Apple

Update (8/22 12:15pm): @imcg_17, @pz_smith17, @johnhickeyjr are our winners. Thanks for following!

MacBook and iPad cases are a dime a dozen now. There are plenty of options to protect your cherished device. But what about for those that are looking for a little more style? That’s where Blackbox Case comes in. Straight out of Golden, Colorado, Greg and his crew of engineers and craftsmen are cranking out handmade wooden cases from bamboo for your MacBooks or iPads.

This week we’ve partnered with Blackbox to give away three cases to our readers, worth up to $189 each. Head below for more details on how you can win one for yourself.

Expand
Expanding
Close

To help make app development more accessible, 9to5Toys Specials has The Complete iOS 9 Developer Course for $99, plus two other great courses at low prices.

This headline video course teaches you from scratch how to create apps for the upcoming iOS 9 and WatchOS 2. The 90 hours of tuition includes a comprehensive tour of Xcode 7 and Swift 2. You also learn how to work with SpriteKit and design great user interfaces. There are 100 practice apps to hone your skills on, and the videos show you the technical wizardry behind apps such as Tinder, Instagram and Uber. The deal takes 90% off the regular price of the course.

If you’d like to concentrate on wrist-based apps, the Complete Apple Watch Developer Course offers 13 hours of content for $29.

The learning curve is gentle, as the tutorials on Xcode, Swift, and Objective-C start with the basics. Along with 15 practice apps to build, you learn how to reskin and modify the source code of open source apps. You can grab 85% off the course with the current deal.

Gaming is another way to specialize your skills, with the ‘Build 20 Games’ iOS Game Developer Bundle at $20.

This bundle contains 20 courses, split into four genres of games. Each course shows you how to develop a single title. Many of these replicate the gameplay of App Store chart-toppers (e.g. Swing Copters, Candy Crush). With 99% off the tuition, this is a great way to get some real world experience and build a portfolio.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has now officially selected Time Surfer – Endless Arcade Magic as the new Free App of the Week. Regularly priced at $1 you can now download it to all your iOS devices for free. It has basically only gone free once a year since it released in 2013, so we reccomend grabbing it now of you’re interested.

Head below for more details on this time bending endless surfer:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Blutek (top rated seller with 98.7% positive feedback rating) via eBay Daily Deals offers Apple’s latest 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display (MF839LL/A) for $1,099.99 shipped. That’s $199 under the regular price and matching the best price we have ever seen for this model.

Along with Apple’s new Force Touch trackpad, this configuration has a 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz), 8 GB of LPDDR3 SDRAM, 128 GB of Flash storage and Intel Iris Graphics 6100.

Head over to today’s Daily Deals for discounts on the new 5K iMac and MacBook Air.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Headphone maker Jaybird has released the latest iteration of its popular Bluetooth in-ears. This new model, the X2, builds on the success of the previous generation with upgraded internals and a custom designed Bluetooth codec that the manufacturer promises will deliver high performance sound that “rivals top wired headphones”. Designed with active users in mind, this new pair of earphones aims to provide a top-of-the-line audio experience no matter the setting or activity.

Expand
Expanding
Close

If you want to wear your Apple Watch in all elements, the Spigen Rugged Armor provides great protection. 9to5Toys Specials has it bundled with Spigen’s Night Stand for $22 with free shipping.

The Armor covers the entire frame of the Apple Watch, just leaving the screen available for easy access. The controls are covered but extended by metalized buttons, with even the Digital Crown given its own overlay. The case is made from durable TPU, and it is designed to fit with the Night Stand. The stand itself has a lip to ensure your Apple Watch stays securely in place, and it has a Nanotac surface on its base to keep a firm grip on your bedside table.

• Stand design is simple and easy to use
• Bottom lip securely cradles watch to maximize stability
• Watch can rest with strap either open or closed
• Charger fits securely in cutout
• Nanotac pad at bottom keeps stand in place on flat surfaces
• Case features a flexible, sturdy and durable design
• Hardy TPU material protects against bumps and scratches
• Metalized button adds a classy and luxurious accent

The Armor comes in black (42mm and 38mm) and white (42mm and 38mm) versions. All have 37% off at 9to5Toys Specials.

Update (8/15 10:10am): @Pixelbud is our winner – thank you to everyone for entering our contest!
Back in March we were introduced to Olio’s Connected Timepiece, the brain child of former Beats by Dre and Google product designer Steve Jacobs. Since then, this Apple Watch competitor has enjoyed monstrous success as it sold out of its entire first run of watches.

These high-end devices were thoughtfully crafted to curate the myriad of notifications that come from iPhone and Androids so users aren’t bombarded with a constant stream of distractions. This unique design delivers an individualized “personal assistant” experience.

Today, 9to5Toys is happy to announce that we’ve partnered with Olio to giveaway one of its gorgeous Black Collection timepieces, valued at $795. Head below to find out how you can enter to win it.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Outside of adding more megapixels and upping resolution, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to improve on action cameras. GoPro has been out front of the pack for awhile with 4K video and ultra-compact options that fill the needs for most consumers. So when it comes to innovation, the best target for new entries into the marketplace is software. iOS connectivity is a must and most consumers just want to record their moments and have it instantly edited with automatic backup for later.

Enter Graava. Instead of leaning hard on technical specifications, it wants to simplify the video recording process down to the touch of a button. Its programers have modeled it after the human brain, focusing on sensory changes like sound or vision and even heart rate to capture the most important moments. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

PayPal’s official eBay storefront offers a $50 iTunes gift card for $40 with email delivery (20% savings). Use this discounted iTunes credit to save on apps, music, movies, books, and more. Outside of few rare occasions, this is about the best deal you’ll find on iTunes gift cards.

Gift cards will be emailed so you’ll be able to start downloading discounted iTunes media sooner rather than later: “In most cases, this will be within a few hours of purchase. However, in some cases it may take up to 24 hours.”
Expand
Expanding
Close

There are plenty of options out there for powering your iPhone or iPad. But sometimes a plain old white or black cable won’t do the job. If you’re in need of some more style, we’ve rounded up the best (and coolest) looking Apple-certified MFi Lightning cables out there. We have highlighted many different manufacturers that use a variety of materials such as fabric, leather and nylon to deliver a unique look to help you standout from the crowd. Head below for our top picks.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Sewell’s Luminid Touch and Flash MFi Lightning Cable has an ingenious feature: its Lightning connector tip has a built-in capacitive touch LED light. Illumination starts as soon as you touch it and turns off right when you remove your finger. This bit of light helps you plug-in your iPhone to charge or sync in the dark.

We’ve hooked up with Sewell to bring 9to5Toys readers an exclusive 20% discount. Add the Luminid Touch and Flash MFi Lightning Cable to your Amazon shopping cart and apply coupon code YF8R62H8 to drop your total price to $13.56 Prime shipped (Reg. $16.95).

Also, if you’re tough on Lightning cables, take a look at Sewell’s MOS Spring cable that has a metal spring at each for added durability. Just looking for a regular Lightning cable? Monoprice has theirs discounted down to $3.99 plus ~$2.50 shipping.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Four million. That seems like a lot of anything. Canon has introduced a new multi-purpose camera that has an ISO capable of hitting that number. But what does that do? Well, for starters it means that videographers and photographers can capture content in almost complete darkness.

The ME20F-SH is loaded with features that offer professionals unique flexibility in different lighting situations. Consumers probably won’t find much interest however, given that it costs more than some cars…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Your Mac’s hard drive is where much of your digital life is stored. The award-winning Drive Genius 4 is designed to keep it running smoothly and repair any mishaps. You can currently get it at 9to5Toys Specials for $50.

With so many files to keep in order, it isn’t surprising that OS X misplaces stuff once in a while. Drive Genius lets you repair those file errors and weed out duplicates to improve performance, all while looking out for any future hiccups. This includes assessing hardware health and checking for corrupted files, and it alerts you to anything it finds.

You can also use the app to create a bootable secondary hard drive for emergency use, and customize the appearance of drives and folders for easier recognition. Drive Genius offers the features of apps twice its price (I’m looking at you, DiskWarrior), and it is standard issue for Apple Geniuses.

• Optimize and speed up your Mac for maximum performance
• Alerts you to problems before they escalate into major issues
• Find large files and duplicates; delete ones you don’t need
• Set custom icons to make drive identification easier
• Check for hardware related problems
• BootWell feature lets you create a bootable secondary drive for easy repairs
• Check for possible file and folder corruption to prevent data loss
• Repair most kinds of logical file and folder errors

Order Drive Genius now to grab 49% off the standard price.

Bonus deals: 9to5Toys Specials currently has 59% off Wondershare PDFelement, a full-featured OCR app, and 86% off  NetSpot Pro, which lets you optimize your Wi-Fi networks.

Today Kodak announced that its PIXPRO SP360 action camera was adding support for YouTube’s new 360 degree video capture and playback. This new feature allows viewers to see a complete representation of the area around the camera.

The videos are so unique in that they allow users to explore the video in all angles during playback. Instead of a still image that can be moved around, playback continues while the video is rotated. Kodak has captured some really cool videos out in the wilderness and rollercoasters that bring this technology to life. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

When the Lightning connecter was originally revealed alongside iPhone 5 back in 2012, Apple singled out its reversibility as a major feature. It made plugging in your iPhone an even more brainless task. The only problem is that being reversible doesn’t help if you can’t see where the Lightning port is on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod. That’s when Sewell’s ingenious Lightning cable comes in handy…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Unlike most App Store promos, Apple has now quietly kicked off one the largest iOS game/app sales we have seen this year. The news comes courtesy of participating app developer Readdle.

The sale includes 100 apps and games at “new low prices”, most of which are $0.99. While we have posted some of these titles over the past week in our daily/game app roundups, this is the first time they’ve all appeared together in one giant sale. Now is your chance to fill up your app library, as we are seeing all-time lows on games, productivity apps, photography apps and much more.

A couple standouts are Pixelmator (Reg. $5), GoodReader (Reg. $5), The Room Two (Reg. $3), Rayman Jungle Run (Reg. $3), BADLAND (Reg. $4), Real Racing (Reg. $5), Angry Birds titles, and well, far too many to mention here. Not even including the insanely popular Angry Birds games, just these apps alone combine for a 4+ star rating from 100,000 reviews.

If there is still a couple apps you can’t find in this sale, then be sure to hit our daily roundups for even more discounted options and the new Free App of the Week. You’ll also find Screenium 3 on Mac for 50% off (Reg. $50) for a limited time.

Expand
Expanding
Close

The launch of iOS 9 is just around the corner, but there is still time to become a full-fledged app developer. The iOS 9 Swift Coding Course teaches Apple’s coding language from scratch, and it is currently $59 over at 9to5Toys Specials.

You don’t need any experience with coding to take this course, as the tuition starts at the shallow end of Swift. However, you soon make progress, learning your way around Apple’s Xcode app and the features of iOS 9. You can then move on to iCloud integration, setting up notifications, and using the new stackView and AVAudioRecorder classes.

The format is step-by-step video instruction, followed by an assignment to test out your new skills. All together, there are ten functioning apps to build. This process not only hardwires the newly acquired skills into your brain, but it also gives you a nice portfolio. In total, the course amounts to 35 hours of content.

• Dive into the details of building apps for iOS 9 with 35 hours of video
• Be one of the first to build apps for iOS 9 and dominate the App Store’s top downloads
• Become proficient in Swift and Xcode
• Create an iCloud app
• Set up push notifications for your app
• Work with iOS 9 classes like stackView and AVAudioRecorder
• Implement Swift code in unique ways
• Follow the easy to understand step-by-step format

You can currently get 80% off this exclusive course – add to cart now.

Spigen’s original Apple Watch dock was an instant hit with early adopters. But that was before Apple announced watchOS 2 during WWDC. The first major software update for Apple Watch includes Nightstand mode, which turns your Apple Watch into an alarm clock while it charges overnight. It’s going to be a convenient feature, but the problem is that it is only available when your Apple Watch is sitting on its side. That means most current Apple Watch docks, including Spigen’s first offering, aren’t compatible with Nightstand mode since they can only hold Apple Watch in an upright position. However, Spigen’s new Apple Watch dock was built with Nightstand mode in mind:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Best Buy is currently discounting all of its iPhone 6/Plus offerings for Verizon or Sprint by $100 with a new two-year contract. This delivers some of the lowest prices that we have seen in months on Apple’s flagship phones. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to upgrade your existing line or open a new one to receive this discounted pricing.

iPhone 6:

• 16GB: $99.99 (Reg. $199)
• 64GB: $199.99 (Reg. $299)
• 128GB: $299.99 (Reg. $399)

iPhone 6 Plus:

• 16GB: $199.99 (Reg. $299)
• 64GB: $299.99 (Reg. $399)
• 128GB $399.99 (Reg. $499)

Both models are filled with features including a Retina HD display, Touch ID, A8 64-bit processor, 8MP iSight camera, 1080p HD video recording capabilities and Apple Pay.

Alternatively, you can grab an off-contract AT&T iPhone 6 refurb for $460 at eBay. (updated)

Expand
Expanding
Close

Since Apple Watch was released back in the Spring to varying degrees of fanfare, accessory companies have been rushing to develop and ship their own products for this new timepiece. There have been different levels of quality and styles that charge, hold or store Apple Watch. While the low-end market has been flooded with plastic charging solutions, we have not seen as many options that mix natural materials with Apple’s latest device.

Today we’ll be looking at DODOcase’s $100 Charging Stand for Apple Watch that is made from USA-sourced wood and is handcrafted in San Francisco. 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has now officially kicked off another Amazing Apps and Games for $1 sale on the App Store. Many of which were featured in yesterday’s game roundup and are at some of lowest prices we have seen in quite some time. These are direct discounts and not related to lower emerging market pricing.

Some notables include Facetune: $1 (Reg. $4), Blek: $1 (Reg. $3), Goat Simulator: $1 (Reg. $5), Amazing Spider-Man 2: $1 (Reg. $7), Scanner Pro 6 by Readdle: $1 (Reg. $3), The Room Two: $1 (Reg. $3) and many more. Head below for the rest of the games/apps in the sale:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Microsoft’s new Universal Foldable Keyboard, first unveiled earlier this year, is now available to purchase online and through Microsoft stores. The super portable Bluetooth keyboard folds in half when not in use and allows users to connect to two mobile devices at once including Android, iPhones, iPads, and Windows devices.
Expand
Expanding
Close

By now you’re probably tired of looking at the same old band on your Apple Watch. You could easily switch up its style with one of Apple’s different bands. But their sky-high prices make it nearly impossible for most people to afford different styles.

Third party bands have been popping up and some are suprisingly good. This black 38mm Stainless Steel band is one of the most popular on Amazon and is currently down to its lowest price ever, just $36.99 shipped. It’s also available in multiple colors and the larger 42mm size, but prices vary. 72 Amazon reviewers rate it 4.2 out of 5 stars.

Other reasonably priced and highly rated Apple Watch bands on Amazon:

• JETech Leather band: $18.95 Prime shipped
• Oittm Stainless Steel band: $35.99 shipped
• Aerb Milanese style band: $32.99 Prime shipped
• iVAPO Stainless Steel band: $34.99 shipped
• eLander Leather band: $24.99 Prime shipped
• Luvvitt Stainless Steel adapter kit: $14.99 Prime shipped

Well known and well reviewed watch accessory maker Clockwork Synergy has a couple dozen Apple Watch band options made from leather or nylon with prices starting at $25.95. Even cooler, they sell Apple Watch adapters in multiple color finishes for $14.95-$16.95. You can use these to put any watch band on your Apple Watch. For a limited time you can save 15% on all of these accessories with coupon code mac15 at checkout. All orders qualify for free shipping.

Whichever band you end up with, make sure you have a nice dock for your Apple Watch. I’m partial to Nomad’s aluminum offering (currently 15% off), but there are tons of other styles available.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Professionals and prosumers love the bigger screen and increased power that comes with Apple’s 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. The only problem is that these models rarely get discounted. But right now Amazon and B&H have dropped their prices on both standard configuration models:

• 15″ rMBP 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB (MJLQ2LL/A): $1,819 (Reg. $1,999) at Amazon or B&H
• 15″ rMBP 2.5GHz/16GB/512GB (MJLT2LL/A): $2,274 (Reg. $2,499) at Amazon or B&H

Prices are the same at both retailers, however B&H only charges sales tax at the time of purchase for New York buyers and is including a free copy of Parallels 10.

Both models include a 2880 x 1800 Retina Display and the new Force Touch Trackpad.

We still have deals for Apple’s 11 and 13-inch MacBook Air.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple is back again with another big sale on iOS games in the App Store. We saw some of these titles on sale through the week and now Apple has officially collected them as part of its “Great Games” sale. Many of these apps are big names that we rarely see go on sale.

The full list of games that have been discounted:

• Halo: Spartan Strike: $3 (Reg. $6)
• Implosion – Never Lose Hope: $5 (Reg. $10)
• Lifeline…: $1 (Reg. $3)
• République: $2 (Reg. $5)
• Thomas Was Alone: $2 (Reg. $5)
• Soccer Physics: $1 (Reg. $2)
• Super Hexagon: $1 (Reg. $3)
• The Trace: Murder Mystery Game: $2 (Reg. $4)

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has now officially selected Star Walk 2 – Guide to the Night Sky as the new App Store Free App of the Week. Regularly listed at $2.99, you can grab the app for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch from now through this time next week. This is the very first time we have seen the app go free directly on the App Store since it released in August 2014.

It received an Apple Design Award in 2014 and has been used by more than “10 million people”. Head below for more details:
Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Specials is currently offering this Natural-Wood Apple Watch Charging Stand for $20 with free global shipping. You won’t find a more stylish and convenient way to charge your connected timepiece.

The idea of this stand from TRNDLabs is to make your wristwear usable while it is filling up, and to keep it from scratching your desk every time you put it down. It is made purely from beautiful wood — you can choose between oak and walnut — and there is a felt pad for your Apple Watch to rest on while it is charging. It is compatible with all the sizes and models of Apple Watch, and the MagSafe cable neatly tucks into a slot on the side of the stand.

• Keep cords organized with carved hidden wire routing
• Add to the decor of any space with the luxury wooden design
• Use with any watch model or strap
• Easily wrap the cable and charger in one package for traveling
• Seamlessly integrate the MagSafe charger into the stand’s angled shelf

The current deal gets you 48% off the price of the stand. Make sure to select your preferred grain on the product page.

Target is about to serve up a couple of stellar Apple deals on a silver platter. Starting this Sunday, July 5th, Target will discount iPhone 6/Plus 16GB by $69, bringing prices down to $129.99 and $229.99 when purchased on a 2-year contract. Keep in mind availability may be hit or miss for this option since carriers are slowly putting it out to pasture.

Customers who buy Apple’s latest smartphones on an installment plan will get a free $150 gift card.

Also, iPad Air 2 16GB Wi-Fi in silver or gold will be on sale for $399. An additional 10% discount via Target’s Cartwheel app brings the price down even further to $359.10, which is nearly $140 below MSRP.

REDcard holders save an additional 5% on all deals.

All of this information has been gleaned from a leaked copy of Target’s upcoming weekly ad. As such, the final deals may vary when they go live. Head below for a full look at the leaked ad:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Every now and then Apple updates its Apple Store App with a new iOS freebie. This time Apple is giving away free downloads of Green Kitchen, a healthy vegetarian recipes app that is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. It’s currently listed at $4.99 on the App Store and has never been free before.

In order to get this app for free you must do the following:
Expand
Expanding
Close

What better way to celebrate the official launch of Beats1 than to tune-in with a new pair of Beats by Dre headphones. Staples is taking up to $100 off select Beats audio products. The best deal from the lot is the Powerbeats2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones for $139.95 with free shipping. Regularly priced at $200, this is the best deal we’ve ever seen for these headphones by $10. Choose from black, red or pink/grey models.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUmFJK0k6Jc

With wireless Bluetooth connectivity, IPX-4 sweat- and water-resistance rating, and flexible ear hooks, Powerbeats2 are built for workouts. Expect up to 6 hours of battery life, but if you notice they are dead right before a workout you can use a 15-minute quick charge to gain an extra hour of playback.

Compatible with Apple Watch, iPhone, select iPod models, and nearly any other Bluetooth equipped device. Rated 3.8 out of 5 stars from 1,048 Amazon reviewers. Deal expires 7/4.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Firebox, the self-proclaimed “shop for the unusual“, has launched a new section of its website that carries “the most extraordinary thing money can buy”. If you’re in to gold plated iPhones or the actual Game of Thrones chair, you’ll want to take a visit to WTF. That electric full-size Delorean though….
Expand
Expanding
Close

Admittedly, my nightstand is a mess. A lamp, an IKEA clock, Apple Watch dock and a charger for my iPhone. It’s like the wild west. I’m always interested in solutions that simplify my life and my nightstand is in desperate need of that.

There is a pretty cool Indiegogo campaign going right now that aims to wrap all of the nightstand necessities into one slim and modern package. Luzi offers all of the previously mentioned mainstays plus a few cool tricks like voice control. It’s definitely worth a look.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has now selected the Halftone 2 Comic Book Creator as the new Free App of the Week. Typically selling for $2, this is the first time we have seen it go free, outside of a Starbucks app offer. Already featured as an Editor’s Choice and One of the Best Apps of 2013 by Apple, you can pick it up for free on all your iOS devices.

Head below for more details and to see it in action:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Fitness has established itself at the forefront of 2015’s hottest technology: it seems that nearly anything that has Bluetooth connectivity has been made into a workout tracking product of some kind. Jabra has released a new set of Sport Coach in-ear headphones that have wireless capabilities but more importantly track over 40 exercises and provide coaching along the way.

Aside from the traditional iOS-connected features, Jabra is putting a focus on a more well rounded workout than its competitors by providing data and analysis for a wider range of activities.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Update: The Pebble Time is now available to purchase from Best Buy and is coming to Target next month.

Pebble has a long-time friendship with Best Buy, and now the smartwatch maker is launching the first widespread availability of its new Pebble Time through the retailer. Available for $200, the standard 22mm non-steel version of the watch is now available for consumers to put their claim on red, black, and white models.

While the Kickstarter Edition just recently began shipping to those who backed the watch, those just now realizing that they would actually like a smartwatch that has a color e-paper display, more than 5 days of battery life, and cross-platform compatibility are in luck:

• Pebble Time (red)
• Pebble Time (black)
• Pebble Time (white)

We recently reviewed the Pebble Time, saying that while it does have its upsides, it still feels stuck in the past compared to the currently-available Android Wear devices and the Apple Watch. Long battery life is nice, but the lack of a touch screen and sketchy compatibility with iOS hold the device back—especially at this price point.

Apple has now officially handpicked Warhammer: Snotling Fling as the new Free App of the Week. The catapult crasher regularly goes for $4 and can be downloaded onto your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for free until this time next week. While we have seen it dip down to $1, this is the very first time it has gone free on the App Store.

Head below for more details and some gameplay footage:
Expand
Expanding
Close