Blag

Hmm… seems like Symantec are out of stock of boxed retail products. Or perhaps their ad campaign was so successful that they ran out of stock. Either way, running out in the middle of post Christmas stocktake/back to school sale isn’t good. Every retailer I’ve seen has empty shelves – Big W, DSE, OfficeWorks, JB Hi-Fi – and they all reported that they should have received a shipment of stock, which was mysteriously delayed.

*Excludes DVD editions from the Symantec store.

Edit: OfficeWorks, DSE and JB Hi-FI have them back in. Big W… not sure, but seeing as their staff are about as productive as garden gnomes, I doubt the shelves will be restocked until mid-year anyway. Big W’s Norton Internst Security for $79 offer ends today. Cheapest prices now at DSE $88 (Cat. XS1206) (excl $20 cash back).

+1 Symantec

Quite a few months ago, I got a free copy of Norton Internet Security 2009 complimentary of Symantec for beta testin NIS09 and Norton Safe Web Beta when it was released. Now that my 2008 license is running out, I decided to use the provided product key, and after a chat with an analyst, it turns out I got a 3-PC 1 year license worth ~ $98 free. I thought it would have been a 90 day license, or 1 computer only, but who am I to complain? I like free goods… *big grin*

Speaking of which, time for some shameless plugging, just because I feel obliged to. I must confess though, I completely forgot about my free product key and spent quite a while shopping around for the cheapest places. And here’s what I found -

You can get Norton Internet Security or Norton 360 v2.0 dirt cheap by:

• $79 for NIS09 or $96 for N360v2 at Big W, which is $20 below the average competitor store’s retail price (valid till 14 Jan 09)
• Buy any retail pack of 2PC + SNR, 3PC or 5PC license of NIS09 or N360v2 and get $20, $30 or $40 cash back (depending on product)
• Buy online at the Symantec store and get an instant discount of ~$10 on some products
• Buy from any online computer stores, which normally sell Symantec products way below the RRP (sorry, no cash back though )

Haha, am I starting to sound like a salesman yet?

Time for all the frugal, miserly, el-cheapo diehards (damn, whats the name of that guy in the Christmas story?) to rejoice!

Cheap deals selection for the bored geek:

• $9 TP-Link 5dbi Wifi Antennas
• 50% off Scanpan cookware at Myer
• $79 Norton Internet Security 2009 @ Big W + Further $20 cash back!
• $96 Norton 360 v2.0
• $12 24x 375ml Crate of Coke/Diet Coke/Zero/Fanta/Sprite
• $12 250psi Air Compressor @ Big W and K-Mart
• $0.05 Pack of 5x 64 page exercise books at most stores
• 25% Cash back on Microsoft Hardware
• $11 8GB USB Flash Drives
• $20/30/40 cash back on Symantec software
• $7 Cadbury Chocolate Fondue Sets
• $17 50-pack AA batteries
• $29 Wireless-g USB Adaptors
• $22 Verbatim Spindle 50 DVD+R at Dick Smith Electronics
• 25% off TV Antennas at Dick Smith Electronics
• $29 Ex-demo printers
• $179 Western Digital Essentials 1TB External HDD USB2.0
• $0.89 32 pack Sparklers
• $40 Car (Auto) 12V to 240VAC Inverter 150W
• $39 DVD Player
• CD/DVDs from $2+ at JB Hifi
• $105 Billion 7402VGO ADSL2+ VPN Modem/Router at JMG Technology

Of course, there’s the usual boring stationery/clothing/furniture sales on as well.

While taking a stroll through Myer looking for specials on Boxing day (ignoring the housewives all clamouring to get a bit of Scanpan action), I came across a few items in the electrical section which caught my eye. (No they were not porn mag dispensers.)

• Electric pasta cooker
• Golf ball washer
• Hot dog machines
• Omlette maker

I am not sure which viewpoint I should take, so I shall present both points of the argument:

OMG some people are so freaking lazy and purchase stupid pointless appliances like these!!!

OR

WTFH, manufacturers produce these retarded products and people actually buy them?

In all serious though, you don’t need any of these things! They are for imbeciles who marry their sisters!

If you have dirty golf balls, then chuck them into a tub of water. Voila! The electric pasta cooker requires so much work that it would be easier to drive to the nearest Italian restaurant and pay through the nose for plate of tortellini. The omlette maker just happens to be an electric frypan, with round moulds welded to its base… * Brainwave * Or… buy an electric frypan for $5 cheaper and you can use it as an omlette maker and a frying pan! 2-in-1! The Asians and Curries will love that!

For the record, some of the jazzed up hot dog makers look more like futuristic sex toys, than cooking implements.

Every Christmas, Myer, Big W, Target, Bing Lee, Clive Peters, Good Guys, Retravision etc etc etc are flooded with all these stupid novelties – hot dog makers, pop corn makers, ice-cream makers, electric pasta cookers, 500-in-1 toaster ovens, omlette makers, pancake makers, proffertjes makers, milkshake makers, ice shavers, glorified toaster ovens, blinged up food processors with $30 cashback offers, multipurpose cooking utilities - whatever the hell they are.

STOPPIT! Cease and desist from producing and “innovating” these retarded appliances, stop wasting impulse buyers money, help the environment, reduce electricity use and leave more shelf room for the chocolates!

Bad manufacturers! No profits and a spanking from Santa would be my gift to them.

…I’ll go back to making out with my hot dog maker now