Black Friday: Unusual Apple Deals

iPad Mini Tablet: Visual Tour

Apple's Black Friday sale kicks off at 12:01 a.m. Pacific on Friday through the online Apple Store. The sale will last until 11:59 p.m. that same day. That's right, you have just 24 hours to save a few bucks on Apple products.

Apple's brick-and-mortar retail stores will be open longer than normal, but hours will vary depending upon location. Be sure to check with your local Apple Store ahead of time to see what its Black Friday hours will be.

Full details about Apple's Black Friday sales are available here.

What kind of discounts can you expect? Apple typically discounts its products 9% to 15% on Black Friday -- not exactly a shining example of generosity. Why so stingy? Apple knows its products are popular and they will be in demand whether or not the prices have been slashed. Even so, with savings averaging about 10%, at least you can save a little bit on those gifts.

[ Is there an iPhone 5 on your shopping list? You should get it well in time for the holidays. See iPhone 5 Shipping Times Improve. ]

The Apple iPad Mini is sure to be a big seller on Black Friday. Sadly, Apple isn't discounting the iPad Mini. It is still selling for the full retail price of $329 for the entry-level model.

The fourth-generation iPad and iPad 2, however, are both on sale. Apple is selling the entry-level, fourth-gen iPad with Retina Display for $458 on Black Friday, a savings of $41. The 32GB model costs $548 and the 64GB model costs $638, offering savings of $51 and $61, respectively. Apple is offering the same $41, $51, and $61 discounts on the LTE-equipped iPads. The 16GB iPad 2 is receiving only a $31 discount, and is selling for $368 today only.

Apple's physical retail stores will likely be crowded. Keep in mind, iPhone users can also make Apple purchases via the official iPhone Apple Store application. If you get to an Apple Store and the gear you want is gone, try ordering through the iPhone app. Remember, Apple typically doesn't charge for shipping, so you won't be out any extra cash if you choose to shop online rather than in an actual store.

If you're looking for a bigger break on Apple gear, the best deals will probably be available outside of Apple's official retail channels. For example, Best Buy this week offered a $50 discount on third-generation iPads (32GB and 64GB models). It also tossed in a $75 Best Buy gift certificate for good measure. Wal-Mart is selling the second-generation iPad for the same $399 price that Apple charges, but it is including a $75 Wal-Mart gift card with the purchase. Wal-Mart is also discounting iPad Nanos by $10.

Good luck and be safe!

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