iPad

Gameloft’s Call of Duty-like military shooter, Modern Combat 5: Blackout, has hit its all-time lowest price ever on the App Store. Usually listed at $3.99 (and regularly as high as $7), you can pick up the game on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for just $1. It has received 4/5 stars from 7,104 ratings and is listed as the “App Store’s Best of 2014 in 28 countries!”
Along with a series of updates over the holidays, Blackout features squad-based multiplayer with 4 customizable classes, chat, leaderboards and “limited time events”. There is also a full single player campaign here with light XP and weapon tier systems that takes you from Tokyo to Venice “to expose a lunatic who’s trying to tear the world to shreds.”
Head below for a quick look and more details:
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Apple has chosen Dr. Panda’s Restaurant 2 as its Free App this week. Regularly listed at $2.99, you can now download the “Best kids app in more than 50 countries” for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch for free. This is the first time the game has gone free since it released on the App Store, where it has garnered a 4.5 star rating from over 500 reviewers.
Head below for more details and some gameplay footage:
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Update (2/11 3:15pm): OOS But A4C Has the iPad Air 16GB with LTE for $299.99 shipped, an all time low
Quick Ship Electronics (99.3% rated seller) via eBay Daily Deals offers an open-box Apple iPad Air 32GB Wi-Fi in silver for $289.99 with free shipping. When it was originally released in 2013 it carried a list price of $599, but Apple is currently charging $389 for refurbished units.
The sellers detailed description of the iPad’s condition: “This item shows virtually no signs of use. It includes the original package (which may be lightly distressed) and the original OEM accessories. We include a free 1 year warranty with every item we sell.” Clearly it’s not brand new, but it’s $99 below Apple’s refurb. price, which we think that makes up for it not being factory fresh.
Throughout Small States you’ll hear stories of people that are making a conscious effort to bring manufacturing back to the United States. Companies that strive to create products in a way that has escaped our country and fled overseas. We are finding that these manufacturers have a great pride in what they do — this week we’re taking a look at Woodchuck USA, a company who’s pride is evident across all aspects of its business.
“Nature back to people. Jobs back to America. Quality back to products.”
With its locally grown hardwood accessories, Woodchuck has managed to create beautiful additions for your Apple devices. All the while doing it with a focus on integrity and creating jobs here in the United States.

Apple has selected Angry Birds Seasons (and Angry Birds Season HD) as the Free App of the Week. Typically going for up to $2.99, you can now download both the iPhone and iPad version for free. Outside of a one-time freebie sale sometime ago, this is the only other time both titles have gone free for iOS. Both versions of the app combined have received a 4+ star rating from over 300,000 reviewers
As mentioned in this morning’s game/app roundup, Rovio recently updated the game with 15 new NBA All Star levels, 1 new golden egg level and more. Head below for more details and gameplay footage:
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Apple has selected ProCam 2 – Camera and Photo / Video Editor as the Free App of the Week. Typically going for $1.99, you can now pickup the app for free on iPhone and iPod touch. You can also grab ProCam XL 2 on iPad for free (Reg. $1.99) as well. Based on previous pricing data, this is matching the lowest we’ve have seen the apps go for. Both version combined have received a 4+ star rating from over 1600 reviewers.
Head below for a closer look and feature details:
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Developed by former Apple engineers, the Duet Display app allows you to use your iPad or iPhone as an extra display for your Mac. The setup requires both an iOS app, which typically runs for $15.99 (after a $9.99 introductory price for a short time) and a Mac companion app that is free, but today the iOS side of things has dropped to its lowest price ever: $7.99.
Head below for a closer look in the intro video and more details:
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Amazon is offering the Belkin QODE Ultimate Wireless Keyboard and Case for iPad Air (Black) for $69.99 shipped. That’s around $50 under the original listing, $13 under the next best price from a trusted retailer and the best price we can find.
Features:
This keyboard case has received a 4.3/5 star rating from over 620 Amazon customers. For those in the market for an iPad Air, Apple’s refurbished store is a great place to start for discounts on products that are certified refurbished and come with 1 year warranty from Apple.

More on the Belkin QODE Ultimate:
Turn your iPad Air into a laptop with the Belkin QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case. The well-spaced keys offer the movement and response of a laptop keyboard, making emails and word processing far easier and more comfortable than typing on a tablet’s touchscreen. Smart sensing technology automatically turns the keyboard on when you need to use it, and off when you don’t. The case supports multiple viewing angles to help you find the most comfortable position for watching videos or reading blogs. Made of aircraft grade aluminum, the lightweight keyboard acts as a cover offering exceptional protection for your iPad Air while the case prevents it from being scratched.
Type Comfortably on your iPad Air
The Belkin QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air lets you type easily and comfortably with your tablet. This lightweight, sturdy keyboard case has well-spaced TruType keys that offer the movement and response of a laptop keyboard. You’ll type faster and more accurately than you do on your iPad Air’s touchscreen alone.
The keyboard folds away when you don’t need it and strong neodymium magnets hold your tablet securely at a variety of comfortable angles, so you can comfortably watch videos or browse the internet.
Aluminum Alloy Keyboard Protects Your iPad Air
The keyboard’s base is made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. It’s exceptionally lightweight but strong enough to provide hard-shell protection for your iPad Air’s screen when the case is closed. Its base is thinner than the iPad Air, so it keeps your tablet portable and easy to slip into a bag or purse.
Additionally, the case’s high-performance material protects the back of your iPad Air and doubles as a stand, adding function without compromising the case’s ultra-thin profile.
Smart Sensing Technology Saves Battery Life
This keyboard uses smart sensing technology that automatically turns on your keyboard when you need it, and powers it down when you don’t.
The keyboard’s battery provides 264 hours of active use and 4,300 hours of standby time.
Compatibility Information
The Belkin QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case is compatible with the iPad Air.
What’s in the Box
Keyboard case, USB-to-micro-USB charging cable, and quick installation guide.
Tanga offers the Speck CandyShell Grip iPad mini Case in multiple colors for $9.99 shipped. This is a savings of $35 off the original price and the lowest that we can currently find it. This case is rated 4.8/5 stars by 74 Amazon customers. Note: this case is designed for the 1st generation iPad mini, it will fit the 2nd and 3rd generation Retina models but will cover one of the microphones.
The Speck CandyShell Grip iPad mini Case features a hard shell design with raised rubber grips and button covers plus a dual-layer design. Our own Jeremy Horwitz found it to be a solid option for protecting the iPad mini:
Overall, CandyShell and CandyShell Grip for the iPad mini are equally worthy of our high recommendation and A- rating. While there are some tweaks that would make them even better, they’re amongst the very best playthrough-style cases on the market today, and very difficult to fault on quality or overall design.
Woot is offering the iHome iW3 AirPlay Wireless Stereo Speaker System with Rechargeable Battery in red or silver for $39.99 plus $5 flat rate shipping. That’s as much as $100 or more under the original listing and the best price we can find by $15 (in black or silver).
Features:
Reviews aren’t easy to come by for the silver model, but the black one has received a 3.5/5 star rating from over 45 customers on Amazon and comes with a 1 year warranty from iHome.
Update (1/24 9:00am): @ericmata75 is our winner, thank you to everyone for entering our giveaway!
The story goes, as told by co-founder Andrew Allen, that Paper by FiftyThree started out of a love for analog products. That four Microsoft colleagues turned friends with the resources of a Fortune 500 company found a greater passion in a pencil, scissors…and paper. Often Andew, Georg Petschnigg, Jonathan Harris and Julian Walker would sit down and discuss their ideas, talking about possibilities that bounced around in their heads. These brainstorming sessions would always be recorded on a scrap, or coffee filter, napkin or Moleskin, notably they weren’t writing in Word or the like – they were writing everything out.
The feeling of analog products, the feel of cutting paper or dragging a pencil across paper. How do they bring that feeling to a digital world? It was at that point, they bunkered down in a 5th floor New York apartment and set out to re-imagine digital design. They set out to make Paper.
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The free app of the week courtesy of Apple is Marvel Pinball. The Zen Studios developed pinball game is regularly listed at $1, and can now be downloaded for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. This is the only time we have seen the game go free outside of a week sale this past summer. It has received a 3.5 star rating from over 850 users.
Head below for more details:
Update (1/15 10:30am): Best Stop Deals via eBay Daily Deals also has the Apple iPad Polyurethane Smart Covers for iPad 2/3/4 starting at $7.99 shipped. Note: these will ship in bulk packaging.
Best Stop Deals via eBay Daily Deals offers the Apple iPad Leather Smart Cover for iPad 2/3/4 in a variety of colors for $14.99 shipped. A few specific notes on this deal: the Navy colored model is currently excluded from this pricing and these items will be shipped in bulk-packaging. Amazon has a variety of colors available as well for a few dollars more, the cream version is less expensive with Prime shipping (free trial). These are the best prices that we can currently find from a trusted retailer.
Typically we see these types of close-out pricing on the polyurethane version of the Smart Cover, so it is of particular note to see the leather cover. We’ve covered Apple products from Best Stop Deals in the past, they have a positive seller rating of 98.5% from over 72,000 customers.
These Smart Covers are designed to protect the front of your iPad screen, while doubling as a stand as well when rolled back. They magnetically cling to the side of the iPad, while the cover itself utilizes magnets within the device to snap shut when closing. Note that these smart covers are designed for iPad 2/3/4.
While they do make great window displays, they are not magical as they might seem.
Update: We found a lower price on MFi Lightning cables: Tecknet MFi 3.3 ft Lightning cable for $6.97 Prime shipped at Amazon. A better deal is the same $6.97 price for the 1.5M version.

Amazon has the MFi Certified Aukey Lightning to USB Cable (3.3ft / 1m) for $9.99. When you enter the coupon code HE7YOXF4 at checkout, the total drops to only $7.99 Prime shipped. That’s about the lowest you can get for one of these cables certified by Apple (which charges more than double for their Lightning cables). Don’t have Prime? Get it for free for a month. Otherwise make sure to pad your order to $35 to avoid shipping (buy 5!).

Need a little more pipe? Check out this combo MicroUSB/Lightning, heavy duty 6 foot cable for $21 shipped.
Apple is now offering MUJO as its Free App of the Week. The Oink Games developed puzzler is regularly listed at $1.99 and is now available to download for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Rated 4 stars from 37 ratings, this is the first the time the game has gone free since release.
Head below for a closer look and more gameplay details:
One Call (99.9% positive feedback) via eBay Daily Deals offers the JBL OnBeat Venue LT Bluetooth speaker with Lightning dock for $109 shipped. This is a savings of $130 off the original price, $10 better than Amazon and a match of the lowest price that we’ve seen in new condition.
Features:
At Amazon, this speaker dock is rated 4.1/5 stars by 41 customers.
If you haven’t yet put a streaming dongle on all of your HDTVs, $30 buys you a lot of great options currently out there.

Amazon and Best Buy continue to offer the Chromecast Dongle for $29.99 with free shipping. What makes this deal special is what Google adds on afterwards (ending January 31st): After setting up your Chromecast and visiting this page, you’ll receive $20 Google Play credit, X-Men original movie, 3 months of Drama Fever, 2 months of Hulu Plus and 90 days free Google Play music.


Next, Groupon offers either the Roku LT HD Streaming Player or Roku Streaming Stick with 2 Months of Free Rdio and 3 Months Free of Hulu Plus for $29.99 shipped. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for these popular streaming options that come with Remote and the most streaming options available which can be operated without a smartphone, tablet or computer.
ChAIR Entertainment has dropped the latest entry in its popular sword-fighting action game, Infinity Blade III, down to just $1 for the holidays. Typically listed at $6.99, this is the lowest we have seen the game go for by $2. At $10 for the entire Trilogy, today’s deal is still a better value than the previous Black Friday bundle by more than $2.
Widely regarded as some of the best mobile games out there, the Infinity Blade series brings together “adrenaline-fueled” action with some of the best visuals on the platform. As the epic conclusion for the three part series, IB3 introduces a new playable character as well as a more fine tuned experience overall within a much larger, dynamic 3D world. Along with voice work from famous actor Troy Baker (BioShock, The Last of Us, Far Cry 4, COD: Advanced Warfare, Batman Arkham, many more), it has the “most detailed story scenes ever shown” on mobile platforms:
Siris and Isa have joined with the God-King Raidriar in a desperate attempt to destroy the Worker of Secrets and his army of Deathless titans. Uncover new mysteries to wield the power of the Infinity Blade in this timeless adventure of champions and villains.
More features and gameplay footage below:
eBay has the Apple Smart Cover for iPad mini & iPad mini 2nd gen (in bulk packaging) for only $16.99 shipped. That’s $22 off the regular price and the current lowest we could find. We saw them for $1 less at Best Buy at the beginning of this month for in-store pickup.
Snap the Smart Cover into place and it wakes up, stands up, and brightens up your iPad mini. It magnetically aligns for a perfect fit. It wakes and sleeps your iPad Mini on open and close. It’s a handy stand for reading, watching, and typing. And it’s a way to make your iPad Mini as personal on the outside as it is on the inside.
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iPads need stands. Whether you’re watching videos, long-form typing, or making FaceTime calls, it’s a chore to hold the iPad upright for extended blocks of time. To address that need, Apple launched the first iPad with regular and keyboard docks, but quickly gave up on them in favor of simpler folding lids called Smart Covers.
If you’re looking for an iPad stand or dock, you can do better than that. We know because we’ve tested lots of options for Apple’s tablets. Following up on our guide to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus docks, we’re looking today at the very best of what’s out there for every iPad, covering four broad categories: simple portable stands, simple desktop stands, cases with integrated stands, and charging docks.
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You love games, but your girlfriend or wife doesn’t. My goal is to change that. This week, 9to5Toys is debuting Gaming For Couples, a new weekly column looking at great games for couples to play together. We’re not necessarily going to pick the newest or hottest games for this column — instead, we’re going to suggest titles that are reasonably priced, made for both girls and guys, and widely available.
Our first edition looks at two picks just in time for the holidays: the Peggle franchise and The Beatles: Rock Band, both from Electronic Arts.
Incase is offering 40% off select items as a part of its “Toys for Tots” event with coupon code TOYS40. Incase offers a wide variety of accessories for Mac, iPhone and iPad in addition to action cameras and backpacks. Free shipping is available in the 48 contiguous United States only.
A portion of profits from this sale will go to Toys for Tots.
When it comes to hauling around all your gear, bag designs are nearly limitless, spanning a wide range of designs for different tastes. One of my favorite parts of “working” for 9to5Toys is checking out all of the latest gear and accessories that are out there. Today we’re looking at an Australian bag that combines design and function effectively enough to make you really think about what you want to bring to the coffee shop. Let’s take a look at the Fitzroy Satchel from Toffee.

Amazon offers the Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard and iPad/iPhone stand in black for $39.99 with free shipping, which is the best deal we have ever seen for this keyboard that was released only a few months ago. It retails for $49.99. Best Buy has the same pricing for the black and white models.
The K480 will become the centerpiece of your gadget world. Use the Easy Switch dial to quickly cycle between three different Bluetooth devices (iPad, iPhone, Mac?). The keyboard also doubles as a stand for your iPhone, iPad and other mobile gadgets. Rated 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 100 Amazon reviewers.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MceLc7-w1lQ?rel=0]
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Most iPad accessory makers work tirelessly to design a product that echoes Apple’s signature design. Griffin and Rail Yard Studios’ Rail Artifact Stand does the opposite. Instead of melting away during use, its one of a kind design not only stands out, but in my opinion, steals the spotlight. Just as its name indicates, the Rail Artifact Stand is made from authentic early 1900’s railroad pieces. From pitted steel to worn edges, every stand shows its history in a unique way…
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Update (12/7 10:30am): Staples (in-store only) has 20% off select iPads: iPad Air from $319, iPad mini 2 from $239, iPad mini from $199, more.
Best Buy matches many of its Black Friday iPad Prices with $50-$100 off Apple’s latest release of iPads with free shipping or site-to-store. That’s tied with the lowest pure prices we’ve seen on many of these models.

Don’t worry, all of our favorite good looking accessories, iPad docks and Bluetooth speakers are on the way. For now its all about how to amplify your home Mac set-up and integrate it with iOS. Mainly geared towards Mac/iOS musicians, here are some of my favorite pieces of gear to crank your home studio/office up a notch:
Did you pick up an iPad mini during Black Friday? Snap an Apple Smart Cover on it for $15.99 (pink, light/dark gray), $19.99 (green, red) or $24.99 for blue. All of these options will work with iPad mini 2/3.
Each of these Smart Covers carries an original price of $39. You can easily find lower-quality Smart Cover replicas, but I’d recommend spending a couple extra bucks to ensure that you get the real thing. Free shipping on orders of $35+, otherwise just opt for free in-store pickup.
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A lot of batteries are hitting lowest ever prices today including one of our favorites, the 13,00mAh Anker Astro 4E External Battery Pack w/ PowerIQ for $29.99 with free Prime shipping. Promocode ANKERCM1 drops it another $6 to all time low of $23.99 shipped. Standout features here:

Anker isn’t the only awesome battery option today. Groupon has a nice-looking Aduro PowerUp 10,800mAh Leather Backup Portable Battery for just $17.99 shipped at Groupon. This one has a Flashlight and comes in a variety of colors.
If size matters in a big way, check out the Limefuel 20,000mAh battery from 9to5toys Specials at $34.99 shipped. This one also includes a flashlight and adds a status indicator.
Some other great options:

Many Black Friday deals are officially going live today with others likely arriving tonight and through the weekend into Cyber Monday. We’re tracking deals for all platforms and gadgets, but below we’ve rounded up only the best accessories for iOS devices and Mac seeing big discounts this weekend.
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With so many Black Friday deals popping up this week, we thought it would be helpful to organize a list of the most popular iOS game/app discounts into one place. Most of the discounts below will be available through Cyber Monday and into next week, but be sure to check back as we will be adding more notable price drops as they happen.
And remember, you can save 15% on future app purchases with these discounted iTunes gift cards from Staples (use code: 35458 in the cart).
iOS Universal: The Dark Knight Rises: $1 (Reg. $7) – 4 stars from 6,490 Ratings
iOS Universal: Infinity Blade Trilogy Sale: $10 (Reg. $20) – 4+ stars from around 500K Ratings
iOS Universal: MEGA MAN X: $1 (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 2,127 Ratings
iOS Universal: Plex: $2 (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars 11,497 Ratings
iOS Universal: Rayman Jungle Run: $1 (Reg. $3) – 4.5 stars from 24,539 Ratings
iOS Universal: Gangstar Vegas: $1 (Reg. $3) – 4 stars from 6,589 Ratings
iOS Universal: Deemo: $1 (Reg. $2) – 4.5 stars from 8,816 Ratings
iOS Universal: BADLAND: $1 (Reg. $4) – 4.5 stars from 18,904 Ratings
iOS Universal: 9mm: $1 (Reg. $7) – 4.5 stars from 4,228 Ratings
iOS Universal: République: $2 (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 6,194 Ratings

iOS Universal: Clear Day – Weather HD (formerly): $2 (Reg. $4) – 4 stars from 20,619 Ratings
iOS Universal: Calendars 5: $3 (Reg. $7) – 4.5 stars from 5,307 Ratings
iOS Universal: Printer Pro: $5 (Reg. $7) – 4.5 stars from 11,068 Ratings
iOS Universal: Ultimate Productivity Bundle by Readdle: $12 (Reg. $32)
iOS Universal: W.E.L.D.E.R.: FREE (Reg. $3) – 4.5 stars from 18,408 Ratings
iOS Universal: Over: FREE (Reg. $2) – 4.5 stars from 6,346 Ratings
iOS Universal: Assassin’s Creed Pirates: FREE (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 9869 Ratings
iPhone: Toy Defense 2: FREE (Reg. $2) – 4.5 stars from 3,283 Ratings
iPhone: Toy Defense: FREE (Reg. $2) – 4.5 stars from 34,364 Ratings
iPhone: TurboScan: FREE (Reg. $3) –5 stars from 16,134 Ratings
iPhone: Real Racing 2: $1 (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 18,783 Ratings
iPhone: Blek: $1 (Reg. $3) – 4.5 stars from 13,353 Ratings
iPhone: Doodle God™: $1 (Reg. $2) – 4.5 stars from 35,077 Ratings
iPhone: Blek: $1 (Reg. $3) – 4.5 stars from 13,353 Ratings
iPhone: Animoog for iPhone: $2 (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 13,353 Ratings
iPad: Toy Defense HD: FREE (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 12,253 Ratings
iPad: Toy Defense 2 HD: FREE (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 2,596 Ratings
iPhone: Star Walk – 5 Stars Astronomy Guide: $1 (Reg. $3) – 4.5 stars from 8,606 Ratings
iPhone: FX Photo Studio – photo editor, filters, effects, …: $1 (Reg. $3) – 4 stars from 12,107 Ratings
iPad: Real Racing 2 HD: $1 (Reg. $7) – 4.5 stars from 15,228 Ratings
iPad: Blueprint 3D HD: $1 (Reg. $2) – 4.5 stars from 9,031 Ratings
iPad: Osmos for iPad: $1 (Reg. $5) – 4.5 stars from 23,956 Ratings
iPad: Animoog: $5 (Reg. $30) – 4.5 stars from 1,666 Ratings
Stay locked to our Black Friday coverage all week long and head over to our daily roundups for all the best game/app deals.
Flexibits, known for it popular calendar and reminders app, is putting its flagship software on sale up to 65% off across all platforms for Black Friday. You can pick up Fantastical 2 on iPhone for $1.99 (Reg. $3), on iPad for $4.99 (Reg. $10) and the Mac version for $9.99 (Reg. $20). This is matching the lowest price we’ve seen on all three versions of the 4+ star rated apps, at one time the iPhone and iPad versions costed $10 and $20 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.

More from Flexibits:
Description
** HOLIDAY SALE – 65% OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME **
The award-winning, best-selling calendar app has been redesigned and reimagined for your iPad with iOS 8. With the convenient Fantastical Dashboard, you’ll add, view, and interact with your events and reminders with ease.
“For those who just want to get in, get out, and get stuff done, I strongly recommend Fantastical 2 for iPad.” – iMore
“Fantastical works better than Apple’s Calendar and Reminders apps…” – MacStories
“…Fantastical is an app I can recommend to anyone who wants to leverage their iPad as a better calendar.” – 9to5Mac
“All the beauty of Fantastical, but now for the iPad. I use it for the Mac and iOS—I […] love it.” – Jim Dalrymple (The Loop)
“… Fantastical 2 for iPad … refuses to abide by conventional notions of how a calendar should look.” – The Verge
“It’s very nice to see the iPad get in on the action, especially with such a nice iteration of the app.” – TUAWJust enter “Lunch with Elon in Palo Alto on Friday” and Fantastical 2 will schedule it! Or type in “todo buy milk at 5pm” and a reminder will alert you at 5PM! With dictation*, you can even speak the details for your event or reminder and Fantastical 2 will take care of it.
ONE APP, MANY FEATURES
• The Fantastical Dashboard
– Multiple views let you view your events and reminders just the way you want
– DayTicker, week view, or full-screen week view present your events and reminders with clarity
– Customize your Fantastical Dashboard with a simple gesture• Reminders!
– See your events and dated reminders together in the main list
– Add reminders directly from the Reminders list or new event screen – just flip the switch to toggle between events and reminders
– Set dates, times, and geofences (when I arrive/when I leave)• Powerful parser features, including:
– Create reminders by starting your sentence with “reminder”, “todo”, “task”, or “remind me to”
– Expanded, expressive repeating events such as third Thursday of every month, every weekend, last weekday of the month, and more
– Create alerts with phrases such as “remind me tomorrow at 3PM”, “alert 1 hour before”, or “alarm 3PM”• Informational event details, including a map to show your event’s locations and flexible repeating options
• Background app updating allows events, reminders, and alerts to be pushed to Fantastical 2 even if you don’t launch the app very often
• An extended keyboard when creating new events or reminders, providing instant access to numbers and symbols for dates and times
• Birthday options – tap on a birthday to see contact information or send a quick greeting
• TextExpander supportADDING NEW EVENTS OR REMINDERS IS FUN
• The easiest and fastest way to add new events or reminders
• Just type in your details or use dictation* and watch your words magically turn into an actual event or reminder!THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT
• Tap an event or reminder to show and edit its details
• Tap and hold an event to duplicate, move, or share
• Use search to instantly locate specific events or reminders
• View your Facebook eventsFAST, FRIENDLY, AND FLEXIBLE
• Supports the same calendar services as the built-in Calendar app, including iCloud, Google Calendar, Exchange, and more!
• Fantastical 2 is fully localized in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish
• Just type or speak* your event or reminder in any of these languages and Fantastical will automatically understand
• Full Accessibility support* Dictation not supported on iPad 2

Apogee, well known for its studio quality audio interfaces and converters, has kicked of its Black Friday 2014 sale today. Running from now through December 2nd, you’ll find as much 60% off its factory refurbished iOS/Mac interfaces and multi-channel flagship options.
Due to how rare it is for these interfaces to go on sale from any retailer, all of the deals are quite notable. Some standout options are the JAM studio quality guitar input interface for iPad, Mac and iPhone is available for $69 (Reg. $99), and the Duet USB interface for Mac and iPad for $475 (Reg. $595). Both are matching or beating the previous Apogee sale, between $30 and $100 under Amazon and other retailers and are the lowest prices available.
You can see more of what Apogee’s Black Friday sale has to offer below, and be sure to head over to Amazon’s pre-Black Friday Musical Instruments Store for ongoing discounts and lightning deals from now through Black Friday.
Apogee is offering incredible, limited-time deals on their award-winning products for recording and listening to music on iPad, iPhone and Mac. Starting on Wednesday, November 2014, save up to 60% on select products exclusively through Apogee’s US webstore. The sale continues through Black Friday and Cyber Monday, ending on Tuesday December 2. Supplies are limited so act fast!

Update (11/26 2:00pm): MacMall’s Black Friday 60 Hour Sale is now live.
Update (11/26 2:00am): We have added the entire MacMall Black Friday ad.
MacMall is a shopping mecca for Apple fans looking to save some money. With the biggest shopping day of the year coming up, there’s no doubt many of you have been waiting to get a peek at MacMall’s Black Friday plans. Well, we’ve finally got our hands on them and we can’t wait to share them with you.
MacMall offers deals on by far the largest selection of Apple products we’ve seen from any retailer this holiday season. Stores like Best Buy only stock standard configuration Macs, but MacMall carries high-end and custom configuration models. Also, keep in mind that MacMall only charges tax at the time of purchase for buyers in nine states (CA, CO, GA, IL, MN, NC, NY, TN, and WI).
That being said, here are all of the deals that MacMall is planning to kick off tomorrow, Wednesday 26th at 12:01 PM PST:
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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:
Continue to check back for the latest Black Friday deals from 9to5Toys.
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.
Let’s learn a little more about JDS Labs.

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 our favorite deals:
Most KAYSCASE accessories have received favorable reviews from Amazon buyers.
Save 40% each on Qualifying items offered by Kay’s Technology when you purchase 1 or more. Enter code 2014BF40 at checkout. Here’s how (restrictions apply)

Update (11/20 4:00pm): Apple has now officially named Things for iPhone and iPad the Free App of the Week on the App Store.
Popular task manger app Things has gone free for the very first time on iOS. Both the iPhone version (Reg. $10) and Things for iPad (Reg. $20) are available as free downloads starting now, and you’ll find Things for Mac for $34.99 (Reg. $49.99). All three versions combined have received 4 star ratings from over 20,000 reviewers.
Head below for more details:
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 feet. The keyboard connects via Bluetooth and includes a cable for recharging.
If you prefer lighting for your keys, Amazon has the backlit model of this keyboard for $19.99 Prime shipped (free trial).

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.
Head below for a complete list:
Update (11/20 1:45pm) We are now seeing an updated Black Friday ad from hhgregg.
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:
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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.
There is an iPhone 6 deal for $179.99 with a $30 gift card attached, but you’ll do much better if you’re a Sam’s Club member. The big box retailer will have Apple’s newest smartphone for just $99 starting November 15th. You can check out everything Sam’s Club will have to offer as the month progresses in the full Black Friday ad leak. Here are some of the standout deals we’ve spotted so far, check back as we add more notables:
Continue on for the rest of our picks:
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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.”
Head below for more details:
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.
Don’t need 6 ports and 50Ws? Poweradd also offers a 25W 5 Port model with 2.1A max for $11.99 shipped.
With the money you save you can pocket some Poweradd MFi certified Lightning cables for $9.99 -$3 = $6.99 using code 5PJGUHLK
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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.
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