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Two Dealzmodo strategies for avoiding awkward holiday conversation with your relatives: 1. Distract them with Planet Earth on Blu-ray. 2. Learn to speak in a foreign tongue with great savings on iPhone language apps. Guten Tag, Aunt Belinda!

Top Deals:
• 8.9″ Dell Vosto A90 Netbook with Ubuntu Linux and 8GB SSD for $184 plus free shipping (normally $274).
• Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series (Blu-ray) for $40.99.
• Kodak Gallery: 50 4″ x 6″ Prints for $0 (normally $7.50).
• Innovative Language Learning iPhone Apps.

Computing and Peripherals:
• HP Slimline s5280t Core 2 Quad Desktop for $522.49 with free shipping (normally $799.99 – use coupon code: SVMY65443).
• 18.4″ HP dv8t Intel Core i7-720QM Quad-Core 1920×1080 Laptop $1049.99 (normally $1449 – use coupon code: NBTY349821).
• 15.6″ Dell Inspiron 15 4GB/320GB Laptop for $479 plus free 1-day shipping (normally $958 – use coupon code 1R$ZL9Q7CFG69V).
• 10.1″ Gateway LT2005u Intel Atom Netbook for $229.99 (normally $349).
• 10.1″ Acer Aspire One Intel Atom N270 Netbook for $239.00 plus free shipping (normally $299).
• 8.9″ Dell Vosto A90 Netbook with Ubuntu Linux and 8GB SSD for $184 plus free shipping (normally $274).
• 24″ ASUS VH242H Widescreen LCD for $169.99 plus free shipping (normally $200 – use this form).
• Brother HL-2140 Personal Laser Printer for $49.99 plus free shipping (normally $107).
• Hitachi Deskstar 2TB Internal SATA Hard Drive for $149.99 plus free shipping (normally $179).
• Simpletech Signature Mini Espresso 500GB External Portable Hard Drive for $69.99 plus free shipping (normally $99).
• Seagate Barracuda LP 2TB Internal SATA Hard Drive for $139.99 plus free shipping (normally $179).
• HP MediaSmart LX195 Home Server w/ 640GB Hard Drive for $199.99 plus free shipping (normally $299).
• Creative GigaWorks T40 Series II 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System for $69.99 plus free shipping (normally $149.99).
• Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX for $42.99 with free shipping (normally $79.99 – use coupon code: SVN9846 and use this form).

Gaming:
• Microsoft XBOX 360 Elite 250GB Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition console for $359.99 with free shipping (normally $399.99 – use coupon code MSSTORE10%OFF).
• EA Sports Active (Wii) for $40 plus free shipping (normally $53).
• React Four-Controller Charge Station (Wii) for $19.99 (normally $30).
• Grand Theft Auto IV/GTA: Episodes of Liberty City Bundle (360) for $57.99 plus free shipping (normally $70).
• Mad Catz Racer Wheels and Pedals (PS3) for $19.99 (normally $30).
• The Sims 3 Collector’s Edition (PC) for $44.43 plus free shipping (normally $60).
• Ghostbusters Slimer Edition (Wii,360,PS3) for $29.75 plus free shipping (normally $69.99).
• NHL 10 (PS3, 360) for $45.43 plus free shipping (normally $58.99).

Home Entertainment:
• 54″ Panasonic Viera TC-P54S1 1080p Plasma HDTV for $1099.99 (normally $1399).
• 46″ Sony BRAVIA V-Series KDL-46V5100 1080p 120Hz LCD TV plus Sony PlayStation 3 120GB or Sony BDP-S560 Blu-ray Player for $999.98 plus free shipping (normally $1278).
• 46″ Sharp AQUOS LCC4677UN 1080p 120Hz 5xHDMI LCD HDTV for $888 plus free shipping (normally $1,100).
• 40″ Sony BRAVIA V-Series KDL-40V5100 1080p 120Hz LCD TV plus Sony PlayStation 3 120GB or Sony BDP-S560 Blu-ray Player for $879.98 plus free shipping (normally $1097).
• 37″ Toshiba REGZA 37CV510U 720p LCD HDTV for $500 plus free shipping (normally $570).
• Sharp BDHP21U 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player for $93.96 plus free shipping (normally $137 – use coupon code BONUSBUY).
• Sony BDPS360 Blu-ray Disc Player + 3 Blu-ray Movies for $136.64 with free shipping (normally $199.99).
• LG N4B1 Network Storage with built-in Blu-ray Burner for $299.99 with free shipping (normally $499.99).
• Onkyo TX-SR507 5.1-Ch. Home Theater Receiver for $257.56 plus free shipping (normally $306 – use coupon code AFL6).
• Logitech Harmony ONE Advanced Universal Remote with Touchscreen for $149.99 plus free shipping (normally $199).
• Insignia NS-WBRDVD Blu-Ray Player with Wireless Networking for Netflix Streaming for $129.99 (normally $199).
• Quantum of Solace (Blu Ray) for $9.99 (normally $18.32).
• Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series (Blu-ray) for $40.99.

Personal Portables and Peripherals:
• Innovative Language Learning iPhone Apps.
• Microsoft Zune HD 32GB MP3 Video Player for $259.97 with free shipping (normally $289.99).
• 12.3 MP Nikon D5000 DSLR with 18-55mm Lens for $649 plus free shipping (normally $699).
• LG WM2016CW 3.6 Cu. Ft. Washer or DLE2516W 7 Cu. Ft. Electric Dryer for $349.99 each plus free shipping (normally $699 each).
• Lexar JumpDrive TwistTurn 4GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $7.99 plus free overnight shipping (normally $20).
• Kodak Easyshare M381 12.4MP Digital Camera for $99.99 plus free shipping (normally $147).
• TomTom XL 340 4.3″ Widescreen GPS for $97 plus free shipping (normally $128).
• Casio Men’s Waveceptor Atomic Dual-Time Watch for $40 plus free shipping (normally $86).
• Skullcandy Proletariat Noise Canceling Headphones for $25 plus free shipping (normally $41).
• Palm Pre with new Sprint Plan for $80 plus free shipping (normally $150).
• Apple iPod Touch 8GB with Silicone Case (2-Pack), Wall Charger and iTunes $15 Gift Card for $219.97 plus free shipping (normally $264).
• Motorola DROID Android 3G Smartphone for $119 w/ 2 Year Contract plus free shipping (normally $199).
• HipBudz Antimicrobial Noise Isolating Stereo EarBuds for $9.99 plus free shipping (normally $24.95).

Hobomodo:
• Kodak Gallery: 50 4″ x 6″ Prints for $0 (normally $7.50).
• Get $3 Amazon MP3 Store Credit for $0 (use coupon code MP34FREE).
• Reusable Screen Protector for Sony PSP for $0 (normally $5 – use coupon code FREEPSPSP).
• 6 Month Subscription to Computer Power User Magazine for $0 (use this form and offer code:1735).
• 3 Year Subscription to Town & Country Magazine for $0 (use this form).
• Sample Millstone Coffee via Walmart for $0 (use this form).
• Sample of San Antonio Coffee Roasters Coffee for $0 (use this form).
• Audio Book download through Thanksgiving from Audible.com for $0 (use this form).
• Sampler Claus 7 Track Christmas Album (MP3) for $0 (download here).
• Tasty Way (iPhone/iPod Touch) for $0 (normally $.99).

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it’s a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Dealzon, Logic Buy, GamerHotline, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

Never before has it been so apparent that a power tower—pretty much the laziest design in the computer industry—is being sold by a design-centric company with neither design nor power.

And I’m not sure that the solution is just a refresh away.

The Mac Pro was once the only viable option for a OS X lover in need of serious horsepower for tasks like editing media. Now, with the new iMac? I think it’s straight up stupid to buy a Mac Pro.

The $2,500 Mac Pro, desperately in need of a refresh, gives you a 2.66GHz Quad-Core Xeon (essentially an i7), 3GB of RAM (triple channel, but seriously?), 640GB hard drive (again, seriously?) and a nominal graphics card. Spend $800 more and you’ll get a another processor and 3GB more RAM.

The $2200, 27-inch iMac obviously includes a screen, plus you get a 2.8GHz Quad-Core (i7), 1TB drive, 4GB of RAM and a nominal graphics card.

But beyond those clock speeds, the Mac Pro’s i7 processor is the more premium Bloomfield edition, while the iMac uses the Lynnfield. (More on those differences here.)

Still, the bottom line is that the iMac’s Lynnfield processor is newer, and it shows in performance.

Macworld benched the new iMacs against the latest Mac Pros. And, you know what? The i7 iMac more than held its own. It basically defeated the 4-core Mac Pro across the board.

And other than a few specific tasks in which the most expensive Mac Pro’s 8 cores proved beneficial (Handbrake, Cinebench, etc), the iMac outperformed the competition or kept things close enough not to be relevant, plus it straight-up won in the eyes of Speedmark 6.

Performance-wise, the base Mac Pro makes no sense at all. The 8-core Mac Pro offers a touch more power, sometimes, and other times (in many day to day tasks) even it is outgunned.

Of course, any Mac Pro still allows multiple internal hard drives, three PCI slots, more FireWire ports (four vs one) and more room for RAM expansion (32GB vs 16GB). But once again, even in the worlds of professional media creation, that’s a pretty questionable upsell, especially with external storage solutions and the fact that most high, high end media pros (like special effects artists) turn to dedicated render farms to do their heavy number crunching anyway.

With the new iMac, Apple has shrunk the Mac-Pro-needing niche even smaller. And I can’t tell anyone with a straight face that a handful of expandability is worth $300-$1100 with no monitor, no matter how deep their pockets are.

Apple needs to reexamine their pricing model. Even with an inevitable processor refresh (i9, anyone?), it’s time for a price drop and/or some free with purchase displays. Just because you’re a pro doesn’t mean you’re a sucker.

We like cool pop-up books here. Awesome scale pop-up cardboard office? Yesplease. Designers Liddy Scheffknecht and Armin B. Wagner, I want your babies. Your cardboard babies. Sadly, the pop-up cardboard office doesn’t include a pretty sofa for siestas. [Likecool]

Tyme Machines‘ Star Wars sculpted USB drives might not have your favorite characters available yet, in its first series, but they do have Vader, Boba Fett, Yoda and a Storm Trooper, and they’re quite good.

The drives are available in 4, 8 and 16GB capacities for $30, $40 and $60, respectively. The head comes off and you plug the body into any USB port. The downside is that the bodies are decently sized, so if you have two USB ports adjacent to each other, you won’t be able to use the other one.

Click through the gallery to see our impressions. [Tyme Machines]

Here’s a lone Storm Trooper before he suffers a fate unimaginable for all but Storm Troopers. Decapitation.

With his head gone, his body is free to be plugged into any USB port.

Here’s the view from behind.

Boba Fett and Vader are still in mint condition.

The set includes Yoda, but we only have the evil characters.

All three with their heads off.

Vader, engaged.

What would it look like if they switched helmets? This.

In 2009, iPhone multitasking is a bit like apps were in the early jailbreak days. That is to say painfully, clearly possible, but simply not allowed. These jailbreak apps show how it could—and should—be done.

What you’re seeing here is really the combination of two apps, standby jailbreak justifier and essential iPhone app Backgrounder, which lets your designate any app to run in the background, and new task switcher interface called Multifl0w. (There are other, more basic task switchers already, the most widespread being Kirikae) The new combo feels like magic: It’s a little bit Android, a lotta bit Pre, and more importantly, an obvious improvement, at least on the speedier 3GS.

Granted, anyone who’s used background knows that for the sake of your battery, you have to be careful how many apps you open, and how many you leave running. Honestly though? Every other smartphone manufacturer trusts their users to mind their own damn processes, which seems to work out pretty well. So, uh, when will we get this by default? OS 4.0? 5.0? Shut up, blogger?

You can give it a try now in jailbreak app manager Rock, and Cydia’s on its way. Sadly, it’s only free on a trial basis, after which it’ll cost your five dollars. Backgrounder and Kirikae, though? They’re still free, in all sense of the word. [MultiFl0w]

It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but already Best Buy seems to have won the “most annoying holiday ad of the season” award. Seriously, try to sit through one of these without squirming around uncomfortably and wanting to punch the screen.

BB Video Link