Apple iPad Archive

There is a rumor going around the deal boards that Target will offer a $75 gift card if you purchase an iPad 2 on either Black Friday or Saturday. The deal is in-store and should be applicable to any Apple iPad 2 model with 3G either on Verizon or on AT&T.

The pricing is the standard Apple pricing which means:

• 16GB – $629
• 32GB – $729
• 64GB – $829

If you purchase the 16GB model, it’s basically a 12% discount which is pretty good considering you can’t buy the device from Amazon. It’s important to note that Target does charge sales tax on the iPad 2.

If you have a Target red credit card, they will take another 5% off the iPad 2 that you select. This is probably going to be one of the best deals this weekend for the Apple device – especially if you don’t want to fight the crowds for the stores that offer one iPad 2 for some crazy low price to get you in the door.

MicroCenter has announced a $50 price cut on the Apple (AAPL) iPad 2 tablet device. The deal is only good in-store at all Microcenter locations – which appear to be spread out across the U.S. Basically the deal should cover the tax since Microcenter charges sales tax.

Since the iPad 2 isn’t sold at Amazon, this deal seems to be the best out there over the past few months. For the WiFi-only iPad 2 – the pricing for the 16GB, 32Gb and 64GB are $449.99, $549.99 and $649.99 respectively. For the 3G model (you pick either Verizon or AT&T) the prices (same GBs) are $579.99, $679.99 and $779.99.

One secret deal hunter tip – Apple stores will pricematch – typically they only price match for stores that are “close” – but if you want an iPad, print out the full email and head to your local Apple store and give it a try!

There is good discussion about the deal on Fatwallet and SlickDeals.

I remember when the new Air Jordan sneakers came out — everyone wanted the new style, no one wanted last year’s model. You could get huge discounts on the “old” version of the sneakers — sometimes more than 50% off the original price.

Earlier this month we saw Apple reduce the price of their refurbished iPad devices by about $150. And just a week ago Josh Lowensohn at CNET reported that AT&T reduced the price of the AT&T 3G version of the original iPad by $100. AT&T is still offering their iPad deal — a 16GB AT&T 3G original iPad is selling for $429.

Today I am reading on multiple deal boards with several confirmations that Verizon is selling the 16GB WiFi original iPad for $299. This model does not come with the 3G service only WiFi and the deal appears to be available only in Verizon stores. Confirmations have come in from across the country.

If you read some of the Apple fanboy blogs, it seems like if you have an iPad 1, you might not want to upgrade to the iPad 2. The fanboys suggest if you are purchasing the iPad for the first time, the iPad 2 is the way to go. Apple describes the iPad 2 as, “faster, lighter, thinner” — I think the big difference is the camera and the “cool” cover (that’s the real gem of the iPad 2 and why the fanboys ran out to buy one so they can make sure everyone knows they got an iPad 2 like the Jordans).

This deal is a $200 savings over the new iPad 2. That’s a lot of apps you can buy. I think this deal will get a lot of people thinking of an iPad before they consider an Android tablet.

So the big news today from Apple is the new iPad 2. It is thinner yadda yadda, lighter yadda yadda, has more ram, has some cool new software, Scoble loves it, it can get you dates, it can help you balance your checkbook, it can help you fix a flat tire, there’s nothing it can’t do. Brad McCarty at Next Web has a recap of all of today’s iPad 2 announcements including the seriously cool case that can be folded up into a stand.

Last September, I posted about a variety of refurbished iPad deals at the Apple Store. At the time, the refurb iPad 16GB WiFi model was available for $449.  Today they have lowered the price to $349 or $150 less than the new iPad 2. The Apple Store has all of the details. The prices range from:

• $349 for the 16GB WiFi model
• $479 for the 16GB WiFi + 3G model
• $529 for the 64GB WiFi model

Apple notes regarding their refurbished Apple iPad devices:

• same 1 year warranty as a brand new iPad
• all manuals and accessories
• a new battery and outer shell (to me this makes the device look brand new)
• a new white box (ha!)

So if you don’t care about the cameras, the thinnerness (new word!) or the lighter weight of the iPad 2 and still want to get in on the action, you might want to check out a refurb iPad original. You can call it the Classic iPad like Classic Coke.

Last week I provided several ways to save money if you want to buy the new Apple  iPod Touch. This weekend I am back with a way to save money if you want to buy an Apple iPad. Apple offers refurbished iPad devices which are $50 less than a new iPad. To me that means that if you buy your iPad at Apple, it’s like getting an iPad without paying any sales tax.

Pricing for the refurbished models: 16GB WiFi: $449, 32GB WiFi: $549, 64GB WiFi: $649 (click the links on the left side of the Apple webpage for the 32/64 models).

As a side note, normally I would recommend an Amazon purchase but the iPad devices listed on Amazon (all third-party sellers) are priced way above what the Apple Store charges for the device.

Apple is well known for excellent quality in their refurbished items – I have an iPod Nano from about four years ago that was a refurb and still works and looks brand new.

Apple notes regarding their refurbished Apple iPad devices:

• same 1 year warranty as a brand new iPad
• all manuals and accessories
• a new battery and outer shell (to me this makes the device look brand new)
• a new white box (ha!)

Last week I bought my second Dell refurbished laptop and both of them act and look brand new. So the next time you are considering a computer or electronics purchase, have a look at refurbished options. You can save some money and keep a product out of the landfill at the same time.

This weekend is an exciting one here in NYC – the Subway Series comes to Citi Field. The matchup is between the Mets and the Yankees. Naturally the Yankees will prevail and Mets fans will, once again, wonder if their team will hit .500 for the season. If you are an iPad owner, you should be able to bring your device to the game.

However if you are planning to attend a Yankees home game at Yankee Stadium, leave that iPad at home! The security policies page notes that laptops are not allowed inside Yankee Stadium along with any video equipment. Apparently Yankees Stadium officials have decided that the iPad poses a safety risk. Additional banned devices are those that, “…may interfere with and/or distract any sports participant, other patron, audio or audio/visual telecast or recording of the game or any technology-related service provided in Yankee Stadium.”

Check out this story of a woman who attempted to bring her iPad into Yankee Stadium.

Apparently iPads are welcome at Fenway Park, home of the Boston RedSox. I guess with the quality of baseball the RedSox are playing these days, you probably need something to keep yourself occupied.

With today’s announcement of Google TV and all the discussion about the convergence of media platforms, one might think the MLB would want devices like the iPad to be used while at the game. How awesome would it be to have a live stats and chat app to discuss the game with others at the stadium. If NASCAR can do it, why not baseball?

We’ve covered the Apple iPad several times on CenterNetworks. The device appears to be launching next month and I believe it will be a game changer. Andreas discussed how he sees the device being used in the home and I agree with him that a whole new set of consumers will join the Apple camp when the iPad tablet hits the market. Whether you buy an iPad or one of the other 50 tablets that will launch this year, one thing is clear: all of them will have some level of Internet access built in. Some may have WiFi only, some may have wireless connections only and some will have both.

I use Sprint for wireless service and have been very satisfied with the call quality and reception I’ve received no matter where I travel to. I’ve started to wonder if I purchase an iPad (or another tablet) if there is even a need for a smartphone anymore. For normal Internet users, the tablet will give them access to the Internet when needed and they could potentially move to a basic phone and save money on their mobile costs. It’s something that I am seriously considering once my contract is over.

Naturally if I moved to a simple phone and a tablet, it would require that I carry the tablet with me wherever I go. What makes this more interesting are some of the billboards I’ve seen around NYC that show mobile carriers offering unlimited talk, text and web for $40/month. I don’t know who the actual service provider is for some of these plans but with a phone that can do all of those things, it makes not having a full smartphone even better.

Apple should offer current iPhone customers a discount on the AT&T service on the iPad. Without a discount, I wonder if the new customers that will be attracted to the iPad will shy away from purchasing a smartphone, and potentially an iPhone.

I only write a few texts a month and mainly use my mobile device for checking and replying to emails. Something I could easily do on the iPad or a basic phone when I don’t have the iPad with me (e.g. out for the evening, parties, etc.)

Another interesting note – the more people I talk to about their mobile usage, the more I hear one thing…that they barely use the voice feature on the phone. I fall into the same camp — I receive 500 minutes a month and barely use 30-50 a month. Perhaps a pre-paid plan could work very well to keep my expenses down even further.

If you are purchasing an iPad, do you plan to keep your smartphone as well? Could you see mainstream consumers that purchase a tablet computer moving to a more simplified and less expensive mobile service and device?