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.
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…
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Maximizes output power upto 50W / 10amps among 6 ports
100-240 volt input ideal for international travel and widely compatible with most 5V USB-charged devices like iPads, iPhones, Samsung tabs, smartphones, external batteries and so on.
Ergonomic, compact and portable design, much more space-saving and well-organized while charging your devices.
Fire-resistant and hardened plastic outer shell for durability, build-in premium circuitry and microchip ensure device safety.
Package contents: Poweradd™ 6-port USB desktop charger, 5ft detachable power cord.
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…
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.
This battery powered, pint sized printer has support for Android, Kindle Fire, Google Cloud Print with Gmail or Google Drive account. So you can print from your Chromebook and Google Chrome without installing drivers or connecting cables.
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.
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.
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 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:
News of updated Apple iPad Air Smart Covers and Cases most certainly went unnoticed by many due to the excitement of a 5K iMac and gold iPads. Redesigned Smart Cases shouldn’t be a suprise since iPad Air 2 is 18% thinner, but it was baffling that Smart Covers were also updated since the iPad Air footprint remained untouched.
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:
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.
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.
Electronicsforward Specials is offering a “The Mac To The Future Bundle” for $29.99 with as much as $963 worth of Mac apps. One of those apps is Fantastical, which will run you $20 on its own, along with Capo 3 For Mac, AfterShot Pro 2, Lucid and more.
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:
iPad Air 2’s thinner design, improved specs, and Touch ID may not be enough of an upgrade to entice iPad Air owners, but there’s little doubt that it’s a gigantic leap forward for iPad 2 users.
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…
Update (12/4 12:00pm): Now exclusively available from Belkin.com and AT&T.
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.
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…
Today, Belkin announced a pair of additions to its popular line of QODE iPad keyboard cases. According to Belkin, the new QODE Ultimate Pro and QODE Slim Style Keyboards for iPad Air take everything that was great about the previous generation models and add in some premium features Belkin customers have requested.
Head below for more details, availability and pricing on each of the two new offerings from Belkin:
Small States features small companies that design and manufacture within the United States.
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.
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 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:
Staples is offering the Lifeproof iPad Air nüüd case (1901-01) for $77.49 shipped. Using code 86128 drops the total down to $67.49 shipped. That’s around $62 off the regular listing from Lifeproof and the best price we can find.
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.
The keyboard from Logitech features built-in Bluetooth and full-size keys and iOS shortcuts for fast, fluid typing. The cover and iPad stay perfectly aligned and securely closed when you are on the go with magnetic clasps. Also, a magnetic groove holds the iPad upright at the ideal angle for typing and interacting with the touch screen. The Logitech automatically wakes your iPad when you open the cover and puts it to sleep when closed.
Yesterday, it was revealed that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus could be charged faster (in some cases as fast as 2 hours to full) using a 2.1A AC charger like the one that comes with the iPad. Curiously, Apple has only included the typical 5W 1A iPhone charger that it traditionally has with its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus meaning that your iPhone charge times coming from much smaller iPhones are going to go through the roof.
Not to worry! The Electronicsforward team will get you updated to 2.1A USB ports across the board with the best products/deals we could find for a wide range of 2.1A USB needs…
The Thunderstorm is a full-range speaker system with a protective casing with various angles for a great entertainment experience.
We found it to be perfect for iPad users who frequently game or watch videos during our review:
I’ve tried many Bluetooth speakers from Logitech, Jawbone, NYNE, JBL and more, and I can honestly say none quite compare to Thunderstorm when it comes to a rich, immersive sound experience for watching video on an iPad. Its a unique experience with Thunderstorm, fine tuned specifically for the movie watching experience, and it’s definitely worth your attention if much of your time with an iPad is spent watching video.
Update (9/22 12:50pm): Daily Steal is offering the ZAGGkeys Folio Backlit Keyboard Case for iPad Air in black for $35 shipped (Reg. $99). It comes with a one year warranty from ZAGG. Amazon is offering the ZAGG Folio Case with Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad Air in white for $54.99 shipped (matched at Best Buy). That’s…
(Update 5/19 10:30am): The time has come. Apple has randomly announced a new Lightning dock for iPhone 6/Plus. However, you should still take a look at the numerous third party options (below) that have been on the market for years. Many of these options offer more styling and better value compared to Apple’s dock.
If you were one of over 4 million people who preordered an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus this weekend, then you may have noticed that one of Apple’s most popular accessories for previous gen iPhones is curiously absent from its online store. As of right now, Apple seems to be sitting on the sideline and will not be releasing a dock designed for its newest smartphones.
Docks position your iPhone in a way that makes it easier to keep tabs on incoming notifications, all while helping create a clean workspace by wrangling messy cables.
There are already several iPhone 6 and 6 Plus dock solutions. Here are our favorite docks, stands, mounts, and more:
Based on the same technology used on its popularYeti and Snowball microphones, Blue’s Mikey is great for live location recording with iPhone and iPad as well as interviews, audio for video and anything else you can think of. It also doubles as a Lightning audio interface for other peripherals with the included 1/8″ input jack for guitars, other mics and line-in devices. Mikey features three recording modes, a 230-degree swivel mount, a USB connector for device charging and is compatible with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, iPod Touch (5th Gen), iPad (4th Gen) and iPad Mini.
For a complete rundown on everything Mikey has to offer check out our full review along with the quick preview video below:
The Lightning Mikey has received a 4.2/5 star rating among Amazon customers. If you’re interested in the 30-pin model, Amazon currently has it for $44.31 shipped (orig. $100, the current best price we can find), and for even higher quality recordings check out our full review of the Blue Spark which currently sits at $165.96 shipped (Reg. $200, within a $1 or so of lowest on Amazon).
The Native Instruments line of Maschine beat production products marry hardware controllers with rich software instruments, loops and effects to create an all-in-one music making suite. The hardware controllers range from the $349 Maschine Mikro up to the $999 Studio model, but Native Instruments also makes a stripped down, yet still very powerful version of its Maschine platform for iOS. Regularly priced at $4.99, iMaschine for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is available as a free download inside of the (also free) Apple Store iPhone/iPod touch app.
Simply download the free Apple Store app and boot it up. Hit the “Store” tab along the bottom and scroll all the way down to the iMaschine icon, then tap on download now for free.
While you certainly won’t find all of the features in iMaschine you’ll have at your disposal in its full fledged counterparts, we are still talking about a very wide range of possibilities here. There are 16 pads for rhythm programming, as well as a keyboard for melodic parts and sampling possibilities from your device’s mic or your iTunes library. It supports the purchase of additional sound packs via in-app purchases much the same as the Maschine hardware, but it does come packed with 100MB of content including 10 projects, 25 kits, and over 400 samples.
You’ll find more features along with quick demo video of musician Jamie Lidell putting this thing to the test below:
Beach Camera via eBay Daily Deals offers the Apple iPad Air 32GB WiFi in Silver or Space Gray for $489.99 shipped. While it is not as large of a discount as $130 off from Staples last week, the tax benefits of purchasing via eBay outweigh the Staples discount. This is the lowest price we could currently find for…
Available in silver and space gray, the iPad mini will only set you back $199.99 this week at Best Buy. That’s a savings of more than 33% and a match for the best price we’ve ever seen. Of course, it isn’t Apple’s latest tablet and there are likely to be updated models around the corner, but for less than $200 it’s perfect for casual users. The first generation iPad mini will be supported by iOS 8 and features a 7.9-inch LED-backlit display, 10-hour battery life, and dual-core A5 chip.
Best Buy is knocking $50 off iPad mini with Retina display WiFi models today with an extra $50 off for those with access to a .edu email address. Keep in mind we currently have the 16GB WiFi model in space gray or silver for $320 (or $80 off), which is a better deal for those…