Get a free Geek Fuel subscription box

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Quick housekeeping note: Apparently the Fitbit Blaze deal from the other day was a total disaster -- thank you, AT&T. Maybe it was an inventory screw-up, or maybe a straight-up technical glitch. Whatever the case, I apologize for the frustration many of you experienced with difficult checkout and canceled orders. Sigh -- you'd think a company that large would be immune from that kind of nonsense.

Needless to say, I'll be on the lookout for similar Blaze deals, as obviously many of you are interested in the product. In the meantime, Worlds [sic] Best Deals via Rakuten has the refurbished Samsung Gear Fit 2 fitness band/smartwatch for $77.99 shipped. I continue to be a big fan of this product, which definitely looks more "fitness-y" than "watch-y" and has a truly gorgeous display. Great UI, too.

It's not specified what size this is, but I have the "small" model and it fits my medium-size wrist just fine. The bigger concern: no warranty info is included. Your thoughts?

Geek Fuel's first-ever freebie box

Geek Fuel is completely and totally convinced you'll like its geek-flavored subscription-box service. So convinced, in fact, that for the first time, the company is offering to send Cheapskate readers one for free. All you have to do is cover shipping, which is just $6.

(Please, spare me the "It's not really free, then!" nonsense. The box is free. Shipping: not free.)

What's a subscription box? Just what it sounds like: a box of goodies delivered to you on a regular basis (usually monthly). What's inside? Aha! That's the fun of it: Each month brings a different assortment of mystery items.

In the case of Geek Fuel, it's all the cool geeky stuff you and I love: toys, collectibles, comics, shirts, books, games and so on. (Not every box will have something from every category; it'll be a mixture.) Each box contains items with a total value of at least $50.

The company offers plans ranging from month-at-a-time to an entire year, with price breaks for longer subscriptions. Sign up for a year, for example, and your individual box cost drops to $14.90 each (plus that same $6 for shipping).

This is a great (and unparalled) way to try Geek Fuel and see if you like it. Six bucks! Just take note that you'll need to cancel your plan (easily done) if you decide not to continue; taking advantage of this offer does enroll you in the month-to-month subscription.

The last notebook you'll ever buy?

I first saw the Rocketbook Wave on a recent "Shark Tank" (a show I deeply love, FYI). Like the panel of investors, I was pretty amazed by its magic trick: Fill it up with handwritten notes, then put it in the microwave for a minute or two. Presto! The ink disappears.

Fortunately, the Wave can do some app-powered magic as well: Before you erase the pages, you can scan them with your phone and send them straight to Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive or the like.

I'll admit I was surprised the sharks didn't offer the Rocketbook folks a deal, though I guess I understand the thinking: Once you buy a Wave, you don't need to buy another Wave. It's a one-time purchase, with no need for additional paper or pens, no subscription service, etc. (Actually, the pens are a specialty item, but an inexpensive, readily available one: Pilot's erasable Frixion gel pens.)

Intrigued? It gets better: The notebook sells for at least $27 most places, but for a limited time, Cheapskate readers can get a Rocketbook Wave for $22.99 shipped. That's after applying promo code CNETWAVE5 at checkout.

Curious to hear your thoughts on this one.

Oh, and if you're looking for the bonus deal...I stuck it up top today! (The Gear Fit 2.)