A new wave of AI laptops from top brands like Dell, Lenovo, and Asus just hit the market. With a hefty price tag, are they really worth it?
The art of the upsell
Did you hear United Airlines is going all-in on a new, premium, expensive business class? Private check-in, a fancy lounge with sit-down dining, nice pajamas and a mattress pad, extra food on the plane, and (my favorite) press a button and someone will whiz over with champagne. Cha‑ching.
What about when you’re buying a regular ticket? Those are pricey, too — especially with the “extras” that used to be standard. Airlines have all kinds of sneaky upselling tricks. Let’s be smart and save money together.
Upsells you’ll most certainly run into
- Priority boarding: Pay extra to be early on the plane. If you have a disability or health condition that means you need more time, you can get that for free. Just ask.
- Travel insurance or flight protection: It’s 4% to 10% of the ticket price. Check if your credit card offers this instead. Most of mine do. If you’re not sure, call the number on the back and ask.
- Wi-Fi: Bet on spending anywhere from $3 to $30. If Wi‑Fi is a must for you, check the cost ahead of time. JetBlue offers it free for all passengers (nice). Frontier offers no movies, TV or Wi‑Fi, period.
- Flexible tickets: You’ll pay more if you want to be able to change flights later, but keep in mind you’ll still probably pay a change fee of at least $50.
- Boarding pass printing: This is big for budget airlines. Spirit wants $2 at the kiosk. Frontier charges $25 if you need an agent to help you. Ouch.
So, what can you do about it? Here are practical tips for the booking and travel process.
Screen saver: Don’t rush through the purchasing confirmation screens. Slow down, read thoroughly and make sure you know what you’re getting.
🤑 Pro tip: You’ll generally find the lowest prices if you book on a Sunday and travel on a Wednesday.
“Premium economy” is an oxymoron: Airlines push you to expensive seats by slicing cabin classes into more categories. Depending on the airline, it just means boarding a little sooner.
On some airlines, like American, you’ll get bigger seats (that fully recline, in some cases), better food and beverage options, priority boarding, and lots of room for you and your stuff. OK, that’s probably worth it.
Seat assignments: Before you shell out, check SeatGuru.com. Enter your airline and flight number to see a map of the best seats with the most legroom.
💺 Pro tip: If you ask at the gate, the person at the desk may be able to switch your seat assignment, especially if you’re traveling with a partner or kids. Here, it really pays to be nice.
Do the math: Most U.S. airlines increased their checked baggage prices this year by $5 to $10, and it’s worse for your second checked bag. The exception? Southwest, which still includes two checked bags in its ticket prices.
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Three and a half years later, this 65-inch rollable TV isn’t a prototype anymore, and you can order your own LG Signature OLED R right now. The focus has shifted from the marvel of a new type of technology, though, and now all anyone is talking about is its $100,000 price tag.
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$22,000 price tag
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$16,000 price tag
For a 4-foot-tall robot. A “humanoid agent AI avatar,” to be exact. Chinese robotics company Unitree’s latest model can walk, run, lift about four pounds and … uh, that’s about it. When is two hours not long? When we’re talking about this robot’s battery dying instead of the duration of something else in your life.
Who can buy this stuff, anyway?
CES has brought us a bunch of awesome new products, but there’s a big reason they’re not flying off the shelves – the price tag.
The price tag of voice cloning
PC sales are plummeting
What’s behind the big decline? I tell you why it’s not just a big price tag, in 60 seconds.
Free Photoshop clone that runs in your browser
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