Add 64GB to your Android phone for $15.99 – CNET

CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!


sandisk-ultra-dual-usb

The Ultra Dual USB is two, two, two drives in one! (The “Dual” probably gave that away.)

SanDisk

The good news: Android supports microSD cards! The bad news: Not every Android device has a microSD slot. Indeed, that feature is MIA on some of the most celebrated models.

Fortunately, if you’re strapped for space and need a way to offload photos, access a large library of music or videos, etc., there’s always the USB OTG option: Just plug in a flash drive.

Like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, the SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 64GB is on sale for $15.99, with free shipping when you apply promo code outletship. Price elsewhere: at least $20.

(I realize the savings here aren’t huge. My goal is more to point out that this option exists, and it’s cheap.)

First things first: Make sure your phone supports USB On-The-Go (OTG). Most modern models do, but you can find out for sure via any number of free USB OTG-checker apps

Second, if your phone has a USB-C connector, not Micro-USB, you’ll need an adapter — or a different drive altogether. (Obviously the latter route is preferable, but for the moment they’re a lot pricier.)

Finally, be warned that the last time I shared a SanDisk Outlet deal, it sold out very quickly — and based on my track record this week, I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened again. (For what it’s worth, Amazon sells it for $20 — still a good deal in my book.)

The Ultra Dual is a dual-purpose flash drive. At one end: a USB 3.0 connector for quickly and easily transferring files to/from your PC. At the other: a Micro-USB connector for plugging into your phone or tablet.

When you perform the latter action, you can free up space on your device by offloading space-hogging photos, videos and the like. (Apps have to stay local, though.) Similarly, if you’ve stocked the drive with media from your PC — say, a big library of movies — you can access it while the drive is plugged in. SanDisk’s Memory Zone app handles all this stuff; check it out for a better idea of what you can (and can’t) do.

A 64GB USB 3.0 flash drive for $16 is a solid deal any day of the week. One that can also plug into your Android phone? That’s just icing on the cake.

Your thoughts?

ink-e-sale-brother-toner-2-pack

Two Brother-compatible toner cartridges for $9!

Ink E-Sale

Bonus deal: Over the years I’ve shared deals on any number of Brother laser printers, always noting the availability of inexpensive third-party toner.

Want to stock up? It doesn’t get much more inexpensive than this: Global Toner (via Amazon) has the Ink E-Sale Brother TN630/TN660-compatible toner cartridge 2-pack for just $9.06 with promo code V596ZRPX.

This may seem a little obscure, but the cartridges will work with nearly a dozen different Brother models — including the HL-L2340DW, a compact, auto-duplexing monochrome job that Wirecutter called “the best laser printer for most people.” It’s available from a number of stores for around $100.

If you’ve ever griped, “The ink costs more than the printer!”, here’s proof that that’s not always the case. 😉