HP Pavilion ENVY 14 – Use coupon code NB3535
• $50 off customized HP Pavilion dm4x and dv6t Select Edition laptops – Use coupon code NB1122
• Extra $50 Off HP Pavilion Laptop configured at $1,000 or greater – Use Coupon Code NBDT50C115

HP also has a number of dollar off deals that will cut the cost of a monitor or notebook accessory. These next two coupon codes will not work with most notebook or netbook purchases.

• $15 off $75 Purchase at HP – Use coupon code SAVE15HP
• $30 off $150 Purchase at HP – Use coupon code SAVE30HP

Dell Memorial Day Notebook Deals

Dell is delivering deals on notebooks this memorial day with discounts on Inspiron, Inspiron R and Alienware notebooks. You can score free 7 day shipping on all notebooks with coupon code HLSKSR06S9ZG0F which is stackable with the rest of these deals. Here are the hottest Dell Memorial day deals.

• Inspiron 15R for $109 off – New laptop with switchable lids, 2nd gen Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB memory, and 500GB hard drive!
• Inspiron 14R laptop for $649 – with MS Office 2010, an Dell All-in-One printer, and BluRay disc. Coupon code 3ZGM6H8GW544C5
• Alienware M17X R3 Save $50 – Alienware’s first 3D capable laptop with HD 1080p display! Coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX

Sony Memorial Day Notebook Deals

Sony is offering a single Memorial Day deal right now, giving you a free Bloggie Touch Camera with the purchase of a Sony VAIO C laptop. The Bloggie Touch is valued at $179.99. You don’t need a coupon code to get this deal, but quantities of the free Bloggie Touch are limited.

Memorial Day Notebook Deals – Sony, HP, Dell and Apple Deals is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Microsoft is offering a new Back-to-School promotion, giving away an Xbox 360 4GB to students who purchase a Windows 7 powered notebook over $699 from participating retailers between May 22 and September 9th.

The deal is designed to combat the Apple promotion which offers a free iPod Nano with MacBook purchase during the same time period. In a pure dollars and cents view, the Microsoft deal is better because the starting price is much lower and the price of an Xbox 360 4GB is $50 more.

If you are already going to get a PC for back to school, why not bring a Spartan with you?

The free Xbox 360 with Windows 7 notebook purchase is available at participating retailers including the following online locations;

• Dell.com
• HP.com
• Microsoft Store
• Best Buy

This deal is open to high school and college students only, and Microsoft requires that students prove their student status. The verification method will vary from retailer to retailer, but you will likely need a copy of your school ID and or email address to take part in the deal. If you don’t have a school ID, check with the participating retailers after May 22nd to see what you need to bring.

Based on the participating retailers, we suggest you check out the Toshiba Satellite E305, Dell Alienware M14x and Samsung Series 9 notebooks, but any Windows 7 PC priced at $699 or above will fit the bill if available at the participating retailers.

This promotion is only valid in the U.S. but Canada also has a deal which will give Canadian students a free Xbox 360 4GB console with the purchase of an HP computer priced over $599. More details on the Canadian deal can be found here.

Buy a Windows 7 Notebook over $699, Get a Free Xbox 360 4G: Back To School Promo is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

It looks like Apple may be getting an early jump on the back-to-school promotions next week, according to AppleInsider. The site “People familiar with the Apple’s retail operations” as saying that the promotion will come after a Sunday morning meeting of all Apple Store employees this week. The promotion is an annual thing and if true would follow Apple’s recent pattern. They launched the promotion last year in late May as well. Previous years the promotion did not begin until June.

The promotion will give a free iPod Nano to all buyers of a new Mac. That may seem a little paltry since previous promotions included an iPod Touch. As Apple Insider pointed out the Touch is actually $30 more than last year starting at $199 instead of the $229 it costs now. The Nano starts at $50 less than that now. The cheapest MacBook is now $50 more than it was a year ago at $999 now for both the white MacBook and the cheapest MacBook Air.

Apple’s hardware is so popular that company seldom offers significant deals and discounts other than refurbished products. So any kind of discount is a plus for those who really want Apple hardware.

Refurbished items have been returned for some reason and refurbished to an almost new state. Buyers can find good deals if their desired Apple product is available in the refurbished section of their online store.

The iPod Nano was introduced last fall adding a new mult-touch display and being shrunk. The Nano costs $149 for the 8GB model that will come in this promotion.

Apple Back-to-School Promotion Starts Next Week: Free iPod Nano with MacBook, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Apple is back at it this week with a collection of MacBook Air deals starting at $849. The Apple Store refurbished MacBook Air deals include savings of $150 to $250 on the current generation MacBook Air. These notebooks include free shipping and include a 1 year Apple warranty.

The Apple Refurb Store has the following MacBook Air deals:

• Refurbished MacBook Air 11.6″ – 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 2GB 64GB – $849 ($150 off)
• Refurbished MacBook Air 11.6″ – 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 2GB 128GB – $1,019 ($180 off)
• Refurbished MacBook Air 13.3″ – 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 2GB 128GB – $1,099 ($200 off)
• Refurbished MacBook Air 13.3″ – 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 2GB 256GB – $1,349 ($250 off)

If you are looking for a deal on a MacBook Air, this is one of the best deals you will find. While you may typically be worried about picking up a refurbished notebook, Apple is known for quality control of refurbished notebooks like the MacB0ok Air. Also, you won’t be getting a “Scratch & Dent” deal, as Apple replaces the cases when damaged.

Head over to the Apple store to score a MacBook Air while supplies last.

MacBook Air Deals Back At Apple Refurb Store Starting at $849 is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

MacLegion has rounded up a special Mac App Bundle that includes 11 popular Mac apps, tools and utilities to get you up and running on your MacBook or MacBook Pro. These apps include a wide range of uses and are a good fit for new Mac users or a veteran Mac owner that needs a few new apps.

The MacLegion App Bundle is available for two weeks and then the bundle pricing will no longer be applicable. If you need only one of these apps, the bundle price of $49.99 likely makes it worthwhile.

Maclegion Mac App Bundle

The links below will take you to the product website to learn about the app. To get the bundle pricing, you need to visit MacLegion.

The full retail price of this bundle would be $582.68, but from now through May 11th you can purchase all of these apps for $49.99 only from MacLegion.
Personally, we are drawn immediately to Data Rescue, ScreenFlow, LaunchBar and HDRtist Pro, which would cost us over $250 if purchased separately, but with this bundle we get these apps and others for the $50 price tag. The mac of these bundles is that even if we never use one or two of the apps we have still saved over purchasing the apps individually.

MacLegion Bundle Delivers $582 of Mac Apps for $49.99 is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.