$2 Instant Amazon Instant Video Credit (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers (KFSO):

Get $2 credit toward the purchase or rental of select digital movies in the Amazon Instant Video Store

From the home page of your KFSO, swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon so you can spend that credit away! If you miss that screen, though, don't worry - a document about the offer will appear on your home page.

You can shop from your Kindle Fire or your PC, but you need to check for any individual product that is excluded from this (and all other) promotions, on the product detail page and I don't know if you can see that info on the mobile pages you get on the Fire itself. You must sign up by December 9 and use the credit by Dec 17.

You might as well apply this one to your account right away, since it will apply automatically to any eligible purchase.

$3 Instant Amazon Instant Video Credit (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle with Special Offers (including any that opts in to Special Offers, but not the Kindle Fire with Special Offers):

Get $3 off select titles in the Amazon Instant Video Store

To take advantage of this offer:

1. First, turn on your Kindle with Special Offers, click Menu, then View Special Offers.
2. Find the offer: Get $3 off select titles in the Amazon Instant Video Store. Click on it, then on the link to Email Me This Offer. You must claim your gift code by Midnight PT, November 12, 2012.
3. You will get an email from Amazon with your promotional code, right away.
4. Once you have the promotion code (and have selected your album; see below), click this link, then on the button labeled Enter Your Code, at any time up to the expiration date of 11:59 p.m. (PT) November 19, 2012.
5. Enter your code and follow the directions.
6. Choose nearly any Amazon Instant Video and the credit will authomatically be applied (up to the expiration date of Midnight, Nov 19).

You might as well apply this one to your account right away, since it will apply automatically. If you are a Twilight Fan, you could rent three of the four for free (or just pay 96 cents for the lot), since Amazon has them on sale for 99 cents right now: Twilight, Twilight: New Moon, Twilight: Eclipse, and Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part I ($.99 through November 8th; playback by Nov 29).

$3 Instant Amazon Instant Video Credit (KSO)

This offer is only for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers (KFSO).

From the home page of your KFSO, swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer for $3 to spend on Select TV Episodes. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon so you can spend that credit away! If you miss that screen, though, don't worry - a document about the offer will appear on your home page. You must sign up by October 11.

Unlike the previous offer, you can't choose from the entire Instant Video Store, but must use the credit for "television episodes" (rentals and purchases). You can shop from your Kindle Fire or your PC, but you need to check for any individual product that is excluded from this (and all other) promotions, on the product detail page and I don't know if you can see that info on the mobile pages you get on the Fire itself. The credit expires October 18, so be sure to use it quickly.

I'm not sure what (if anything) I'll spend this one. I do wonder if it will work on buying an entire season for a series.

$5 Instant Amazon Instant Video Credit (KSO)

This offer for those with a Kindle Fire with Special Offers only. On your Kindle Fire with Special Offers (and presumably on the HD, which I don't have yet, since I ordered the large memory size), swipe the top menu to the left until you see Offers, then press/click in order to see the current offers. At the bottom, you should see the offer to Get $5 to spend on Select Titles. Click on the offer, then on the orange button to add the credit directly to your account. It's nearly instant and the next screen offers to take you to Amazon so you can spend that credit away! If you miss that screen, though, don't worry - a document about the offer will appear on your home page.

It looks like you can shop the entire Instant Video Store (rentals and purchases) and just check for any individual product that is excluded from this (and all other) promotions, on the product detail page (not that I saw any that were excluded and I checked a couple of dozen pages). The credit expires Sept 29, so be sure to use it quickly.

I'm half-tempted by The Pirates!, especially with the ebook being featured at Amazon today (but only a super-deal for those in the UK) and with tomorrow being Talk Like a Pirate Day (a local donut chain is giving them away to all those dress up or just talk like a pirate in the store.

Don't forget to use your $5 MP3 credit - it expires Sept 24!

$3 Off Amazon Movie Rentals

Update: Appears to be sold out, at least in some areas and the national offer - try other areas to see if you can still get one.

Today only and while they last, you can get a Free Voucher Worth $3 Off Any Movie Rental or Purchase ($3.99 or Greater) from Amazon Instant Video through AmazonLocal. If your family has more than one account, you have to use different credit cards on each in order to get more than one voucher.

Deal Details
If you love movies, today's deal was written, directed, and produced just for you. Grab a free voucher and enjoy $3 off any movie rental or purchase (for items $3.99 or more) from Amazon Instant Video.

From summer blockbusters to timeless classics and everything in between, Amazon Instant Video offers more than 120,000 movies and TV shows. Enjoy family favorites like Mirror Mirror, popular comedies like 21 Jump Street, and action-packed thrillers like Lockout. Best of all, you can watch movies from Amazon Instant Video anywhere -- on your Kindle Fire, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Roku, and hundreds of other devices. Get your voucher now and enjoy a movie for less!

• Voucher will expire if not used towards a movie rental or purchase from Amazon Instant Video by August 12, 2012
• Voucher is valid for a $3 discount off the price of a movie rental or purchase $3.99 or greater; customer will be responsible for payment to Amazon.com for final price of movie after discount, plus applicable taxes
• The promotional code may not be used for certain titles. The detail pages for such titles will state that they are not eligible for promotions
• Available only to U.S. customers
• Limit 1 voucher per customer; limited quantities available
• Voucher is not redeemable for any other types of merchandise sold at Amazon.com
• Offer is not transferable, not exchangeable and has no cash value
• Amazon.com account with valid credit card required to get this voucher

Free and Bargain Book Updates and Free Movies

Today, I have some some updates on books that have been free recently and have returned, some tips on using coupon codes to get even better (non-Kindle) bargains and a deal for those who have never used Amazon's Video on Demand service.

First, for those who have never rented or purchased a movie or TV show using Amazon's Video on Demand service, you can get a $5 promotional credit that you can use in the VOD store for a rental or purchase. If you are unsure if you qualify, click the link and see - you'll either see a message that you are not eligible, or the terms for the promotion will be displayed; click Agree, choose to get the video newsletter or not, fill in the captcha and click on Continue. Note that the credit expires at 11:59:59 p.m. on March 31, 2011 and will be automatically applied to your future eligible purchases until the credit balance is used or until the credit expires (whichever comes first).

Next, some updates on free and bargain books (links to either the book or the original post with purchase links):

• How To Marry a Millionaire Vampire is now available free from additional stores.
• Knitting For Dummies, by Pam Allen, is back down to 99 cents (after rising to over $13 for most of the last two weeks.
• Origin Scroll (Targa Trilogy), by Richard S. Tuttle, has been re-issued with a new ASIN. It is still free for US Kindle customers, as well as from B&N and Smashwords.
• Raising Atlantis ($7.99 Kindle), by Thomas Greanias, was being given away in PDF form in fall '09, as part of a sweepstakes and promotion for his new book. The sweeps page is gone, but you can still get the PDF book free, HERE.
• Ravenous: A Food Lover's Journey from Obsession to Freedom, by Dayna Macy, has gone from free to $1.99 (as always, you have to act quickly on free books)
• When Darkness Falls: Free eBook Part 3, by James Grippando, is not free for Canadians. So, not only do they get three entries cluttering up their Kindle, they end up paying 99 cents for the free book. I suspect this may drop to zero for them later, but those in countries that pay $2/book plus VAT for free books will be looking at $6-$7 for this freebie, making it nearly as expensive as just buying the book as a whole.

Finally, you can use coupon codes at Kobo to try out some of the indie authors such as John Locke or Ruth Ann Nordin for free or get great bargains on some marked down (non-Agency) titles in the store. The only downside to using Kobo is that all their books will have Adobe ADE DRM and are in EPUB format. Which means you can read them on most readers, but not the Kindle; you can also read them on your phone, iPad or PC/Mac with the appropriate software/apps. Current/new coupon codes are feb23us1 or feb23row1 (expires 25 Feb 2011, $1 off, unlimited use) and feb25au30 or feb25ca30 (expires 27 Feb 2011, 30% off, unlimited use) and these two also are working, if you have not used them in the past: 35%offbook (one use) and FirstRead (35% one use). As a couple of readers pointed out, adding these codes to the currently discounted books from Sourcebooks results in getting them for under half what Amazon is charging.

Here are just a few books that I spotted that the coupons can be used upon (at least two of which I had already purchased on Kindle). The final price at Kobo will be either $1 or 30% less than the price I am showing below, depending on the coupon code you use (so, use $1 off for those under $3.33 and books at 99 cents end up free and use a percentage code for any over $3.33):

• To Defy a King ($2.39 Kindle, Kobo), by Elizabeth Chadwick
• Sins of the House of Borgia ($2.39 Kindle, Kobo), by Sarah Bower
• Atlantis ($1.59 Kindle, $1.79 Kobo), by David Gibbins
• Werewolf Upstairs ($2.39 Kindle, Kobo), by Ashlyn Chase
• Beneath ($2.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Jeremy Robinson
• The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie ($8.03 Kindle, $8.69 Kobo), by Alan Bradley
• The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag ($8.10 Kindle,Kobo), by Alan Bradley
• A Red Herring Without Mustard ($9.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Alan Bradley
• Second Son of a Duke ($0.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Gwen Hayes
• Knitting For Dummies ($0.99 Kindle, $0.89 Kobo), by Pam Allen; note that the Kobo edition ends up free, but it's a very short mini edition
• Hard Landing: The First Spider Shepherd Thriller ($7.37 Kindle, $0.65 Kobo), by Stephen Leather (not coupon eligible, but great price)

I picked up Hard Landing ($7.37 Kindle, $0.65 Kobo), by Stephen Leather, the first in his Spider Shepherd series, last December, when it was 79 cents at Amazon. If you want it on Kindle, you might want to report the lower price on the product page, then check it again in a day or two, to see if it drops.

Book Description
Hard Landing is the first book in the best-selling Dan ‘Spider’ Shepherd series. Former SAS trooper Shepherd is used to putting his life on the line. Working for an elite undercover squad he has lied, cheated and conned in order to bring Britain’s most wanted criminals to justice.But when a powerful drug baron starts to kill off witnesses to his crimes, Shepherd is given his most dangerous assignment yet. He has to go undercover in a top security prison, a world where one wrong move will mean certain death.As Shepherd gambles everything to move in on his quarry, he soon realises that the man he is hunting is even more dangerous than the police realise. And that he is capable of striking outside the prison walls and hitting Shepherd where it hurts most – his family.

A Red Herring Without Mustard ($9.99), by Alan Bradley, is the third and latest in his Flavia de Luce Mystery series, following The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie ($8.03) and The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag ($8.10). The prices are a bit higher than my usual selections, but with the coupon codes, these are a great deal from Kobo.

Book Description
Award-winning author Alan Bradley returns with another beguiling novel starring the insidiously clever and unflappable eleven-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce. The precocious chemist with a passion for poisons uncovers a fresh slew of misdeeds in the hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey—mysteries involving a missing tot, a fortune-teller, and a corpse in Flavia’s own backyard.

Flavia had asked the old Gypsy woman to tell her fortune, but never expected to stumble across the poor soul, bludgeoned in the wee hours in her own caravan. Was this an act of retribution by those convinced that the soothsayer had abducted a local child years ago? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how could this crime be connected to the missing baby? Had it something to do with the weird sect who met at the river to practice their secret rites? While still pondering the possibilities, Flavia stumbles upon another corpse—that of a notorious layabout who had been caught prowling about the de Luce’s drawing room.

Pedaling Gladys, her faithful bicycle, across the countryside in search of clues to both crimes, Flavia uncovers some odd new twists. Most intriguing is her introduction to an elegant artist with a very special object in her possession—a portrait that sheds light on the biggest mystery of all: Who is Flavia?

As the red herrings pile up, Flavia must sort through clues fishy and foul to untangle dark deeds and dangerous secrets.

Second Son of a Duke ($0.99), by Gwen Hayes, is a short story (14K words) for mature readers.

Book Description
The Duke of Fenwick was a reprobrate.

Which is why it has always been up to Teddy Middleton, the second son, to run the estate and both their lives. But the Duke is full of surprises--the latest one a wedding. For Teddy. To the Duke's best friend's sister, Juliette.

Finding herself in church for her own surprise wedding was unnerving, to be sure. But to avoiding scandal seemed to be the most prudent thing to do, so Juliette said, "I do." She'd make the best of it and hope Teddy wouldn't be harder to take care of than her previous household had been. She simply had no idea how she could manage two estates on her own.

After a disastrous wedding night, Teddy and Juliette don't have very high hopes for a life of wedded bliss. As they forge ahead with resolute chagrin, it begins to dawn on them both that they are allies in the same war for sanity among their crazy relations. Mutual admiration turns to friendship which turns to...something neither one ever expected.

But the Duke has one more surprise for them both--one that will change everything.

Atlantis ($1.59), by David Gibbins, is the first title in his Jack Howard series.

Book Description
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from David Gibbins's The Mask of Troy.

From an extraordinary discovery in a remote desert oasis to a desperate race against time in the ocean depths, a team of adventurers is about to find the truth behind the most baffling legend in history. The hunt is on for…

Marine archaeologist Jack Howard has stumbled upon the keys to an ancient puzzle. With a crack team of scientific experts and ex–Special Forces commandos, he is heading for what he believes could be the greatest archaeological find of all time—the site of fabled Atlantis—while a ruthless adversary watches his every move and prepares to strike.

But neither of them could have imagined what awaits them in the murky depths. Not only a shocking truth about a lost world, but an explosive secret that could have devastating consequences today. Jack is determined to stop the legacy of Atlantis from falling into the wrong hands, whatever the cost. But first he must do battle to prevent a global catastrophe.

Beneath ($2.99), by Jeremy Robinson. This author has a number of traditionally published titles in the Kindle store, but this and the next two are ones he has self-published and are bargain priced. Only the first is available from Kobo, that I can see.

Book Description
Three thousand years after a chunk of iron the size of Khufu’s pyramid collides with Europa, Jupiter’s sixth moon, an asteroid borne of the collision crashes into Earth’s Arctic ice shelf carrying extraterrestrial microbial life. The first man to come into contact with the microbes hears voices—and then dies.

After determining the meteorite originated from Europa, the Global Exploratory Corporation sends oceanographer and biologist, Kathy Connelly, and her crew to the moon aboard the Surveyor, an experimental spacecraft. They are charged with the task of melting through miles of ice to the hidden ocean beneath, where the search for alien microorganisms begins. But a startling discovery awaits them on the surface of Europa.

Life.

Vast fields of red, plant-like organisms fill the cracks crisscrossing the moon’s surface, surviving on nutrients welling up from the waters below. Intoxicated by thoughts of what might lie beneath, Connelly and her crew activate the Thermal Exploratory System and melt through the ice—toward a world that does not want to be found, toward a force that will do anything to make sure they never leave.

They search for life. They find death.

I'm not sure where The Last Hunter - Descent (Book 1 of the Antarktos Saga) ($2.99), by Jeremy Robinson, fits in with his Antarktos Rising ($6.39), but it seems like you could read either one first.

Book Description
I've been told that the entire continent of Antarctica groaned at the moment of my birth. The howl tore across glaciers, over mountains and deep into the ice. Everyone says so. Except for my father; all he heard was Mother’s sobs. Not of pain, but of joy, so he says. Other than that, the only verifiable fact about the day I was born is that an iceberg the size of Los Angeles broke free from the ice shelf a few miles off the coast. Again, some would have me believe the fracture took place as I entered the world. But all that really matters, according to my parents, is that I, Solomon Ull Vincent, the first child born on Antarctica—the first and only Antarctican—was born on September 2nd, 1974.

If only someone could have warned me that, upon my return to the continent of my birth thirteen years later, I would be kidnapped, subjected to tortures beyond comprehension and forced to fight...and kill. If only someone had hinted that I'd wind up struggling to survive in a subterranean world full of ancient warriors, strange creatures and supernatural powers.

Had I been warned I might have lived a normal life. The human race might have remained safe. And the fate of the world might not rest on my shoulders. Had I been warned....

This is my story—the tale of Solomon Ull Vincent—The Last Hunter.

INSOMNIA and Seven More Short Stories ($0.99), by Jeremy Robinson

Book Description
INSOMNIA is a collection of seven exciting short stories (plus one bonus story) that tackle several different genres including action, science-fiction, horror, noir and thriller. Written by top thriller author, Jeremy Robinson, these stories include all of the action, imagination and twists that fans have come to expect, but they also contain experiments into subjects and voices not normally touched on in his novels.

INSOMNIA - In a world of super efficiency and equality, sleep is illegal and Feene keeps the masses going.

THE EATER - Three children discover a writhing black puddle in the woods of New Hampshire.

HARDEN’S TREE - A group of teens visit a tree planted atop the ashes of a mass murderer from late 1800’s.

STAR CROSSED KILLERS - Two lovers, both deadly killers, compete for the same target.

COUNTING SHEEP - A future terrorist gives an insomniac three minutes to fall asleep.

HEARING AID - In the future, a deaf man is healed, but does he like what he hears?

DARK SEED OF THE MOON - Vampires live, and kill, in the eternal shadow of the moon’s polar crater.

BOUGHT AND PAID FOR (Bonus Story) - A brutal character sketch for Scott Sigler’s THE CRYPT.

EXCLUSIVE SAMPLES INCLUDED:
-- THE LAST HUNTER by Jeremy Robinson
-- BENEATH by Jeremy Robinson
-- TORMENT by Jeremy Bishop

SPECIAL FEATURES:
-- Cover art included
-- Fully functional Table of Contents
-- Links to Robinson's other books

Free Instant Video Streaming with Amazon Prime

Everyone with a paid Amazon Prime Membership now has access to Unlimited Free Streaming Videos with Amazon Prime. If you are a Student or Amazon Mom member, you have to upgrade to the paid membership to get this benefit (but when you do, you can share with it 4 other members of your family, which means students can share the cost with their parents, in most cases). I love Netflix and we have a plan that allows us one DVD at a time, plus streaming, but if you are going to get a streaming only account, you'll pay a lot less signing up with Amazon. Netflix streaming only is $7.99/month or $95.88 per year (plus taxes, in some states), so you'll save nearly $20 to start with, plus get all the added benefits of a prime membership.

Benefits of Amazon Prime

• Unlimited FREE Two-Day Shipping
• No minimum order size
• One-Day shipping for $3.99/item
• Unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of 5,000 movies and TV shows at no additional cost

After your free trial, Amazon Prime is just $79/year

Update: As noted by several readers, only the primary person on the Prime account gets access to free streaming videos. You would need to log in as that person to get access to the free videos (so, not something you would share lightly, as that person could order on your Amazon account). Still, it's a better deal than the same service from Netflix, but the two are different in selection and hardware supported. For example, no Wii or Playstation for Amazon, at least so far, and no Ipad support, which are the three I've used with Netflix.

Earth Day at Amazon - Free Video and More

For Earth Day, Amazon has set up an entire Earth Day Store and has a number of special deals running on their web site, a few of which I'll highlight below. All are just a small part of the large selection of green and sustainable goods year-round at Amazon Green.

First, Amazon is giving away the first episode of Planet Earth, From Pole to Pole in [HD], as part of their Earth Day Celebration.

The lives of animals and plants are dominated by the sun and fresh water which trigger seasonal journeys. The latest technology and aerial photography enable the Planet Earth team to track some of the greatest mass migrations.

Today's Gold Box deal lets you save up to 62% on Planet Earth: The Complete Series on Blu-ray or DVD. I've got the Blu-Ray version (it was one of the first ones I bought after getting an HDTV).

With an unprecedented production budget of $25 million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth's most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.

The 11-part series shot entirely in high-definition: From Pole to Pole, Mountains, Fresh Water, Caves, Deserts, Ice Worlds, Great Plains, Jungles, Shallow Seas, Seasonal Forests, Ocean Deep. Original U.K. broadcast version narrated by David Attenborough, including 90 minutes not shown on the Discovery Channel.

The first Lightning Deal of today is a Black & Decker EM100B Energy Saver Series Power Monitor, normally $86.70 for $74.99 (ends at 11AM EST). Checking the teaser descriptions, it appears that more energy saving and green products will be featured all day.

Go green and save money on energy costs with the Black & Decker EM100B Energy Saver Series Power Monitor. This compact, easy-to-install device lets you track the amount of electricity that your household uses--and the costs of that usage--in real time. This monitor can help you reduce your energy consumption and decrease your monthly bills while helping the environment.
Displays electricity use in your home, minute by minute, in dollars or kW
Shows month-to-date bill and predicted monthly bill
Also shows day, time, and outside temperature
Helps households stick to their energy budgets and save money
Getting started is as easy as mounting the sensor to your outdoor electric meter, aligning it, and synchronizing the sensor with the cordless monitor. Once this is done, you can track real-time usage from a convenient, indoor location. The results are immediately available and can help you to make smart energy-consumption choices. You'll quickly discover that doing the little things really does add up to big savings.

Many of you already own one of their big green products, the Amazon Kindle. I know it saves a ton of fuel (ok, maybe not literally), as I've reduced my drives to the bookstore (20+ miles each way) and the big brown trucks are delivering fewer smiling boxes to my house since I got mine. Another way to make a small difference, by reducing the number of pages on my credit card statement (not to mention making it a lot easier to check each month), is to use gift certificates to manage my Kindle (and Amazon) budget.

Video on Demand at Amazon (New Moon, Carrier & more)

You can get Carrier Season One for 99 cents today (be careful to get the entire season and double check the price on the order button - each episode is $1.99 if purchased separately). You can then watch the shows on your PC after downloading or as a streaming show (if you have the bandwith).

Synopsis
CARRIER, a 10-part series filmed aboard the USS Nimitz, is a character-driven immersion in the high-stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier.

Pre-order now and you can watch The Twilight Saga: New Moon tonight:

To watch The Twilight Saga: New Moon as soon as possible, stay up late tonight and visit Your Video Library at midnight (Saturday, March 20). Sign in to your account, if prompted. Then click on New Moon and enjoy.

If you buy the Twilight Saga:New Moon on DVD or BluRay, you get the Video on Demand version free and can watch tonight as well:

... get the Video On Demand version to watch on your PC, Mac, compatible TV or compatible device at no charge. Video On Demand version provided as a gift with purchase. Available to US Customers Only.

Synopsis
In the second chapter of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling Twilight series, the romance between mortal Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) grows more intense as ancient secrets threaten to destroy them. When Edward leaves in an effort to keep Bella safe, she tests fate in increasingly reckless ways in order to glimpse her love once more. But when she's saved from the brink by her friend, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), Bella will uncover mysteries of the supernatural world that will put her in more peril than ever before.

You may also be interested in a Roku Roku HD or HDXR player, which would hook up to your TV and the internet. If you pick up one of these by the end of the month, Amazon is tossing in $20 in credits to use in the Video on Demand store:

To take advantage of this special offer, add a Roku HD or HD-XR player to your cart and after shipment of your Roku HD or HD-XR player, you will receive an email that includes a digital code that can be used to redeem up to $20.00 worth of eligible digitally formatted shows and movies from Amazon Video On Demand, along with instructions on how to redeem.

I don't have one of these, but do watch some VOD shows using my computer and a connection to my TV. It would be nice to have a more dedicated box, though, so the wires only had to be set up once.

Have a Highlander Christmas

Amazon has the first six seasons of Highlander available in their Video on Demand store. As a promotion, they are giving away the first episode of each season:

1. The Gathering
2. The Watchers
3. The Samurai
4. Homeland
5. Prophecy
6. Avatar

Free Movie Rental(s) at Amazon

Amazon is giving everyone a four dollar credit towards renting (or buying) anything in their Video on Demand Store. The promotional offer is valid from December 22, 2009 12:00 AM PST through January 3, 2010 11:59 PM PST. You must redeem the code by January 3, 2010 11:59 PM PST.

Click HERE and follow the instructions to register your promo code (AVODGIFT), then you can shop in the store. Once you click on Buy, the credit will automatically be applied to your purchase. The fine print says that the credit will apply to "future purchases", so it looks like you could rent four 99 cent shows or a singler higher price movie (generally $2.99 or $3.99) or take $4.00 off the purchase of any movie or TV show.

Here are a few Christmas rentals you might want to check out:
Four Christmases ($3.99)
A Christmas Story ($2.99)
Polar Express ($2.99)
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas ($0.99)

And some free 7-day rentals (for a limited time):
Scrooge
March Of The Wooden Soldiers
Plan 9 From Outer Space

as well as this free music video:
Christmas Music Video

You'll find more to choose from at Amazons' Holiday Central.

Free Video - When We Left Earth

You can get season one of When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions, from The Discovery Channel, for free right now. You must FIRST enter the promotion code BLASTOFF, so that you'll get the $11.94 credit to your account, before purchasing the season. To do this, click where it says Redeem a gift card or promotion code & view balance, directly beneath the viewing window. Enter the promotion code and wait to see a confirmation that the $11.94 has been credited to your account. Then, click on the button that says Buy Season 1 with 1-Click $11.94. You'll get a confirmation email that shows the purchase and the credit, with a net zero billing.

Season Synopsis
Discovery Channel presents the dramatic story of NASA's pioneering, awe-inspiring missions commemorating the first 50 years of space exploration in the landmark special series When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions. Featured is never-before-seen footage from NASA's secret film vaults, digitally remastered into stunning quality.