Shopping

44 'Shopping' stories December 2010 - August 2012

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Awesome cartoon-like gadget bags now shipping, prices start at $79 [Gallery]

Élyse Betters Aug 29 2012 - 12:19 pm PT

This is not a cartoon bag. Seriously.

JumpFromPaper (perfect name, eh?) offers a line of handbags, profile bags, carrying pouches, etc., which look colorful and two-dimensional, and will hold an iPad, MacBook or just about anything else.

So, where did the idea come from?:

JumpFromPaper™ is a playful and innovative line of bags created by Taipei-based design duo, Chay Su and Rika Lin.

One cozy afternoon, the two girls were chatting, when they got to sketching their dream designer bag. A surprising idea popped up – “How amazing it would be if a two-dimensional hand-drawn illustration could come to life as a real bag!” They explored every possibility, rendering fantasy handbags in perspective, and giving birth to JumpFromPaper™.

Each bag boasts a cartoon-like outline and vivid colors that are sure to mess with folks’ eyes. Prices range from $79 to $129, and the Tropical Fish bag (top), in particular, is a gadget-targeted carrier sporting a slim, striped design with polyester fabric for just $79:

Topical Fish is your new protector for your gadgets. This carry pouch perfectly holds your netbook, iPad/tablet, or whatever other accessories you need for a day in the office or fun in the sun. Are they real? Yes they’re real. Although slim in appearance, each JumpFromPaper™ bag has a roomy interior to accommodate an iPad/tablet, book, magazines, and your everyday accessories. A zipper bottom expands the bag for extra room.

Pre-ordered Tropical Fish bags began shipping Aug. 27, and we hope to get our hands on a review unit soon. Check out JumpFromPaper to see what else the brand offers.

The full press release is below.

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Apple granted patent for app to assist shoppers in finding best prices

Jordan Kahn Aug 7 2012 - 10:37 am PT

Patently Apple covered an Apple Inc. patent today published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that appears to be related to an app designed to assist shoppers by providing product and retailer information for scanned items. The invention would provide similar functionality to various third-party apps currently in the App Store that use barcode scanning and image recognition to search the web for product information and price comparisons. Patently Apple explained:

Apple has received their first Granted Patent relating to methods for conducting shopping-related transactions with a handheld electronic device. In some embodiments a mobile electronic device may be used to identify a product and obtain pricing information relevant to retailers of the product within a specified geographical location. In another embodiment, a mobile electronic device may be used to acquire pricing information for a shopping list of products. Embodiments may also include a variety of features that make the shopping experience quick and efficient while allowing the consumer to hunt for a better bargain. Furthermore, several embodiments also allow the product manufacturers and/or retailers to distribute relevant product information to targeted consumers who are known to be, or who may be, interested in buying a particular product.

Check out this redonkulous 300W iPhone portable DJ controller/Hi-Fi Party Machine [Video]

Jordan Kahn Aug 1 2012 - 1:32 pm PT

The Philips FWP3200D 300W Mini Hi-Fi System, often simply referred to as the “Party Machine”, is essentially a set of rotatable iPhone docks (made to look like turntables) atop a 300W speaker system that includes two speakers boxes and packs a 2-inch tweeter and a 5.25-inch woofer. The turntables do little more than allow you to rotate the docked iPhones to either side of the system, providing a traditional DJ setup from behind the speakers or a more casual setup when docked in front. As for the controller itself, the majority of your DJing will be done from the iPhone’s touchscreen via the supported Djay iOS app. While it is not as feature-filled as your typical DJ controller, it does provide physical controls with a 13-key remote for fast reverse/fast forward, play/pause, repeat, etc., and a number of other features you will not find in your average docking station…

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Report claims new iPod touch to match next iPhone’s taller display, add A5 chip and iPad-like shell

Jul 23 2012 - 9:33 pm PT

Macotakara, the same publication to report on an iOS-inspired, taller iPod nano, claims that Apple is preparing an updated iPod touch for launch this fall. The site says that this new iPod touch will match the next-generation iPhone in providing a taller, four-inch display.

Previously leaked next-generation iPod touch front-frame

Also reportedly on tap is the A5 processor from the iPhone 4S and a rear-shell that matches the iPad. The iPad sports a buffed aluminum shell, rather than shiny stainless steel like on the current iPod touch. A hole toward the bottom back of the device is also said to be present, but the report is unsure of the hole’s function. Perhaps it is a speaker, but that’s just speculation.

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Toys: $459 iPad 3, iPhone 4S $599, AppleTV $89, 3TB Time Capsule: $425, more

9to5 Staff Jun 29 2012 - 9:28 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

eBay has a lot of Apple products on sale right now at all-time lows.

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New original iPad 3G 64GB: $350 (Collector’s item?)

9to5 Staff May 30 2012 - 9:40 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

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MacConnection offers a New-in-box original iPad in its maxed out configuration for just $350. That’s much less than half its original $829 price tag but at about the same price you can pick up a refurbished base model iPad 2. This could be used in the car, for kids/grandparents or even as a collector’s item.

Prototype iPad with landscape dock connector surfaces in eBay listing (9to5mac.com)
You can now buy an iPad from the Apple Store for $279 and an iPad 2 for $319 (9to5mac.com)
Used Apple iPad 64GB WiFi + 3G for $240 + free shipping (9to5toys.com)

$50 iTunes gift card for $40 delivered through email

9to5 Staff Apr 2 2012 - 9:27 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

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For a limited time, Walmart is offering the $50 iTunes gift card for $40. That’s 20 percent off and the lowest price yet. The card comes immediately through email, and it counts toward free shipping on other items. It can be purchased for use in the US iTunes Store on iBooks, Mac and iOS Apps, Music, Videos, Movies and more.

Limit two per customer. International readers are having mixed (mostly turned down) results.

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20% off iTunes gift cards at BestBuy (Digitial Delivery)

Jan 7 2012 - 9:58 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com

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Update: 20% discount is over

Best Buy offers Digital Delivery of iTunes Gift cards for 20 percent off across the board. Sizes range from $15, $25, $50 and $100 that are marked down to $12, $20, $40 and $80. These cards can be used toward music, movies, TV, books, apps and more. This might be particularly interesting to our overseas readers who use the United States iTunes store.

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New base iMac: $1050, iPod touch $160, more

9to5 Staff Dec 11 2011 - 8:16 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Today only, Buy.com via eBay Daily Deals has the 21.5″ iMac Core i5 base configuration for $1049.99 with free shipping. That matches Best Buy’s Black Friday price (but with Tax in fewer locations) and the lowest we’ve seen.

Buy.com also offers the base model 13″ MacBook Pro for $1049.99 with free shipping (Update:OVER). MacConnection offers almost the same machine for $999.

MacMall offers a number of Closeouts on new, one generation old MacBook Airs and Pros (w/$50 rebate), below:

(Bonus: Best Buy has iPod Touch 8GB in white or black for $189 with a $30 Gift card. Amazon ‘matches’ this with music giftcard.)
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Apple Store Doorbuster finds familiar brochure, chipper salespeople

Seth Weintraub Nov 25 2011 - 4:06 am PT

This brochure might look familiar but it is now out in the open. Our leak earlier this week was obviously spot on.

Early visitors to the Apple Store noted that there was a lot of traffic but things were orderly and with the help of “EasySteal”, they were in and out in a matter of minutes and saved lots of money. Hit up our Black Friday 2011 Price Guide to get the best deals on Apple hardware and accessories.

[slideshow]
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Best Buy iPad 2 $45 off deal goes live, starts at $455

9to5 Staff Nov 24 2011 - 7:17 am PT

From 9to5toys.com:

Best Buy’s Black Friday deal on iPads is now live. Take $45 off all iPad 2s. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen across the board but we have a strong suspicion the 64GB iPad 2s will be cheaper tomorrow at the Apple Store.

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9to5Toys: Today’s iOS device price drops

Seth Weintraub Oct 4 2011 - 1:48 am PT

From 9to5toys.com:

Apple iPod nano 8GB for $129 (pictured, $20 drop)
Apple iPod nano 16GB for $149 ($30 drop)
Apple iPod touch 8GB for $199 ($30 drop)

Also notable is the release of the iPod touch in white; it’s available in 8GB, 32GB, and 64GB models for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, the same as the black version.

Apple announced price drops on its older iPhone models. With activation of a new 2-year contract, the iPhone 4 8GB is now $99, $100 off, while the iPhone 3GS is now free, a price drop of $99.

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PlayStation Vita: Low battery life, expensive memory

Seth Weintraub Sep 15 2011 - 9:19 am PT

Sony seems to be hampering its PlayStation Vita console right out of the gate according to a report today from Ars. What may have seemed like OK battery life before Apple’s iOS devices came on the scene, now seems downright paltry. Compare the iPad’s 10+ hours of usage to the Vita’s claimed stats, with the screen at the default brightness, Bluetooth turned off, and headphones used for audio:

Game: Approx. 3-5 hours
Video: Approx. 5 hours
Music (in stand-by mode): Approx. 9 hours

Even the diminutive and probably better-compared iPod touch (released a year ago) pretty much destroys that with 40 hours of music playback and 7 hours of video (right).

As for memory, the Vita has none built-in like iOS devices. But Sony (just being Sony) will offer a proprietary memory card format, instead of say just using SD or speedy SDXC cards that are about a buck a Gig. Prices?

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Does Apple have to kill the iPod?

Seth Weintraub Sep 13 2011 - 12:25 pm PT

Will the touch turn into an iPhone, the Classic be killed by iCloud and the Shuffle and Nano be morphed into wearable/iWatches?

from Wikipedia, data to Q2 2011

Out of Apple’s incredibly successful product lines, the iPods are the only one dropping numbers and revenue (above, mostly to iPhone and iPad, not the competition). Analysts as well as Apple forecast iPod sales drops close to 20% this quarter over the year ago quarter, which is an acceleration of the previous year to year drop. Apple’s very nature is to only go after lucrative expanding markets so there could be some motivation to cut or revamp the iPod lineup.

There’s been some talk of Apple killing the iPod touch at next month’s iPhone 5 announcement, which happens to be smack dab on top of the release window of every iPod announcement of the past 5 years. The idea is that if a “cheap” iPhone is made to cost less than $300, what is the point of having an iPod touch alongside it only a few bucks cheaper? Indeed, having the iPhone event during the normally scheduled iPod event could indicate some sort of new branding/pairing or at the very least a new release schedule. Interestingly, we’ve heard there are global constraints on iPhone 4 happening globally, but not on iPods ahead of September…

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Jailbreak All-Star team pictured at DEFCON in Vegas

Seth Weintraub Aug 5 2011 - 1:26 am PT

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Get out your jailbreaker baseball cards and see if you can match some of the guys above. @Jaywalker9988 via iJailbreak
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Google updates Shopper app for iPhone to give users deals in their city

Jake Smith Jul 27 2011 - 10:11 am PT

Google has released an update to their Shopper app conveniently giving users information on daily deals, including Google Offers. The update adds a “Offers” and “My Offers” tab at the bottom, along with the Shop tab you know and love. The Offers tab displays deals in map view that are available in your city. The deals you find can be saved in the My Offers tab for later use.

Businesses, on the other hand, can publish deals through Google Places. If Google Offers is available in your city you can redeem your purchased offers in the My Offers tab. Check out the update in the App Store.

Cross posted from 9to5Google.
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New iPad Commercial – ‘We’ll Always…’

Seth Weintraub Jul 24 2011 - 4:24 pm PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_gQHtXsLtU]

Apple released another excellent iPad ad this evening demonstrating how the iPad is changing the way we do things forever. It is, like the last few wonderful ads: We Believe, If You Asked and Now narrated by Peter Coyote and built by Media Arts Lab in Los Angeles.

We’ll never stop sharing our memories…or getting lost in a good book. We’ll always cook dinner and cheer for our favorite team. We’ll still go to meetings, make home movies, and learn new things. But how we do all this will never be the same.

You’ll notice a well-timed little lesson in ‘Lion’ toward the end as part of the Alphabet Fun App.

Other not built-in apps were: The Photo Cookbook, MLB, Fuze HD and Apple’s iMovie.

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Apple drops prices up to AU$50 on iPods in Australia

9to5 Staff Mar 31 2011 - 6:37 pm PT

Australian readers are reporting that Apple’s iPods had dropped in price up to AU$50. 3rd party retailers haven’t all reflected the price drops. Full price details below. Anyone else seeing a price drop out there?

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iPad 2 mold: back camera, tapered edges, new side port?

9to5 Staff Dec 29 2010 - 8:09 am PT

Update, we’ve been told (not so nicely) to remove those mold drawings because they are the property of someone else. We’ve complied.

Some purported iPad 2 cases hit the web over the last few weeks as well as some unconfirmed reports claiming the iPad 2 will gain an iPod-touch inspired design with tapered edges. These cases appear to show a new slot on the bottom for an enhanced speaker system as well as a hole for a back camera. These case designs are still of course unconfirmed to be legitimate but 9to5mac has managed to get a hold of some iPad 2 case mold drawings from an Asian case supplier.

As you can see in these drawings (above, below, and after the break) the edges are clearly tapered and the iPad 2’s back is slightly contoured like the current iPad and past iPod touch models. These drawings also add confirmation to the back camera reports and our sources say the camera hole size is close to the size of the iPhone 4’s (which may or may not indicate a similar shooter).

Some new information we have discovered through these drawings is a brand new port opening on the left side of the device. We’re not sure what this opening is for but it is there on these latest iPad 2 design schematics. On the drawings there appears to be an SD card going into the port but that could just be a piece of the case mold machine. The latest rumors point to either a mini USB or a full USB port being present on the iPad 2 so it very well could be one or a combination of the three ports.

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After $2500 sale, Steve Jobs action figures popping up all over eBay

Seth Weintraub Dec 19 2010 - 12:57 pm PT

That lovely Steve Jobs action figure you see up there went on auction for $2500 recently. Only 100-300 were sold through MIC Gadget before the operation was shut down by Apple, making the items a rare find for collectors. More have cropped up on eBay fetching prices from $1000.. to.. $2500.

BTW, is anyone interested in ours? We may have a charity auction or something later this month. Check twitter for updates.
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