Back-to-school tech bargains: 5 February

Olympus FE-26 digital camera
Price: $121.40 Anyone (especially students) looking for a small, inexpensive digital camera should consider the Olympus FE-26. It's a 12-megapixel camera with a 3x zoom and it's got some great features such as an intelligent auto mode, face detection and focus tracking, which make it easy to snap in-focus images almost all the time. The only downside to the FE-26 is that it uses xD memory cards instead of SD, so you'll have to spend another $20 or so on a memory card. Nevertheless, the Olympus FE-26 only costs $121.40 (not including delivery) from [[xref: http://www.mwave.com.au/newAU/mwaveAU/productdetail.asp?CartID=mAU@Z17EBU6JWB6YLQRQTJFJ4EDOQSM4F9YMN2LOX5KTKBT98R&sku=15030889|Mwave]] and we think that's a great deal.
Acer Aspire 5740 (AS5740-332G50MN)
Price: $847 New Intel Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs are finding their way into many sub-$1000 laptops, which is good news for students (and pretty much anyone) who needs good speed, but can't afford to spend too much. [[xref: http://www.thegoodguys.com.au/portal/page/portal/tggwebportal/corporate/products/details?storeId=4&productId=5306895|The Good Guys]] currently have a 15.6in Acer Aspire 5740 notebook (AS5740-332G50MN) for $847, and has an Intel Core i3-330 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and a DVD burner, and it runs Windows 7. Sure, it's a little big at 15.6in, so you might not be able to comfortably carry it to and from home, but it represents great value.
[[Artnid:316100|Dell Inspiron 545s|Review: Dell Inspiron 545s desktop PC]]

Price: $799 (Save $400)

Though the market is flooded with nettops, all-in-ones and notebooks, there is still a place in the family home for the conventional tower desktop computer. Dell's Inspiron 545s should help your kids get their homework done without breaking your budget. Since we reviewed the PC, Dell has bumped the specs and [[xref:http://configure.ap.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=s210602au&c=au&l=en&s=dhs&cs=audhs1|dropped the price|Dell online store: Inspiron 545s desktop PC]] to an starting point of $799.
[[Artnid:277244|HP Officejet J4580 All-In-One|Review: HP Officejet J4580 All-In-One inkjet multifunction]]

Price: $109 (Save $50)

Though it has HP's "Officejet" moniker, the J4580 All-In-One is still a great option for printing off homework around the home. Print quality is commendable and the basic features and control panel will mean this multifunction is easy to use. It doesn't cost a bucketload either, especially now that Officeworks has [[xref:http://catalogues.officeworks.com.au/portal/offerdetails/hp_officejet_j4580_multifunction/12652468967457?CatalogueID=12652468934656&CatalogueID=&source=catalogueoffer&jump=&pageview=two|dropped the price|Officeworks: HP Officejet J4580 All-In-One inkjet multifunction]] by $50.
3 IncreDOUBLE special: Smartphone and 1GB of Mobile broadband

Price: Free (on a $29 cap over 24 months)

3 Mobile is offering an ideal bargain for students heading back to school or uni in the form of a mobile phone and USB mobile broadband modem for just $29 a month. Among the mobile phones available is the [[artnid:276918|Nokia E63]], a cut price version of the popular [[artnid:255620|E71]] without HSDPA connectivity and GPS. The E63 features a great keyboard and is definitely worth more than a look at this price. 3's IncreDOUBLE deal also includes the E1553 Internet Key, which should provide a similar experience to the older [[artnid:277265|E180 Internet key]], with the added benefit of roaming on Telstra's Next G network. As part of this deal, you'll get both the Nokia E63 and the E1553 Internet Key for free, provided you sign up to a 24-month plan.
[[artnid:297505|The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena]]

Price: $46 (Save $74)

Downtime and relaxation can be just as important as homework; especially during the HSC (as long as it's done in moderation, that is!) The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is a fun action game for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In addition to Assault on Dark Athena, the game also comes with Escape From Butcher Bay completely free, making it great value for money. The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is currently on sale at [[xref:http://www.ebgames.com.au/xbox360-146455-The-Chronicles-of-Riddick-Assault-on-Dark-Athena-Xbox-360|EB Games]] for a mere $46. That's less than half the price of the original RRP.

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