Most iPad accessory makers work tirelessly to design a product that echoes Apple’s signature design. Griffin and Rail Yard Studios’ Rail Artifact Stand does the opposite. Instead of melting away during use, its one of a kind design not only stands out, but in my opinion, steals the spotlight. Just as its name indicates, the Rail Artifact Stand is made from authentic early 1900’s railroad pieces. From pitted steel to worn edges, every stand shows its history in a unique way…
Update (12/7 10:30am): Staples (in-store only) has 20% off select iPads: iPad Air from $319, iPad mini 2 from $239, iPad mini from $199, more. Best Buy matches many of its Black Friday iPad Prices with $50-$100 off Apple’s latest release of iPads with free shipping or site-to-store. That’s tied with the lowest pure prices…
Don’t worry, all of our favorite good looking accessories, iPad docks and Bluetooth speakers are on the way. For now its all about how to amplify your home Mac set-up and integrate it with iOS. Mainly geared towards Mac/iOS musicians, here are some of my favorite pieces of gear to crank your home studio/office up a notch:
Each of these Smart Covers carries an original price of $39. You can easily find lower-quality Smart Cover replicas, but I’d recommend spending a couple extra bucks to ensure that you get the real thing. Free shipping on orders of $35+, otherwise just opt for free in-store pickup.
A lot of batteries are hitting lowest ever prices today including one of our favorites, the 13,00mAh Anker Astro 4E External Battery Pack w/ PowerIQ for $29.99 with free Prime shipping. Promocode ANKERCM1 drops it another $6 to all time low of $23.99 shipped. Standout features here: The Anker Advantage: Join the 6 million+ powered by Amazon’s #1…
Many Black Friday deals are officially going live today with others likely arriving tonight and through the weekend into Cyber Monday. We’re tracking deals for all platforms and gadgets, but below we’ve rounded up only the best accessories for iOS devices and Mac seeing big discounts this weekend.
With so many Black Friday deals popping up this week, we thought it would be helpful to organize a list of the most popular iOS game/app discounts into one place. Most of the discounts below will be available through Cyber Monday and into next week, but be sure to check back as we will be adding more…
Flexibits, known for it popular calendar and reminders app, is putting its flagship software on sale up to 65% off across all platforms for Black Friday. You can pick up Fantastical 2 on iPhone for $1.99 (Reg. $3), on iPad for $4.99 (Reg. $10) and the Mac version for $9.99 (Reg. $20). This is matching the…
Apogee, well known for its studio quality audio interfaces and converters, has kicked of its Black Friday 2014 sale today. Running from now through December 2nd, you’ll find as much 60% off its factory refurbished iOS/Mac interfaces and multi-channel flagship options. Due to how rare it is for these interfaces to go on sale from any…
Update (11/26 2:00pm): MacMall’s Black Friday 60 Hour Sale is now live.
Update (11/26 2:00am): We have added the entire MacMall Black Friday ad.
MacMall is a shopping mecca for Apple fans looking to save some money. With the biggest shopping day of the year coming up, there’s no doubt many of you have been waiting to get a peek at MacMall’s Black Friday plans. Well, we’ve finally got our hands on them and we can’t wait to share them with you.
MacMall offers deals on by far the largest selection of Apple products we’ve seen from any retailer this holiday season. Stores like Best Buy only stock standard configuration Macs, but MacMall carries high-end and custom configuration models. Also, keep in mind that MacMall only charges tax at the time of purchase for buyers in nine states (CA, CO, GA, IL, MN, NC, NY, TN, and WI).
That being said, here are all of the deals that MacMall is planning to kick off tomorrow, Wednesday 26th at 12:01 PM PST:
Target has just announced plans to offer several of its Black Friday deals early on Wednesday, November 26th. The ad states that all of the deals will be available in stores and online. Deals include: iPad Air 16GB WiFi w/ free $100 gift card: $399 iPad mini 3 16GB WiFi w/ free $100 gift card: $399…
Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States.
Update (11/29 11:00am): Adam Scheidegger is our winner – thanks for following along and entering this Small States contest!
There is a lot of pride that comes with manufacturing in the United States, and we’ve enjoyed sharing the stories behind that pride with you. Before we head into the holiday season, there is one more company that we wanted to make sure you knew about.
JDS Labs out of Collinsville, IL is responsible for one of the coolest products that I have ever used. They take very sophisticated technology and squeeze it into everyday products that make your music sound exquisite. We’ve covered the importance of digital-to-analog converters (DAC) and headphone amplifiers before, but never have we seen them in such a cool package like this.
Let’s learn a little more about JDS Labs.
Update (11/22 10:40am): There appears to be some confusion surrounding this deal: You must download the Apple Store app for iPhone only to redeem the freebie. Head down to the comments section below for more clarification
The free Apple Store iOS app is now offering The Whole Pantry for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch as a free download. Regularly listed at $2.99, this marks only the second time we have seen the app go free since release. Note: once the free Apple Store app is installed on your device, simply go to the Store tab at the bottom, and scroll down to the free offer.
Previous Apple Store freebies were limited to those in the US, but user reports suggested that by disabling location services the download became available.
KAYSCASE via Amazon is offering an additional 40% off already discounted cases when you enter coupon code 2014BF40 during checkout. Prime members (free trial) will get free shipping on all items, while non-members will need to spend $35 or more to get the same benefit. The coupon code works on multiple items per order. Here’s…
Update (11/20 4:00pm): Apple has now officially named Things for iPhone and iPad the Free App of the Week on the App Store.
Popular task manger app Things has gone free for the very first time on iOS. Both the iPhone version (Reg. $10) and Things for iPad (Reg. $20) are available as free downloads starting now, and you’ll find Things for Mac for $34.99 (Reg. $49.99). All three versions combined have received 4 star ratings from over 20,000 reviewers.
Head below for more details:
Griffin has announced a new line of iPad stands that have a unique history to the materials that they are made from. The new Rail Yard Studios collection takes pieces from old railroads (rails, ties, spikes and plates) and includes a certificate of authenticity detailing the location the materials came from as well as some other details.
Head below for more details, pricing, a coupon code to save 15% and a free case of your choice…
Newegg Flash offers the Kensington KeyCover Plus hard case keyboard for iPad Air for $14.99 shipped. That’s a savings of $65 off the original price and the lowest that we could currently find it. Over at Amazon 118 users rate this keyboard case 3.9/5 stars. This Kensington KeyCover case features an anodized finish, “QuickRelease” corners and rubber…
After its initial release on the Amiga in the mid 90’s and now after nearly two decades of artillery blasting fun, the Worms game franchise is celebrating its 19th birthday with up to 75% off many of its iOS titles. Together, the mobile Worms games have received 4 star ratings from thousands of reviewers in almost every case. Regularly listed at $4.99, you’ll find Worms 1 through 3 as well as some of the spin-off titles for as low as $1.
Head below for a complete list:
Update (11/20 1:45pm) We are now seeing an updated Black Friday ad from hhgregg.
hhgregg, the popular electronics and home store, has released its full Black Friday ad exactly two weeks ahead of the big day. They’ve packed nearly 250 items into a 20 page ad package that is full of a variety of items, from iPads and gaming consoles, to HDTVs, refrigerators and more. They will offer doorbusters on Thanksgiving Day from 4pm to midnight, and will re-open on Black Friday, check here for your nearest location. We’ll continue to add the latest Black Friday news leading up to the big day.
We have done the research and picked out our favorite deals from hhgregg:
It doesn’t get much bigger than Best Buy on Black Friday for a tech lover. And with a little over 2 weeks to go before Black Friday 2014, we’ve got the holy grail in our hands. Just like Target, Best Buy has beat the Black Friday ad leakers to the punch by releasing its biggest deals of the holiday season right on the front page of its website.
The deals will kick-off in-store Thursday, November 24th at 5pm and Friday, November 25th at 8am, but the ad specifically notes that you’ll be able to shop all-day long online both days. Doorbusters include a 4K Samsung 55-inch UHDTV for $899.99, all iPad Air 2 models $100 off, and Beats By Dre Solo headphones for $80.
So without further delay, here are our top picks for Black Friday 2014 at Best Buy as well as a sneak peak at the early sale beginning November 20th:
As the leaked Black Friday ads continue to surface, today we got a look at what Target will be offering come the end of the month. The retailer says it will have hundreds of door busters and thousands of deals on everything from Apple products and gaming consoles with gift cards attached along with deep discounts on home goods and more. Items on pages 2 and 3 of the ad are available today to order online with free in-store pickup.
There is an iPhone 6 deal for $179.99 with a $30 gift card attached, but you’ll do much better if you’re a Sam’s Club member. The big box retailer will have Apple’s newest smartphone for just $99 starting November 15th. You can check out everything Sam’s Club will have to offer as the month progresses in the full Black Friday ad leak. Here are some of the standout deals we’ve spotted so far, check back as we add more notables:
Continue on for the rest of our picks:
IGN is offering Ridge Racer Slipstream as it free game of the month for November. Regularly listed at $2.99, you can download the game for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Head over to the link above, click the “Get My Free Game” button and then click on the unique promotion code to start the download. IGN says “copies of this addictive arcade racer are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.”
Head below for more details:
Amazon offers the Poweradd 50W 6-port USB Charger for $23.99 with free Prime shipping. Add $5 off coupon code VB9WOPM9 to drop the price to $18.99 shipped. The Poweradd offers a whopping 6 USB ports, 2 each at 2.4A, 2.1A and 1A to charge all of your USB devices optimally.
Don’t need 6 ports and 50Ws? Poweradd also offers a 25W 5 Port model with 2.1A max for $11.99 shipped.
With the money you save you can pocket some Poweradd MFi certified Lightning cables for $9.99 -$3 = $6.99 using code 5PJGUHLK
Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States.
Since we began writing Small States about two and half months ago, we’ve been afforded the opportunity to tell the story of many great companies in the United States. It has been an incredible journey of meeting people that are passionate about bringing old world craftsman skills back to a country that has found peace in buying things from overseas. We have met and profiled so many great proprietors of high-quality products, telling their story has been an honor for us.
Today, we highlight DODOcase, makers of beautiful goods that provide a home for your iPad, iPhone, laptops and more. With Small States, we’ve found an opportunity to highlight products that are manufactured within the United States, but with DODO it’s about so much more.
This San Francisco based company is not only manufacturing beautiful products, they are bringing back a way of life and skill that has quickly escaped our country over the last 50 years.
Retailers are striking even earlier this year with their best Black Friday/Holiday deals. Sam’s Club is planning a special Holiday Savings Celebration on Saturday, November 15th. Of course, when we first got our hands on this ad we were smitten with the iPhone 6 deal for $100. So much so, that we overlooked what we think is the best 4K UHDTV sale that has ever come across our deal desks…
The stream of leaked Black Friday ads are starting to pick up steam now with Sears, Dell, Walmart and others already starting to show their hands. And today we’ve got an early look at Meijer’s Thanksgiving and Black Friday ads. You’ll find everything from discounted Apple products and streaming devices to kitchenware, HDTVs, gaming consoles and more…
This morning Epson announced it will begin shipping the smallest wireless mobile printer to date. The WorkForce WF-100, designed for mobile professionals, allows you to print nearly anything from almost anywhere.
Mobile devices are critical tools for professionals, and the sleek, portable, wireless WorkForce WF-100 augments the mobile experience, enabling users to stay productive on-the-go.
–Nils Madden, marketing director, Desktop Imaging and Printing, Epson America, Inc.
The Epson WorkForce WF-100 will be priced at $349.99 and will be available online (starting in early November) and will be available in major retail stores in January 2015.
More from Epson and full press release follows:
Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States.
What makes a great product? Quality materials. Simple yet functional design. Beautiful craftsmanship. This week, we’ve found a dock that manages to check off everything on the list.
Meet the Spool Dock from Quell & Company. The home for your iPhone and iPad mini that not only looks beautiful, but also functions beautifully.
It is the first dock I’ve used that truly made me want to interact with it. With the Spool Dock it goes beyond charging your phone, it’s an experience.
Hand crafted using home grown wood and wool felt, this dock is capable of more than your average charging station from the Apple Store. It is a well-thought-out design that adjusts for a wide variety of scenarios in a way most cannot.
Apple has selected RGB Express – Mini Truck Puzzle to be this week’s free iOS app. Regularly listed at $2.99, you can pick up the charming puzzler today on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch for free. This is the very first time we have seen the game go free since it released on the App Store late last month.
Head below for more details and some gameplay footage:
Bang & Olufsen – the creators of high-end audio and visual equipment – has announced that it is entering the portable Bluetooth speaker fight and its first effort certainly appears worthy of our attention.
From the looks of it, B&O has come out swinging.
During the same week that another top-of-the-line audio company released its own Bluetooth device, B&O’s lower brand BeoPlay is showing off its A2 for the first time. Built utilizing their strong background in audio, this speaker has a striking design that certainly has the look of a high-end audio device.
While it may not be as many “features” as some Bluetooth devices, certainly the name B&O will turn some heads in the audio world.
While EA’s NHL series has dominated the console space for many years, its popular hockey sim titles don’t make it to mobile. That’s where 2K comes in. Just a week after debuting NBA 2K15 for smartphones and tablets, the well known publisher has now released a new NHL 2K title on the App Store and Google Play.
While somewhat better known for titles like BioShock, XCOM and Civilization on the mobile side, 2K also has a long history with sports titles like its popular NBA titles. NHL 2K comes with many of the usual features and modes you have come to expect from an NHL game, along with being designed for mobile from the ground up. Head below for more details, features and pricing:
Well, original iPad owners can rest easy (and save $39), because earlier this evening the folks at iFixit were able to verify that the original iPad Air Smart Cover will indeed work with iPad Air 2.
This is also great news to anyone getting their first iPad Air, because the original Smart Cover can be had at extremely discounted rates since it has been discontinued by Apple. Here are the best places to score a legit one for as much as 50% off:
We spotted a couple iPad/kitchen accessories today starting with the Belkin Fridge Mount for iPad 2, 3, and 4th Generation with Retina Display for $18.17 with free Prime shipping (free trial) or on orders of $35 or more (seen on the right). That’s nearly $22 or 55% under the original price tag, the best price we’ve seen and the best we can find from a trusted retailer.
This fridge mount requires no tools or permanent installation, and comes with 3M Command Strips to “affix the mount to a fridge, cabinet, wall or any other smooth vertical surface.” iPad is held firmly in place with inner magnetic strips and is “easy to position and remove,” according to Belkin. It also ships with a limited one year warranty and has received a 4/5 star rating from over 50 Amazon customers.
The Belkin Kitchen Stand and Wand/Stylus for Tablets for $12.59 with free Prime shipping (free trial) or on orders of $35 or more. That’s more than $27 or 69% under the original price and within less than a dollar of the lowest we’ve ever seen.
It is compatible with most tablets, is hand washable and features a non-slip rubber base. This deal comes with the Belkin Chef stand, stylus, stylus stand and a limited one year warranty. It has received a 4.2/5 star rating from over 180 Amazon customers.
Update (10/22 10:10am):
The popular calendar and reminders app Fantastical 2 is getting even deeper discounts today. Previously dropped to $5 and $10, the iPhone version is now available for $2.99 (Reg. $5) and the iPad version is $7.99 (Reg. $9.99). This is the first time we have seen the iPhone version hit $2.99 since February and only the second time we have seen the iPad version go as low as $7.99 since release. At one time, they were as much as $9.99 and $19.99 respectively.
The award-winning, best-selling calendar app has been redesigned and reimagined for your iPad with iOS 7. With the convenient Fantastical Dashboard, you’ll add, view, and interact with your events and reminders with ease.
Fantastical 2 for iPhone $3 (Reg. $5)
Fantastical 2 for iPad $7 (Reg. $10)
Released back in April, R.B.I. Baseball 14 for iOS is getting its first discount today. Regularly listed at $4.99, the fast paced, arcade style Baseball title is available for $1.99 today on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. You’ll also find the title 60% off on Android ($1.99) and 50% off as a digital download on Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 3/4.
Head below for more details and some gameplay footage of R.B.I. Baseball 14’s addictive, arcade-style action:
If you’re planning to jump into a new iPad Air 2 then you’ll have a few options with what to do with your old iPad: sell it privately, pass it down to a friend or family member, keep it as a backup, or trade it. If you opt to go the trade route, then you’re going to want to check out this special promotion Best Buy is currently running…
Belkin curiously introduced all-new iPad Bluetooth Keyboards a mere 72 hours before Tim Cook would take the stage at 1 Infinite Loop to announce iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. The refreshed QODE keyboard cases were certainly worth lusting over, but what good are they if they don’t support Apple’s latest tablets, right? Well, Belkin fixed that this morning by releasing an updated line of keyboards and covers specifically designed for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3…
Tower Madness 2 is getting the nod as Apple’s free App of the Week. Regularly listed on the App Store for $1.99, the strategy/tower defense game is now available as a free download for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. This marks the very first time we have seen the title go free since it was released at the beginning of the year.
More details below:
Apple’s “It’s been too Long” event just wrapped up and the Apple online store is now back up and has revealed new lower price points for refurbished iPads. As you’d expect, the original iPad mini (2013 model) is the most aggressively priced at $209 (down from $219). iPad mini 2 (w/ Retina display) starts at $249 (down from…
Head below for more details, availability and pricing on each of the two new offerings from Belkin:
Need a bag? There are so many different styles and brands out there, you’ll find something. But it isn’t until you find that perfect match that you truly understand what you’ve been missing.
For me, this happened with Waterfield Designs’ Staad Laptop Backpack. I’ve long been searching for a bag that could meet all of my on-the-go needs. I’ve tried the Ogio Renegade, which can carry everything you need (and feels like it too). I’ve tried the traditional leather messenger bag, but that struggled to handle everything I threw at it. It wasn’t until I came across the Staad that I realized what I’ve been missing.
Update (10/10 8:45am): Amazon has the Sabrent 50W five port USB desktop rapid charger for $25.99. Coupon code AXU5PB15 takes the final price to $15.99 Prime shipped. This is a savings of $14 off the regular price.
Amazon offers the Photive 25W five port USB desktop rapid charger for $19.95. Coupon code 8OFF25WA brings the final price down to $11.95 Prime shipped. That’s a savings of $9 off the regular price and the lowest price that we have ever seen this charger go for. Nearly 600 Amazon customers rate this accessory 4.8/5 stars. If you are not a Prime member, you can sign up for a free trial here.
The Photive desktop charger can charge up to five devices at the same time and features the following power ports:
Additionally, a 4.9 foot power cord is included while the charger itself is capable of accepting different voltages when traveling through the world.
IGN’s free game of the month is Ski Safari: Adventure Time for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Regularly priced at $1.99, this is the very first time we have seen this endless runner go free. It has received 4.5 stars from 2,838 Ratings.
Basically a mash-up of the popular Ski Safari game and Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, the game features Finn and BMO along with a host of other familiar characters. There are several environments including the Ice Kingdom, Fire Kingdom, Candy Kingdom, the Forbidden Dungeon, and the Mystery Mountains as well as various character costumes and customization options.
You’ll find more details on the game below and be sure to check our daily game/app roundups:
Activision has unleashed the newest iteration in its popular NFC equipped Skylanders franchise. The new Skylanders Trap Team is available on all consoles, but there is also a mobile version for iPad, Android and Amazon tablets.
Head below for more details and what to expect from the new Starter Packs:
The cover of Target’s weekly ad puts the spotlight squarely on Apple. This week only, you can get a free Target gift card worth $20-$100 with the purchase of select Apple products. We’ve featured better deals for all of these products in the past, but if you need one of these products now then Target’s deals are certainly better than paying full retail.
Target’s offer of a free $100 gift card with the purchase of an iPad Air is the best deal of the bunch. However, there’s a really good chance we could see an updated model released at Apple’s rumored October 16th event. If Apple does release a new iPad Air model, it will most likely be priced at $500 and it most certainly won’t include a free gift card. Reports from 9to5Mac have so far pointed towards the new iPad Air only being a slight upgrade over the current model:
…the iPad update is expected to be minor — likely adding a gold option, Touch ID and an anti-reflective coating on the screen.
That said, here are the deals:
idealpoint via Amazon offers the Arcadia Arclight Wireless Bluetooth iPad Air Keyboard Case for $28.95. Coupon code ARCLCASE drops it down to $18.95 with Prime shipping. Non-Prime buyers will need to spend $35 or more to get free shipping. That’s over $40 better than list and just about $10 below its street price.
Features include:
Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars from 494 Amazon reviewers.
Still looking for an iPad Air deal? Here’s a 32GB WiFi model for $490 (Reg. $599).
The Pokémon Company International announced that its Pokémon Trading Card Game Online is coming to the App Store today. Already available on Mac and PC, this marks the very first time an official Pokémon game has debuted on the iOS platform outside of Pokémon TV and the Pokédex app.
Head below for availability details and the release trailer:
The screenless technology lets you “touch the actual screen” while still being submersible to 6.6 feet, can survive drops up to 4 feet and is totally sealed from dirt, dust, snow and ice. All of iPad Air’s functionality is accessible and it ships with a 3 month warranty.
While this particular case doesn’t have many reviews, many of Lifeproof’s cases have received 4+ star ratings including the iPad 2/3/4 version. With your savings, an extra Lightning cable is always a handy option.
