Following the news we brought you earlier of the UK discounts Apple is offering, the company's American deals have now been revealed.

The discounts are part of the "Black Friday" tradition in the States, where retailers mark the start of the Christmas shopping season after Thanksgiving by offering sales.

Those shopping at the Apple store in the States today can get $101 off an iMac and $101 off a MacBook Pro while the Magic Mouse sees a $5 reduction.

Other price cuts in the one-day-only spectacular see $11 off an iPod nano, $41 off an iPod touch, $21 off Apple TV and $21 off a 1TB Time Capsule.

In the UK the discounts are roughly in line with the American offers - although we're only offered ?11 off an iPod touch.

Tags: Hardware Audio Phones Apple shopping

Apple's American Black Friday deals revealed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:32:53 +0000

Microsoft has teamed up with New York department megastore Saks for a big Christmas promotion, that, as well as a special sales area inside, includes Windows 7 powering the store's infamous Christmas windows displays.

As part of the window displays, Microsoft has set up a screen displaying a live Twitter stream, with posts hashtagged HolidayWindows automatically showing up on the display.

What Microsoft perhaps didn't account for though, is Apple-loving Twitter users taking advantage of the stream to promote their own pro-Apple and/or anti-Microsoft messages.

A quick glance at the #HolidayWindows stream sees it chock-full of such pro-Apple pithy missives as the brief "Get a Mac" that appears multiple times.

There's also the likes of "Get a Mac! Just follow the masses down to the Apple store. The one that looks like the Windows store... only way cooler", "Avoid viruses - get a Mac", and "Ignore Microsoft, you're not a PC, you are a human being. Get a Mac and feel human again".

As @mooseblaster says, this cannot end well.

UPDATE: It seems the whole stunt was masterminded by Mac fan site MacDailyNews, but appears to have taken on a life on its own now with pro-Mac tweets coming thick and fast, way outnumbering any Windows fans who have attempted to mobilise with a counter-tweet attack.

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Tags: Software Twitter Windows 7 Video Microsoft shopping Apple Saks

VIDEO: Apple fans heckle Windows-powered Twitter stream in Saks' Christmas window originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:05:23 +0000

Gift and gadget etailer iwantoneofthose has announced the launch of new site -? iwantoneofthosephotogifts.com - or IWOOTPG.com as it will henceforth be referred to on this site, because life is too short and RSI all too close.

In a nutshell, iwootpg.com can photo-ify pretty much any objet you might care to stick a cute photo of your girlfriend/child/puppy/stick insect on.

There's classic photobooks from ?6.00, canvases from ?27, make-your-own calendars from ?5, a set of ten greetings cards from ?4 and a ton of other bits and bobs that you can plaster with your photos such as playing cards, mousemats, mugs, clothing, hats, bags, etc, etc.

To see the full list of photo gifts hit up IWOOTPG.com now.

Tags: Gadgets IWOOT Cameras shopping Online Websites

IWOOT launches IWOOTPG.com originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:08:01 +0000

This is Pocket-lint talking to you on behalf of the better part of yourself. Do your Christmas shopping now. Do it now and do it online. You know you/we are right. If you do it now, you can do it all from the comfort of your own home with not a single bit of car park stress, shopping centre hell and no festive argy-bargy whatsoever.

To help out, please find 101 of the best Christmas shopping sites on the Internet and, with 28 days still to get your deliveries in, you'll be laughing all the way to the Queen's Speech. Good luck, and remember that if the shop won't ship worldwide, there are plenty of mail forwarding services that will help you out.

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Home & Design

Art Lebedev - Russian deisgn studio store
gnr8 - Highly original cutting edge deisgns
Charles and Marie - "Quintessential lifestyle navigator"
Labour and Wait - Hyperchic kitchenware with Victorian inspiration
Jamie Oliver - Good quality kitchen and homewares from the TV chef
Present & Correct - Incredibly sylish modern stationary specialist
Conran Shop - Exclusive designer furniture and lighting
Scandinavian Design Centre - Swedish housewares emporium
Dutch by Design - Contemporary lighting and accessories
Where Did You Buy That - Vast repository of stylish, original housewares

Clothing & accessories

Fredflare - Retro-inspired, very stylish, very good value boutique clothing
Urban Outfitters - Well-known trendy high street store - check the US pages too
Etsy - Ludicrously good umbrella store for handmade and crafted items
Asos - Long standing online fashion store
Village Hats - Any kind of hat you could possibly be looking for
Saville Rogue - The only stylish football scarves on the planet
Threadless - Quirky printed t-shirts
Figleaves - Enormous hub of all things undergarment
Busted Tees - Even more t-shirts
Nordic Kids - Funky kids' clothes from 0-10

Cards & Printing

Moonpig - Irritating advert and personalised printing specialist
Kodak Gallery - Printing and gifts from household favourite
Oxfam - Card shopping with charitable heart
Save the Children - More cards, accessories and wrapping paper for charity
istockphoto - Stock prints and images and some equipment too
Photobox - Giant online printing, albums and photographic service
Cafe Press - T-shirt and gift printing specialist
Paperchase - Tasteful stationary and cards superstore
Photo-canvas - Straight to canvas photo printing
Snapfish - Excellent value worldwise photo printing service

Gifts

Spoonsister - Uncommon gifts and care packages US store
Firebox - Top internet emporium of assorted gifts and quirk
IWOOT - Other top internet emporium of assorted gifts and quirk
Prezzybox - As above but slightly fluffier
Cute Bitz - Slightly smaller and slightly quirkier
No More Sox - Online gift shop aggregator
Voucher Express - Haven of gift vouchers for DIY take on presents
Red Letter Days - Shop for gift experiences - motor racing, sky diving, etc
Framed Share - For a wall-hung sense of financial support and belonging
Lazybone - Weird, unusual and freaky gifts
Hammacher Schlemmer - US treasure trove of the unexpected

Food & Drink

The Causeway Deli - Gourmet shop of hard to get items; don't miss the Raspberry shortbread
First4Fruit - Next day fruit and assorted hamper deliveries
The Thrifty Shopper - Wine and beer home brewing kits
Cybercandy/Retro tuck shop - Sweets and chocolate of the word and time gone by
Beers of Europe - Terrible site, wonderful selection of beer and cider
English Cheesecake - Cheesecake of all sizes, flavours and for all ocassions
The Cheese Shed - Mail order, West Country, Artisan, homemade cheese
Leaf/TeaWorld/Rare Tea Company - three specialist tea shops for all your hot brew needs
Bean - As above but for gourmet coffee lovers
Fudge Kitchen - Simply the best tasting fudge ever

Bargains

Quidco - Cashback membership and shopping site
Cdiscount - Discount electronics, wine and furniture
MyVoucherCodes - Assorted discount code offers
Mad About Bargains - Community-based bargain news flashes
FindsYou.com - Post Office window style notice board online
Invisible hand - Silent running, always on Firefox plug-in works alongside all 100 of the others
Gumtree - Pot-based second hand online market
AbeBooks - Bargain books, second hand paperbacks, out of print editions
7dayshop - Low rent, low price tech store
eBay - Auctions, resale shops and lots of them

General

Amazon - Etailer giant
Ethical Superstore - Fair trade, eco-friendly and organic shopping
John Lewis - Dependable quality, good service, high street department store
M&S - This isn't just any online shopping site, etc
Tesco - Wide range, high value superstore online
Not on the high street - Unique online only products under one roof
Harrods - World's most famous department store with gifts to impress; hampers a must
Argos - Seriously good value but seriously check them when they arrive
Woolworths.co.uk - Still going but now under Littlewoods group; same ethos as ever
Debenhams - Mid-level UK department store

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Gadgets

Oregon Scientific - Action cams, weather gadgets and all sorts more
Gadget4all - Funny gifts and surprises for and from people all over the world
Think Geek - US hub of all gifts, gadgets and novelty
Gadget Shop - Alternative home of gizmos and assorted nonsense
Brando -? US site for USB stocking fillers, peripherals and accessories
USB Fever - As above plus easy worldwide shipping
Otherland - RC toys, gadgets, games and collectables
Science Museum - Robots, toys and science kits from a family favourite
Gizoo - UK site with gadgets for the desktop and home
Gadgets.co.uk - More gadgets and novelty with fast UK delivery

Electricals

Play.com - Big name online consumer tech retailer; plenty of stock and plenty of deals
Pixmania - Good value online electrical store good for imaging and AV
Maplin - Superb home for all your components, cables and electrical needs
MyMemory - SD cards, flash drives and all small storage devices
Battery Force - Batteries. Lots and lot of batteries.
YoYo Tech - Leading etailer in PC componenets and custom builds
Novatech - More components and budget PC systems too
Richer Sounds - Hi-Fi specialist store with bags of deals and cut price offers
Ebuyer - Cheap PCs, laptops and computing accessories
Mac Warehouse - Specialist online Mac retailer and Apple accessory store

Specialist

The Glow House/The Glow Company - If it glows, they sell it; something for the cheesy quaver
We are Fish - Home for biorb and fishkeeping
Hello Kitty World - Gifts, bags, clothing and more all from the House of Kitty
The Future Perfect Company - Gifts for the elderly
Cherly Cole Style - For the wannabe obssessive and the too young to know better
Gifts4Fishing - Ideas for the angler in your life
LEGO - Anything you like, so long as it's made of Lego
Wiggle - Hude discount cycle shop
BananaFingers - UK based rock climbing shop with gear, clothing and DVDs too
Store - Unique storage soultions from shoe boxes to cake tins and much, much more

That lot should be enough inspiration for you but if you've got any red hot tips of your own, then please let us know in the comments. Happy hunting.

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Tags: Gadgets Christmas Hardware Home And Kitchen Audio Gifts Online Websites shopping Features

101 life-saving Christmas shopping websites originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:38:55 +0000

Apple's newest retail store, due to open its shiny doors this weekend on Saturday 14 November boasts "more Macs, iPods and iPhones than any store in the world".

The store is located under a "breathtaking all-glass arched roof" on New York's Upper West Side on Broadway at 67th Street and is the company's 279th shop and fourth in Manhattan - 15th in the NYC area.

The lower level features the largest area ever created by Apple for personal training and technical support, including a 45-foot Genius Bar with 200 employees overall.

"We opened our first store in Manhattan seven years ago, and the response has been incredible", said Ron Johnson, Apple's senior vice president of retail.

"We hope our new store on the Upper West Side will become as much a part of the community as our stores in SoHo, the Meatpacking District and on Fifth Avenue".

Tags: Hardware Apple shopping Audio Phones Biz

Apple's newest store boasts more Macs, iPods and iPhones than any in the world originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:10:21 +0000

Apple's first retail store in France - and its 277th across ten countries - will open in the centre of Paris at the Carrousel du Louvre on Saturday 7 November.

The two-story shop features an entire floor "dedicated to services that have become the hallmark of Apple retail stores around the world", including the Genius Bar, and boasts 150 employees overall.

The new store offers an entire floor of Macs, iPods and iPhones for customers to experience hands-on. There's also an entire room devoted to the iPhone.

"We are thrilled to bring the unique Apple retail experience to France", said Ron Johnson, Apple's senior vice president of retail.

"This stunning new store sits just below the world famous Pyramid du Louvre in the Carrousel du Louvre and offers our customers in Paris a wonderful place to shop, learn and be inspired".

Tags: Hardware Audio Apple shopping Biz

Apple's first store in France opens this weekend originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:58:05 +0000

Amazon.co.uk has announced its Amazon App for iPhone and iPod touch, launched in the States back in 2008, is now available from the App Store to users in the UK.

The Amazon App connects customers to their Amazon.co.uk account and offers purchasing using Amazon's 1-Click ordering and Amazon Prime, the ability to tracking packages or modify orders via "Your Account", personalised recommendations and Wish List access.

The "Amazon Remembers" feature uses the iPhone camera to "find and remember" items available for sale on Amazon.co.uk - photos taken by the camera are automatically uploaded to Amazon.co.uk to then search for similar-looking products.

The Amazon App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch now.

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Tags: Phones iPhones apps Amazon shopping App Store

Amazon offers iPhone shopping app in UK originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:32:24 +0000

Over in the States Microsoft opened the freshly-painted doors on its first Microsoft store as its new operating system, Windows 7, hit general release.

The very first Microsoft store - designed to showcase both software and hardware from Microsoft and its partners - is in Scottsdale Arizona.

YouTube user gt2697 was on hand to grab some footage of inside the new shop - hit play to see a quick overview of the format - incidentally shot and uploaded on an iPhone.

Tags: Hardware Microsoft shopping Windows 7

VIDEO: Inside the new Microsoft store originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:07:51 +0100

Amazon.co.uk has revealed that Windows 7 is now the biggest grossing pre-order product of all-time, having eclipsed? pre-orders of both "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and the Nintendo Wii.

"The launch of Windows 7 has superseded everyone's expectations, storming ahead of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' as the biggest-grossing pre-order product of all-time at Amazon.co.uk, and demand is still going strong", says Brian McBride, MD of Amazon.co.uk.??? ?

"Over the past three months, only Dan Brown's 'The Lost Symbol' has sold more copies than Windows 7 which is an incredible achievement for a Software product".

Amazon says it sold more pre-order copies of Windows 7 in the first 8 hours of its release than Windows Vista managed in its entire pre-order period, stats echoed by the DSGi group.

Tags: Software Windows 7 Amazon Statistics shopping Microsoft

Windows 7 beats pre-order records at Amazon.co.uk originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:37:06 +0100

O2 has admitted that its Natwest-run O2 Money pre-paid Visa cards are suffering some problems with loading cash. Customers attempting to fill up their cards are finding their payment details rejected, even if perfectly valid.

A customer support representative that Pocket-lint contacted confirmed the issue, but offered a workaround for those who are unable to get cash onto their card. Instead of signing in and attempting to load cash, you can pick the "Give Money" option when not signed in.

This can be found under the "Adding Money" on the O2 Money website, and is under the "A friend or relative loading your card" heading. We tested the solution and found it to work perfectly, though it's restricted to ?100 for the first load.

If you're able to load cash onto your card, but can't spend it, then you might be running into the fact that the card can't be used for open-ended transactions. O2's FAQ section says:

"There are some restrictions on your O2 Money card. You won't be able to use it in situations when the amount to pay is left open-ended - like in hotels, for car rental or pay-at-pump petrol stations. It also won't work for wire-transfer money orders".

"Other restrictions also apply for all Load & Go and non verified Cash Manager cards (the ones with an ?1,800 load limit) to help prevent under 18's from buying over 18 related products and services such as gambling".

If you're having any other issues with your O2 Money card, then let us know in the comments.

UPDATE: O2 has got in touch with us, and is saying that while there might be a few incidents of people having difficulty loading money, there isn't a system-wide problem that they're aware of. They recommend that if you're having issues, you phone the support line - 10202 from an O2 mobile phone.

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Related links:

• News - O2 launches pre-paid O2 Money cards

Tags: Phones Mobile phones O2 shopping Gadgets Natwest

O2 acknowledges O2 Money cash-loading issues originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:20:13 +0100

Orange has opened its first ever "multimedia store" in the UK claiming to deliver a "completely new dimension of multimedia services to the community in the area".

Described as a "digital playground", the store features a 70-inch screen and seating, live handsets on display, a photo clock with pics of MK, a giant virtual Mexican Wave created by customers - oh - and a bouncy rubber floor.

To mark the launch of the store in Milton Keynes' thecentre:mk, Orange has wheeled out Conor for a quick video tour - hit play in the window above to see the clip.

Tags: Phones Mobile phone industry Orange shopping Video

VIDEO: Orange multimedia store opens in Milton Keynes originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:40:43 +0100

Today is the 10th annual "World Smile Day" founded by the inventor of the "smiley", artist Harvey Ball in 1999.

To celebrate, UK gift and gadget site Prezzybox.com is offering a special discount, no doubt with the hope of causing some extra smiles.

For 2 hours only, from 12pm to 2pm today, Friday 2 October, Prezzybox is offering 20% off everything on the site.

To get the discount, shop as usual and then use the code SMILE at checkout.

Related links:

• Shop - PrezzyBox.com

Tags: Gadgets shopping Daily Tech Deal PrezzyBox

Daily Tech Deal: 20% off everything at PrezzyBox.com originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0100