Google today announced new features for its Google Wallet app for both iOS and Android that makes it easier to manage gift cards and request and send from debit cards.
Like Google Wallet already allowed for loyalty cards, the app now lets users store, redeem, and check gift card balance:
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Best Buy has begun advertising its upcoming Boxing Day sale in Canada, a holiday recognized by retailers in Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia when retailers typically discount products similar to Black Friday in the United States. This year, Best Buy will offer deals on select Apple products, including savings on all MacBooks Pro, MacBook Air models, and iPad 2, 3, and 4. BestBuy hasn’t posted specific deals for those products, but it’s also advertising the iPhone 5 from $0 on the usual three-year contract. The best we’ve seen in the U.S. is around $126 through Fry’s and Walmart. The deal will be available through Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile Mall locations on Dec 26, while the other deals will hit BestBuy.ca starting 6 p.m. EST Dec. 24 (sale officially starts at 8 p.m. EST). Best Buy’s FutureShop locations in Canada will offer the same discounts.
As always, we have the best deals on Apple products from around the web for all our readers from the 9to5Mac product pages.
Like last year, Apple is also advertising a Boxing Week sale for Canadians on the iTunes store. This year, Apple has a selection of new albums from artists, such as Coldplay, Pink, Mumford & Sons, Rihanna, Drake, Skrillex, and Justin Bieber, starting at around $6.90. While Boxing Day is recognized as a holiday on Dec. 26 in Canada, retailers usually hold Boxing Week sales from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2:
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 we’ve seen for these. 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 have mixed results when purchasing these. You usually need US-based credit cards.
You can save even more on your iTunes purchases by using this discounted gift card to purchase heavily discounted apps. 9to5toys has been tracking some of the best iPhone and iPad app deals for the holiday season. Most notably:
EA Games iOS holiday sale, over 50 iPhone & iPad titles starting from just 99 cents
iPhone & iPad game, Infinity Blade II, temporarily $2.99 (Reg. $6.99)
iPhone & iPad game, Infinity Blade, temporarily 99 cents (Reg. $5.99)
iPhone & iPad app, Skyfire Web Browser (iOS Flash media player), now on sale
iPhone & iPad game, The Dark Knight Rises, temporarily 99 cents (Reg. $6.99)
Apple’s Black Friday sales started going live online earlier today in a number of Apple Stores around the world, including: Australia, New Zealand, Germany, United Kingdom, and more. Now, Apple’s deals for the United States and Canada are live with the expected $100 in savings on MacBooks and smaller savings for iPads, iPods, and select accessories.
While Apple’s deals are in line with what we expected from previous years, most of these products can be found even cheaper through third-party retailers today. We have put together a list of all the Black Friday prices on the U.S. Apple Store below. Next to each item, you’ll also find the lowest price that we could find from third parties—most of which provided an even better deal than Apple:
-iPad with Retina display | From $458 (Save $41)
Best Price: BestBuy from $439
-iPad 2 | From $368 (Save $31)
Best Price: BestBuy from $339
Alternative Best Price option: eBay Daily Deals from $339 (16GB WiFi)
-iPod touch | From $268 (Save $31)
Best Price: Best Buy from $294+$50 gift card
-iPod touch 4th generation | From $178 (Save $21 )
Best Price: Best Buy from $194 +$50 gift card
-iPod nano | From $138 (Save $11)
Best Price: Best Buy from $144 + $20 gift card
-MacBook Pro with Retina Display | From $1,598 (Save $101)
Best Price: Amazon from $1,593
-MacBook Pro | From $1,098 (Save $101)
Best Price: Amazon from $1,024
-MacBook Air | From $898 (Save $101)
Best Price: Amazon from $893
Check our Apple Product pages for the lowest prices across the board as well as 9to5Toys.com for the latest updates. More Apple comparisons coming, below:
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We were just sent what appears to be a legitimate internal memo floating around BestBuy’s systems. It confirmed the retailer would not fulfill all iPhone 5 pre-orders based on “current inventory allocation.” Originally expected for delivery by today, the memo confirmed BestBuy sent emails to some customers informing they will not receive the pre-ordered iPhone 5 by this weekend. Instead, BestBuy is promising to fulfill preorders by mid-October—”no later than 28 days from launch.” Shipping times for the device slipped to “3-4 weeks” even on Apple’s website, but this is confirmation from a major retailer that some pre-order customers promised delivery by this weekend will not get their device. We recently posted documents showing Walmart’s internal iPhone 5 launch plans, which confirmed the retailer will also not guarantee Sept. 21 availability for preorder customers.
We have a reader email below:
From 9to5Toys.com:
Many solid deals on eBay today, including:
From 9to5Toys.com:
Today only, Best Buy takes 15% off select iTunes eGift Cards, as listed below. We saw Walmart has a similar deal last week but only on $50 denominations. Note that international US iTunes users are eligible to purchase because the gift cards will be emailed for redemption but must use a US credit card or Paypal.
iTunes gift cards are good for Mac Apps, iOS Apps, iTunes Music, Videos, iBooks and more.
The deals:
From 9to5Toys.com:
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Today only, Best Buy takes 20% off $100 iTunes gift Cards, both physical and digital delivery. Note that international US iTunes users are eligible to purchase digital because the gift cards will be emailed for redemption but must use a US credit card or Paypal.
iTunes gift cards are good for Mac Apps, iOS Apps, iTunes Music, Videos, iBooks and more. You are basically getting 20% off any media you’d buy at Apple.
Best Buy this week began offering the 8GB iPhone 4 for $49.99 on the usual two-year contract through Sprint, Verizon, or AT&T— just like Target, many regional carriers, and other retailers following the trend. That is $50 off Apple and many other retailers’ $99 price tag. Unlike some of the other offers, it does not appear to be an in-store only deal, because free shipping is included. The offer is listed as valid between “5/11/12-6/30/12” and is available through BestBuy’s website now. However, some models are currently listed as “not available for shipping.”
As noted by a reader in Phoenix, AZ, at least some Sam’s Club locations appear to be offering the Verizon iPhone for $48.
Apple helped Walmart build a store-within-a-store oasis for Apple products in the home state of the chain’s founder Sam Walton.
We broke the news earlier this year that Sams’s Club is exploring Apple Store-within-a-store concepts. This weekend, Apple retail news website ifoAppleStore posted numerous pictures from a Walmart in Lowell, Ark., which owns and operates Sam’s Club, that depict Apple displays within its walls akin to Best Buy’s lavish store-within-a-store creations.
An image gallery is below.
From 9to5Toys.com:
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Today only, Best Buy takes 20% off select iTunes eGift Cards, as listed below. We saw Walmart has a similar deal last week but only on $50 denominations. Note that international US iTunes users are eligible to purchase because the gift cards will be emailed for redemption but must use a US credit card or Paypal.
iTunes gift cards are good for Mac Apps, iOS Apps, iTunes Music, Videos, iBooks and more.
The deals:
From 9to5Toys.com:
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For a few more hours, 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 (You can get around the 2 per customer limit if you have multiple credit cards). International readers are telling us that their foreign credit cards are rejected (though US based Paypals are working).
Update: This ended over the weekend – subscribe to 9to5toys for the latest deals on tech.
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.
From 9to5Toys.com:
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Best Buy takes 20% off select iTunes eGift Cards, as listed below. At up to $20 off, each is tied with our mention from early February and at or near the lowest price we’ve ever seen. Note that international US iTunes users are eligible to purchase because the gift cards will be emailed for redemption. iTunes gift cards are good for Mac Apps, iOS Apps, iTunes Music, Videos, iBooks and more.
The deals:
Bonus: Get a $10 Amazon gift card for $5 at Amazon.
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If you plan to trade-in your iPad 2 and pick up a third-generation iPad when it launches on Friday morning, Apple is now giving you another option by offering up to $320 in trade-in value (Apple Store gift cards) for an iPad 2 depending on the condition and model. To get the full $320 from Apple’s Reuse and Recycle program, you will need a 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G model in near perfect condition. On the entry-level 16GB Wi-Fi model, Apple is offering $205. Before the new iPad unveiling, we told you our Top 10 places to trade an iPad for cash or credit, and a few of those options are still providing slightly more than Apple in many cases.
A quick look at a couple of the other popular options—Gazelle and Amazon—will get you just over $400 for an AT&T 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G iPad in “flawless” condition, which is quite a bit more than Apple is offering. Of course, for your iPad to qualify for that much, it will have to “look like it has never been used,” according to Gazelle. Some listings on Amazon are as high as $450. Those options also give you alternative payout methods. In the case of Gazelle, you will be able to get your trade-in value by check, PayPal, or an Amazon gift card. Trade-in values will likely start to fall after the new iPad’s rollout, but Gazelle told us it has seen a 700-percent increase in trade-ins since the new iPad announcement with over 150,000 iPad offers in total so far. Apple’s announcement that the iPad 2’s new $399 price tag was great for education and it certainly did not hurt demand for the iPad 2.
Before you sell your iPad, you will want to get it prepared, cleaned, and packed to get the maximum trade-in value. After the break, you will find step-by-step tips for doing exactly that, courtesy of Gazelle:
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Yesterday, we told you the iPad 2 was discounted by $100, as announced by Apple during the new iPad unveiling, through a number of retailers including BestBuy and RadioShack. According to one tipster, Apple retail stores are also offering the discounted iPad 2. However, in the case of the West Farms Apple Store in Connecticut, Apple discounted at least one Wi-Fi + 3G 32GB iPad 2 (White, AT&T) by $200. As you can see from the receipt above, store employees mistakenly added an extra $100 discount to the already discounted iPad 2.
The 32GB iPad 2 presumably dropped from $729 to $629 following Apple’s announcement, but it sold for $529 (the new price of the entry level 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G iPad 2) to at least one surprised customer. It was likely a mistake on Apple’s part due to an employee not noticing the discount had already been applied.
However, is it possible Apple is offering a special promotion on Wi-Fi + 3G iPad 2 models (other than the 16GB model) leading up to the new iPad launch on March 16? Apple never mentioned the 32 or 64GB iPad 2 during its event.
The Internet is abuzz with stats about iPad trade-ins going through the roof as the March 7 iPad 3 unveiling in San Francisco looms closer, and while percentages and graphs are vaguely interesting, the real meat to the story concerns where and how people can get the most bang for their buck.
Look no further as 9to5Mac compiled a list of places to trade in an ole’ dusty iPad for cash or credit to buy Apple’s upcoming toy. Before perusing the options, identify the condition, features, and model of the swappable iPad. This knowledge will help decide its maximum value, because most of these online programs use a survey to determine the slate’s estimate. Moreover, it is prudent to act now as some reports indicate retailers are steadily dropping prices with Apple’s event drawing nearer.
Trade-in websites and their prices are available below.
From 9to5Toys.com:
Today only, until 7 pm ET, Best Buy takes 20% off iTunes eGift Cards, as listed below. At up to $20 off and no shipping, each is tied with our mention from four weeks ago and at or near the lowest price we’ve ever seen. Sales tax is added where applicable. The gift cards will be emailed for redemption so those overseas with US iTunes accounts can take part.
iTunes credit can be used for Mac Software, iOS Software, Games, iBooks, music, movies or just about anything besides hardware.
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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.
Best Buy has had $100 iTunes gift cards (both online and physical) for $80 since Black Friday but they’ve just opened up $50 gift cards for $40. iTunes gift cards make great gifts and can be used on Music, Videos, iBooks, iOS Apps and Mac Apps.If you buy two, you can additional $10 Best Buy Gift Card free if you pick them up in store.
Check out other holiday deals on Apple products here and on 9to5Toys.com
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From 9to5Toys.com:
Best Buy gets the Black Friday started early with some pretty incredible deals this morning:
Buy an 8GB iPod Touch for $195, get a $50 Best Buy Gift Card sent to you.
iPad 2s are $45 off across the board.
iTunes Gift Cards are 20% off
And the current Macbook Airs start at an impressive $849
More below:
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From 9to5Toys.com:
Walmart today lists the iPad 2 in all sizes and varieties with a “Starter Accessory” which include previous generation Smart Covers or USB wall chargers (or $50 iTunes Gift Cards when ordered and picked up site-to-store).
If your shopping tastes take you to Target, you can get a $40 Target GiftCard with iPad 2 purchase (or $450 iPad 1 32GB 3G/GPS). They also have various other iTunes/Apple device offers via circular including this 10% off printable coupon, below:
From 9to5Toys.com:
Ending this weekend, Best Buy takes 15% off all Apple iTunes Gift Cards. With free shipping, that’s the best deal we could find on these cards and the first time we’ve seen them discounted since June, when Target took 20% off in-store only. After the discount, a…
$15 gift card costs $12.75.
$50 gift card costs $42.50.
$100 gift card costs $85, among others (3 pack of $10 for $25).
They’re good for music, videos, iBooks and iOS/Mac app purchases.
BGR reports that Best Buy’s internal sales forecast is expecting an iPhone 5 on Sprint with pre-sales beginning the first week in October. That lines up with our earlier report, though as both we and the Best Buy statement mentioned, launch dates are subject to changes.
We first reported news of a Sprint iPhone 5 back in June which followed clues in April when Apple beefed up its cellular engineering team in Kansas City, which is Sprint’s HQ.
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