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110 'Headphones' stories May 2012 - June 2015
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9to5Toys Last Call: 4-Port USB Desktop Charger $9, Free App of the Week, 5K iMac from $2,000, more

Avatar for Jun 12 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Charge up to four USB devices at once w/ this RAVPower Desktop Charger for $9 Prime shipped (Reg. $16), more

App Store Free App of the Week: Slayin endless RPG goes free for the first time ($1 value)

Best Buy 2-Day Sale: 27″ 5K Retina iMac w/ 1TB Fusion Drive $2,000 w/ .edu or $2,100 w/o (Reg. $2,299), more

Get 50% off at Starbucks: $10 gift card for $5 w/ email delivery – Sold Out, sorry about the mix-up

Ondesoft Mac Bundle with X-Mirage, iTunes Converter, Audiobook Converter and more: free ($146 value)

$50 iTunes gift card for $40 shipped: save 20% on apps, music, movies and more

Restaurant and apparel gift cards 20% off: JCPenney, T.G.I. Friday’s, Legal Seafood, Steak n’ Shake, Jiffy Lube, more

Father’s Day: Tommy Hilfiger, Nordstrom, more up to 50% off, DEWALT tools & gift cards from 20% off, more

Giveaway: The DODOcase $80 Apple Watch and iPhone charging solution stands out

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-inch SATA III Internal SSD $90, more

More deals still alive:

New Games/Apps: popular puzzler Threes! goes free-to-play the right way & Drop the Chicken 2 releases at 50% off

Sony MDR-7506 Professional Folding Headphones $70 shipped (Reg. $100)

New products & more:

Oculus finally unveils the retail version of its Rift VR headset

These Multisport Biometric Headphones are a fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 128GB $500, 13″ Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch $1,100, 11″ MacBook Air $800, more

Avatar for Apr 21 2015 - 9:07 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple iPad Air 128GB Wi-Fi + AT&T Cellular $500 (Orig. $929), iPad Air 2 128GB Wi-Fi $590 (Reg. $699)

Get ready for Apple Watch w/ a pair of battery-saving Bluetooth 4.0 earbuds starting at $14 shipped

Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drives: Toshiba 1TB $50 (Orig. $75), 3-Pack Seagate 1.5TB $150 ($210 value), more

Seagate Expansion 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive $120 shipped (Orig. $250)

HooToo TripMate Wireless N Travel Router w/ USB port $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)

iTunes Free App of the Week: Pursuit of Light ($1 value)

Review: Moleskine’s new myCloud Smallpack offers plentiful storage in a tidy design, $150 giveaway

More new gear from today:

XYZprinting daVinci 1.0 3D Printer $350 shipped (Orig. $500)

More deals still alive:

Headphones: Audio-Technica QuietPoint over-ears $100 (Reg. $150+), Sennheiser HD 202 on-ears $15 (Reg. $24), more

Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR (refurb) w/ 18-55mm Lens Kit $336 shipped (Orig. $599), more

New products & more:

Sony’s new 43-75″ 4K UHDTVs bring an incredibly thin design, pre-orders start today

Dodocase announces charging dock/cable organizer combo for Apple Watch & iPhone

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Apr 16 2015 - 11:29 am PT
8 Comments
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Accessory maker Dodocase just announced this Dual Charging Dock Organizer that accommodates both an iPhone and Apple Watch for charging. It all fits into a book-like design that will also hold your cables and headphones and make for easier traveling.
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Opinion: Don’t judge – Apple Watch accessories are supposed to be personal, not universal

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Apr 15 2015 - 1:21 pm PT
20 Comments

Over the past fifteen years, I’ve seen certain commenters pick the same fight literally every time Apple releases another device: “are accessories really needed for _____?” Fill the blank in with “iPod,” “iPhone,” “iPad,” “Apple TV,” or “Apple Watch” and you’ll see how the answer has eventually turned out to be “yes” every time. Even though I’ve tested virtually every type of Apple accessory out there, I couldn’t help but shake my head when companies first announced cases for the Apple TV’s remote control. Crazy, right? But there were eventually behind-TV mounts, Bluetooth keyboards, and universal remote controls that became truly handy for even Apple’s least-accessorized device.

Now the Apple Watch is coming, and despite Apple’s focus on its purely aesthetic customizability — including welcoming third-party band makers to the party — the “is this necessary?” comments are appearing again. “Nothing like a faux carbon fiber decal on your watch to convey your sense of good taste,” said one commenter, who separately opined that “every protective product listed here is the modern day equivalent of plastic-covered furniture.” To be honest, I personally agree with the first sentiment, but I’m not the target market for stickers. And I can still remember some people describing iPhone cases as plastic-wrapped furniture, back before Apple started selling them, too. So who’s actually right here, a handful of anonymous commenters acting as arbiters of universal style, or consumers looking to have fun customizing their new toys to their personal tastes?…


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This is the Apple Store’s in-ear headphone try-on Demo Kit

Avatar for Zac Hall Mar 20 2015 - 9:45 am PT
6 Comments

Earlier this month we shared that Apple would soon begin allowing customers to try in-ear headphones at its retail stores. As we mentioned then, Demo Kits include six models of in-ear headphones, half of which are Beats-branded:

The following headphones are available to try out with Demo Kits (Apple’s prices listed, but linked to better prices at Amazon): RHA MA450i ($49.95), urBeats ($99.95), Beats Tour ($149.95), JayBird BlueBuds X ($169.95), PowerBeats 2 Wireless ($199.95), and the Bose QC20i ($299.95).

Japanese blog Macotakara has now shared an image of the Demo Kits including each headphone model reported before. 
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Review: A-Audio’s Icon over-ear headphones pack Bluetooth and active noise cancellation in a premium package

Avatar for Dom Esposito Feb 19 2015 - 8:57 am PT
3 Comments

These days, it seems like there is an endless variety of headphones to choose from. With new models popping up on a weekly basis, it’s hard to sort through the crowd to find the ones that fit you best. When it comes to active noise cancellation this elite selection thins out a bit, but there are only a handful that fall into the same category as A-Audio’s Icon over-ear headphones.

From a functionality perspective, these headphones give you everything but the kitchen sink. They can be used wirelessly via Bluetooth with active noise cancellation, in passive (wired) mode, and even feature dual sound profiles. Along with that, they include a wide variety of accessories that offer more than enough for any situation…


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9to5Toys Last Call: Incase 40% off, B&W P3 Headphones $100, iOttie iPhone car mount $13, more

Avatar for Feb 4 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Incase 40% off: MacBook Icon Tensaerlite sleeve $42, iPhone 6 cases from $18, more

Bowers & Wilkins P3 Recertified Headphones in multiple colors $100 shipped (orig. $200)

iOttie One Touch Windshield Dashboard Mounts for iPhone 6/Plus $13 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)

Small States: Janus Motorcycles takes pride in its hand-crafted and locally sourced bikes, giveaway worth $340

More new gear from today:

More deals still alive:

New products & more:

The Next Episode: Apple’s plans for Beats-based music service revealed

Avatar for Mark Gurman Feb 4 2015 - 8:40 am PT
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Six months after buying the subscription music service Beats Music, Apple is actively working to launch a completely new paid streaming music service that will compete with Spotify and Rdio. Yet to be named, the new service is entirely Apple-designed, yet leverages Beats’ technologies and music content, a collaboration that has thus far led to personnel challenges and delays. Multiple sources within Apple and the music industry have provided the first in-depth details of Apple’s upcoming streaming service, which we share below.


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Neil Young’s “HD Audio” PonoPlayer put up against iPhone, results fall flat

Avatar for Seth Weintraub Feb 2 2015 - 6:30 am PT
36 Comments
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‘HD audio’ has been a buzzword for the last few years, as Apple and several record labels have been working on higher-resolution audio formats to repackage and resell older music. But the format took a body blow this weekend when former NY Times columnist David Pogue put musician Neil Young’s new $400 HD Audio PonoPlayer up against a regular old iPhone using a ‘blind trial,’ in which the HD PonoPlayer appears to have lost…


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Leather Smart Covers $15, WD 2TB desktop HDD $65, iPhone 6 ultra-slim case $1, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jan 15 2015 - 9:04 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple iPad Leather Smart Covers for iPad 2/3/4 (variety of colors) $15 shipped (orig. $70)

Daily Deals: WD 2TB My Book External HD $65, Klipsch/Bose headphones from $30, Logitech wireless keyboard $18, more

iPhone 6 Ultra-slim matte cases in a variety of colors: $1 shipped (up to 8 weeks shipping)

Apple-certified MFi 3.3ft Lightning USB Cable: $7 Prime shipped, more

Small States: Bison Made crafts heirloom quality iPhone 6 wallets and other men’s accessories

More new deals:

More deals still alive:

Software bundles/app deals/more:

New products/ongoing promos/info:

Review: Harman Kardon’s Soho Wireless is a luxury alternative to Beats’ Solo 2 on-ear headphones

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jan 14 2015 - 5:50 am PT
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I wasn’t a fan of Harman Kardon’s Soho headphones when they debuted a year ago, but the reason was unusual: they were seriously uncomfortable. Soho was a much smaller, wired version of Harman’s gigantic Bluetooth wireless headphone BT, notably using relatively tiny 30mm speakers instead of the 40mm drivers found in BT and many rivals, including Beats’ Solo 2 and Solo 2 Wireless. Something was off during Solo’s design or manufacturing process, because its steel headband felt like a vise on my head, an issue I hadn’t previously encountered while testing hundreds of other headphones.

Believe it or not, I’m glad that Harman didn’t give up on Soho, because the latest version Soho Wireless ($250) actually fixes most of its predecessor’s flaws. It’s a sharp-looking headset, and though it continues to use anemic 30mm audio drivers, Soho Wireless is markedly smaller and more comfortable than before. As the name suggests, it’s now capable of operating in a fully wireless mode using Bluetooth 3.0, with a usable range well in excess of the standard’s 33-foot minimum. And Harman has upgraded the design and materials a little, apart from including a simpler soft carrying case rather than a larger, heavier box.

The two biggest changes in Soho Wireless’s design are tweaks to the headband and the on-ear drivers. Although the new headband could still benefit from padding under its leather wrapping, Harman has thankfully revised the shape to feel natural rather than vise-like on your head–a critical improvement that makes Soho Wireless actually wearable.

The speakers are now behind cushioned leather rather than fabric, which lets this version of Soho surpass the luxury of Bowers & Wilkins’ P3 rather than just matching it. If anything, Soho Wireless is gentle on the ears even after you properly adjust the pull-down arms, which permits a little ambient noise to leak in—you don’t get the ear seal of Beats’ Solo 2, but there isn’t obvious audio leaking out at regular volumes, either.

Harman has also made a couple of changes to Soho’s cabling and controls. On Soho Wireless, the included 3.5mm audio cable is purely optional—slim, fabric-jacketed, and lacking an in-line remote control. The only integrated button is found underneath the right earcup, doubling as a power and Bluetooth pairing control. A similarly-sized box with a USB icon hides a micro-USB port, connectable to an included fabric USB cable to recharge Soho Wireless’s 400mAh battery, for which Harman’s web site, packaging, and manual oddly provide no estimate of run time. When asked, a Harman representative noted that Soho Wireless offers 9 hours of playback after 2 hours of recharging, which isn’t bad at all, but falls a bit short of the 12 hours promised by Beats’ Solo 2 Wireless.

Track controls are hidden on the outside of the right earcup. To change, pause, or play tracks, you now tap or swipe your finger against the flat leather surface using gestures helpfully indicated inside Soho Wireless’s box. When the gestures work, they work, but all it takes is a slight miss of the hidden touch surface and you’ll find yourself re-tapping or re-swiping. Once again, this feature is better than having no integrated controls, but less than ideal.

Sonically, Soho Wireless is a middle-of-the-road performer for its price. As the 30mm drivers inside are atypically small, there are points during listening when they seem to be straining to reproduce the frequency range–notably the bass–of larger headphones such as Solo 2. Head to head, they’re pretty close to Solo 2, roughly mimicking the Beats model’s so-so highs, fine midrange and good mid-bass, but the lowest notes aren’t as punchy or obvious.

We preferred Soho Wireless’s sound in wired mode, as a hint of buzz can be heard in the headphones when they’re operating wirelessly, but the difference isn’t profound. Additionally, a microphone is hidden underneath the right earcup, delivering only OK sound quality relative to the iPhones’ built-in mic system when you need to make phone calls.

The key thing that will make Soho Wireless a viable alternative to somewhat comparable alternatives from Beats, Bowers & Wilkins and others is the aesthetic it delivers for $250. Harman’s choice of chrome and leather is luxurious and mature, giving users the choice between Beats’ more expensive, all-plastic design or something that looks and feels executive-class at a lower price. On the other hand, you’ll compromise somewhat on audio quality, which may or may not be important to you. Soho Wireless is a big step in the right direction for Harman, but definitely not the last stage in the evolution of its wireless headphones.

Read more of my reviews here, as well as our premium headphone guide, and some of my personal top headphone picks.

Hands-on with The House of Marley’s Legend ANC headphones and Chant Mini speaker (Video)

Avatar for Dom Esposito Jan 9 2015 - 11:07 am PT
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Along our CES 2015 journey we stopped over at The House of Marley to take a look at some of the new gear they have launching this year. If you’re not familiar with the company, they create a wide range of audio accessories which are crafted from natural and recycled materials. In the video below, we took a closer look at the Legend ANC headphones and Chant Mini Bluetooth speaker…


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Harman and Philips announce noise-cancelling headphones, drawing power from Lightning without batteries

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jan 8 2015 - 4:23 am PT
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Harman JBL Reflect Aware left, Philips Fidelio NC1L right

Noise-cancelling headphones are great, but they do have one big drawback: noise-cancellation requires power, giving you yet another device to charge. Harman and Philips have each removed that pain-point, announcing noise-cancelling devices with a Lightning connector instead of a 3.5mm headphone jack, drawing their power from the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

The Harman JBL Reflect Aware are earphones aimed at sports use, allowing you to choose the level of noise-cancellation – handy for times when you are on the street and want to retain some awareness of things like traffic noise. They come in at a reasonably wallet-friendly $149. Harman has them at CES, but no word yet on availability … 
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iHome debuts speakers, headphones, iPhone + iPad cases for Disney’s 2015 Cinderella blockbuster

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jan 7 2015 - 3:39 pm PT
2 Comments

Just ahead of Disney’s release of Cinderella, the highly anticipated live action movie version of the classic 1950 animated film, Apple accessory maker iHome today took the wraps off of a collection of elaborate new iPad and iPhone accessories.

(Photo credit: Benjamin Hendel)

The star of the collection is this model replica of the new Cinderella Golden Coach, which is currently on display at DisneyWorld in Orlando, FL. iHome’s upcoming version is called the Carriage Bluetooth Speaker, a highly intricate, sub-$70 version with a mesh, globe-shaped speaker in the center. As our photos show, the level of detail in the Golden Coach is really impressive, including faceted gold that almost looks bejeweled.

iHome has also developed a pair of Cinderella headphones, complete with a jeweled blue butterfly on the side – key to the movie – and noise isolating earbuds with blue jeweled sides and fabric cabling. Both feature in-line microphones and remote controls.

 

Finally, there are also some bespoke iPad and iPhone cases, including a quilted iPhone flip case with golden accents and a hand strap, a butterfly-laden iPhone 6 hard shell, and a quilted purse-like case for the iPad with a golden strap.

Disney’s Cinderella will be released in theaters on March 13, with the new lineup of iHome Cinderella accessories to follow.

9to5Mac’s CES 2015 coverage brought to you by:

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9to5Toys Last Call: OtterBox iPhone 6/Plus cases $22+, MEElectronics headphones $11+, VIZIO 4K 55″ $1000, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jan 5 2015 - 9:00 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

OtterBox iPhone 6/Plus cases in multiple styles and colors from $22 Prime shipped

Amazon Gold Box – up to 67% off select MEElectronics fitness and fashion headphones

VIZIO Smart 240Hz LED HDTVs: 55-inch 4K UHDTV $1,000 (Reg. $1,400), 50-inch $500 (Reg. $700)

Review: SmartThings offers an open and flexible home automation experience with a few caveats

More new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promos/info:

Review: Master & Dynamic MH40 headphones rival my much-loved B&W P5s

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 18 2014 - 4:59 am PT
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When I put together my premium headphone gift guide, a commentator suggested that there was one more pair that deserved to make the list: the $399 Master & Dynamic MH40. The visual design had initially led me to assume these were semi-open cans – and thus not ideal for mobile use – but I found this wasn’t the case, and decided to give them a try.

I should say I’m a hard sell with headphones. I may not venture into four-figure professional headphone territory, but I’m prepared to spend a decent chunk of change on something with well above average sound, and my beloved Bowers & Wilkins P5s were the result of much research and listening time. They match superb sound with extremely sleek looks and great comfort. P5s are, for me, the standard against which all other premium headphones get judged, so you’ll understand me drawing comparisons between the two.

The MH40 is aimed at the same market. A similar price, broadly similar looks, same foldable design, same embedded controls and mic for use with phone calls as well as music. The question was: how would they compare … ?


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Some Bose products now back up for sale on Apple Online Store after nearly two months

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Dec 9 2014 - 9:13 pm PT
2 Comments

A few months ago, Apple unceremoniously dropped Bose headphones and speakers from the Apple Online and Retail Stores. The move appears to have been temporary, however, as Apple has added some Bose sound products back to its online storefront this evening, including its popular Bluetooth-enabled SoundLink III  and SoundLink Mini wireless speakers and QuietComfort acoustic noise canceling headphones.
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Gift guide: Premium headphones & earphones for the music lover in your life

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 9 2014 - 7:48 am PT
14 Comments
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Apple makes great phones, tablets and computers; earphones not so much. The ones that come free with the iPhone look attractive, but they’re pretty much worth what you pay for them when it comes to sound quality.

Great sound, though, doesn’t come cheap, which is why a pair of premium headphones or earphones can make the perfect gift for someone who loves their music but perhaps doesn’t have the budget to really splash out on themselves.

If you’re buying for a musician, check out the more studio-oriented recommendations in our music gift guide. For those who will mostly use their headphones while on the move, read on … 
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Bose products reportedly set to return to Apple Store shelves as early as next week

Avatar for Mike Beasley Dec 8 2014 - 2:33 pm PT
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Earier this year Bose and Apple had a bit of a falling out when the former decided to block NFL players from wearing Beats headphones while on camera, then fined players who violated the rule. Beats Electronics co-founder Jimmy Iovine said at the time that the ban actually served Beats by providing a bit of free publicity.

Apple apparently didn’t agree, and retaliated by pulling all Bose products from its store shelves in October. Around that time the two companies were also duking it out in a patent lawsuit, though they eventually decided to settle.

But Bose products are reportedly headed back to Apple Store shelves…

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9to5Toys Last Call: Retina MacBook Pro (2013) $200 off, Air-Fi wireless over-ears $40, 4-port charger $10, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Nov 14 2014 - 2:36 pm PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Apple Deals:

MEElectronics Air-Fi AF52 wireless over-ear headphones $40 shipped (orig. $120), more

USB Charging: 4-port wall charger $10, Lumsing 4000mAh powerbank $18, Poweradd charger w/flashlight $19, much more

Small States – DODOcase uses old world craftsmanship to protect your modern devices, giveaways & 20% off promo code

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

Black Friday:

New products/ongoing promos:

Beats announces Solo2 wireless headphones as first new product under Apple ownership

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Nov 12 2014 - 7:25 am PT
8 Comments

Following our exclusive report of FCC documents revealing that Beats was working on a new pair of headphones, the accessory maker this morning has announced its brand new Solo2 wireless headphones as its first new product since being acquired by Apple for $3 billion earlier this year. The headphones are set to launch in the United States this month at Apple Stores and select retailers for $299.95.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iTunes gift cards up to 20% off, Raspberry Pi A+ $20, Retina MacBook Pro 15″ $1800, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Nov 10 2014 - 2:51 pm PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

iTunes gift cards w/ email delivery up to 20% off from PayPal

Smaller, more efficient Raspberry Pi A+ comes in at just $20 ($15 less)

Logitech UE 4000 on-ear headphones (white) $15 shipped (orig. $100)

Best Buy MacBook sale: Pro w/ Retina Display 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,800 or less (Reg. $2,000)

Target Black Friday preview: iPad Air 2 w/ $140 GC $499, iPad mini w/ $80 GC $249, more

Small States – DODOcase uses old world craftsmanship to protect your modern devices, giveaways & 20% off promo code

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

Black Friday:

New products/ongoing promos: