As someone who lived in the South from my birth to my mid-twenties, I can tell you without a doubt that we like to fry up any food we can get our hands on. It’s a stereotype that I gladly ascribe to, mostly because fried foods are just insanely delicious. Hush-puppies, chicken fried steak, fried okra, coconut shrimp, fried pickles, chicken-fried bacon, fried Twinkies, fried jelly doughnuts, deep fried pizza…yes, please. All of the above. When the heart attack comes, I’ll die with a smile on my face and extremely greasy fingers.

That being said, it never occurred to me that it would be a good idea to deep fry my iPhone 5 or my Dell laptop. Photographer Henry Hargreaves, on the other hand, thought it would be an excellent idea for a photo shoot. My guess is that he watched this video of a Japanese kid attempting to deep fry and chomp down on his Sony PSP for a bit of inspiration. In any case, here is his series of deep-fried gadgets:

Deep Fried Game Boy

Deep Fried LACIE Rugged Hard Drive

Deep Fried Headphones

Deep Fried iPad

Deep Fried iPhone

Deep Fried iPod

Deep Fried MacBook

Deep Fried Gadgets, What’s Not to Like?

Apple held a Spring 2021 event today to roll out several new products including refreshes on the iPad Pro, iMac and Apple TV as well as Bluetooth trackers called AirTags. (And the greatest announcement of all: Season 2 trailer of Ted Lasso!)

Of course, those announcements came with hefty price tags. Here’s a few ways to save money on essentially the same tech.

Apple Announcement: Purple iPhone 12 & 12 Mini

Holding off on any new iPhone news until September 2021, Apple choose to roll out a new color of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini rather than refresh the hardware in first half of 2021. The new color will be available April 30.

Cheaper Alternative: A Purple Case

If you already have an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 12 Mini, it’s just ridiculous to switch phones for a new color. Instead, just pick up a purple case. There’s a plethora of options on Amazon as low as $6, but we do like the Otterbox model with a built-in PopSocket PopGrip (if Popsockets are your thing).

Savings: At least $650

Apple Announcement: Apple TV 4K w/ new remote

The new version of the Apple TV 4K comes with the A12 Bionic chip found in the iPhone XS / XR (hardware last revised in 2017). It can now play HDR and comes with a new remote control that finally includes power / volume buttons for your TV. The price tag hasn’t changed though; $180 for the 32GB model and $200 for the 64GB.

Cheaper Alternative: Roku Ultra

Assuming you haven’t already replaced all your streaming set top boxes with smart TV apps (Goodbye switching HDMI ports!), check out the Roku Ultra for streaming at half the price. It has all the same AirPlay functionality for sharing content from your iPhone and includes support for HDR / Dolby Vision. The remote control has a nifty headphones jack as well for silent viewing.

The Roku Ultra is frequently on sale in the $80 to $90 range and can be found under $70 around Black Friday. Check Amazon’s price here.

Savings: At least $80

Apple Announcement: AirTags

Picking up on the popularity of the Tile trackers that help people track their lost keys or luggage, Apple has finally released a version of that tech. Called AirTags, the small disc-like device has Bluetooth LE, an accelerometer, a tiny speaker and a battery that can be replaced. These devices will show up in Apple’s Find My App, basically playing a sound on the tracker to help find it.

Apple is pricing a single AirTag tracker at $29 or $99 for a four-pack. Apple is also creating a variety of accessories like keychain holders and luggage tags.

Cheaper Alternative: Tile Stickers

Basically identical technology for half the price, Tile Stickers have an adhesive back that can be attached to objects like remote controls or wallets. It will emit a chime when within 150 feet of it via your phone’s Tile app. A four-pack retails for $60, but frequently drops into the $45 to $50 range. Check Amazon’s Price here.

Savings: At least $40

Apple Announcement: iPad Pro with M1 Chip

Apple’s refresh of the iPad Pro line now includes the M1 chip that powers devices like the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini. Apple has upgraded the display to mini-LED, using 10,000 of those on the 12.9″ model. There’s a new 12-megapixel camera that includes tracking tech for video calls, very similar to people-tracking on the Facebook Portal.

Of course, Apple is increasing prices again. The 12.9-inch model will start at $1,099 and the 11-inch model starts at is $799.

Cheaper Alternative: Samsung S7+ Tablet

Clocking in at 12.4-inches, the Samsung S7+ doesn’t offer a fancy mini-LED screen, but it does offer a 2800 x 1752 display. It has a microSD port that lets you expand memory up to 1TB (not offered on the iPad Pro) and comes with the S Pen stylus for free ($129 for the Apple Pencil). It also comes with a fingerprint scanner, a 13-megapixel camera, Dolby Atmos quad speakers and a fast Octa-core processor.

The base model of the Samsung S7+ is 128Gb in size and starts at $750 (with sales in the $650 to $700 range). You will also find sales on the 256GB and 512GB models. In addition, Samsung has a S7 11-inch model that starts around $550. Check Prices on Amazon Here.

Savings: At Least $350

Apple Announcement: iMac w/ M1 chip

Easily one of the biggest announcements today, Apple redesigned the iMac with a bit of a throwback to the color scheme of the original iMacs. The new iMac offers a 24-inch screen, a 4.5K resolution display, a new 1080p camera and a form factor that’s roughly 11.5mm thin.

Once again, Apple thinks so highly of their products that their customers get the privilege of paying $1,299 for the base model of the iMac (256GB memory, 8GB RAM, Magic keyboard).

Cheaper Alternative: HP 24 All-in-One Desktop

One of the best advantages of going with an HP 24″ all-in-one is the ability to scale up your specs in a way that Apple doesn’t allow. If you want specs similar to Apple’s iMac, you are looking at a $699 starting price. However, you can scale up the HP all the way to a model with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for about $120 less than what Apple will charge for the base model iMac. Check Prices at Amazon.

Savings: Up to $600

Here’s five cheaper alternatives to everything Apple announced today

Announced at the Apple event today, the tech giant will be releasing a new model of the Apple Watch that’s targeted at consumers looking for a boost over the Series 3, but not as expensive as the new Series 6.

Priced at $279 retail, we predict sales in the $250 range over the next 12 months on the Apple Watch SE. However, if you are interested in picking up one at launch, both the Apple Watch SE and the Series 6 will be available for preorder today and in Apple Stores on September 18.

Regarding features, the Apple Watch SE uses the S5 system in chip, 2 times faster than Series 3. It includes the accelerometer, heart rate meter, compass, gyroscope, motion sensors, and fall detection. There’s also a cellular model, if you want that upgrade.

Beyond the Apple Watch SE, Apple also announced the new Series 6 smartwatch starting at $399. Apple has improved the display, making it 2.5 times brighter in the daylight. It can also show elevation in real time and has a blood oxygen monitor. Apple is debuting a new band for the watch called the Solo Loop, a stretchable silicone band without a clasp.

Both of the new Apple Watches now come with 3 months of Apple Fitness+, a fitness subscription service that costs $10-a-month or $80-per-year. On the topic of subscriptions, Apple is launching the Apple One subscription service.

For $15-per-month, individual users can get access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and iCloud. Family accounts cost $20-per-month for the same services (account sharing up to 5 people). There’s also a Premier tier at $30 per month that includes access to Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+. Apple is also announcing a 30-day free trial of Apple One later in the year, ideal if you want to test before you buy.

Outside of smartwatches, Apple announced an update to the base level iPad as well as a new version of the iPad Air. The new base level iPad has the A12 Bionic chip for a 40% jump in performance & a 2x jump in graphics power. It will be compatible with the Apple pencil and keyboards. It will utilize iOS 14 and will be priced at $329 ($299 for education customers). It’s also available for preorder today and in stores on September 18.

The redesigned, $599 iPad Air features a 10.9-inch liquid retina display offering 3.8 million pixels of resolution. Other features include a new, small Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the power button, the new A14, 5-nanometer chip with 11.8 billion transistors (40% increase in speed, 30% increase in graphics over the last iPad Air), and support for Wi-Fi 6 as well as USB-C. Apple didn’t announce a date for the release beyond an October 2020 release window, more details here.

At the end of the event, Apple announced that iOS 14 will be available for download for free tomorrow to all iPhone and iPad owners. In addition, watchOS 7 will be released for Apple Watch owners.

Apple announces $279 Apple Watch SE, $15 Apple One subscription, & $599 iPad Air

Shopping for a new Apple Watch, iPad or iPhone this year?  We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the the cheapest Apple Watch, the cheapest Apple iPad and the cheapest Apple iPhone (as well as backup options).

Best Deal on an Apple Watch: $129

Trimming about $40 off Ben’s best price point, Walmart is running a doorbuster sale on the base model Series 3 w/ GPS. The 38mm is being reduced from $199 to $129 and the 42mm is being reduced from $229 to $159. This deal like likely to sell out quickly, both in-store and online. Amazon could also price match early.

As a backup option, Target is running a $170 sale on the Series 3 (but that’s roughly the same online sale price at the moment). Alternatively, if you want a Series 4 model, check out Best Buy’s sale which knocks $50 off the base model. The discount scales up to $300 off with more expensive models like the Nike+ models or the models in the gold stainless steel design.

• Walmart: Apple Watch Series 3
• Target: Apple Watch Series 3
• Best Buy: Apple Watch Series 4

Best Deal on an Apple iPad: $249

All retailers are chopping $80 off the retail price of the 7th generation, base model iPad for Black Friday this year. The 32GB iPad will drop from $329 to $249 at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon and any other retailer that carries it.

If you are looking for a deal on the iPad Pro, Best Buy is already offering their Black Friday pricing to My Best Buy members (free to join). You can get $150 off the 64GB base model or $200 off the models with more storage space. It’s likely Amazon will price match on black Friday week.

• Walmart: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Target: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Best Buy: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Amazon: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB

Best Deal on an Apple iPhone: Up $700 in Gift Cards

It appears that Walmart is clearing out their inventory of iPhone Xs models, based on the rewards offered with activation on Black Friday. You can receive a $450 digital gift card for Walmart.com for purchasing / activating an iPhone Xs as well as a 2nd gift card up to $250, if you trade in your old phone.

If you are looking for a deal on the iPhone 11 or 11 Pro, head to Best Buy. The retailer is offering up to $500 discount on the price of the phone (not a gift card deal), if you purchase / activate as well as trade in an older phone. Similar to Walmart, Target is also offering a gift card with an iPhone Xs, but it’s only $200.

• Walmart: Apple iPhone Xs
• Best Buy: Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Here’s the cheapest Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone on Black Friday 2019

We’ve just updated the Ben’s Bargains mobile app for both iOS and Android devices (version 1.2), specifically with a sleeker design to showcase more deals. In addition to the new design, we’ve also added landscape support on iOS as well as an iPad version of the app.

On the iPad version of the app, we’ve placed the category listings on the left side as well as a search bar and your most recent searches. You can quickly jump between product categories without having to switch to another page within the app. You also have the option of switching to landscape mode automatically in order to browse a larger number of deals at a time.

Managing deal alerts is easier in the new layout, ideal for anyone watching mulitple product categories for specific deals. We’ve also added optional push notification options within the app, useful if you want to catch an extremely hot deal before it sells out. You can set push notification for each specific alert as needed.

You can download (or update) the new versions of the apps on Google Play for Android users (LINK) and the App Store for iOS users (LINK). The Google Play version is compatible with Jelly Bean and higher (Android version 4.0.3 and up). Our iOS version for Apple devices is compatible with iOS version 8.2 or higher.

Ben’s App on Google Play –  Ben’s App on iTunes

You can also see more photos of the new iPad version of the app below:

The Ben’s Bargains app now offers iPad support, new design

As Apple rolled out a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro at $599 and a 4-inch iPhone SE at $399 today, the company also announced price drops on other previous generation hardware.

Now positioned at the same price as the 16GB iPad Mini 4, the iPad Air 2 16GB model is priced at $399. In addition, the 64GB model dropped in price as well down to $499.

The prices on the iPad Air 2 dropped due to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro pushing into the tablet mix. Basically identical to the iPad Air 2 in size and weight, the core differences of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro include storage options up to 256GB, the A9X third-generation chip, 12-megapixel rear / 5-megapixel front cameras and four speaker audio. You can check out a complete comparison of the tablets here: LINK

Regarding the potential for additional discounts on the iPad Air 2, look for discounts between $50 and $100 for the next six months, potentially bringing the price down to $299 for the 16GB model. Refurbished deals will be even better.

By the time Black Friday hits, look for gift card offers that will potentially exceed $100 when purchasing an iPad Air 2. Store like Target and Best Buy will require you to purchase the tablet at full price, but offer gift cards $100+ with the purchase.

The other price drop announced today was a $299 price point for the Apple Watch. Prior to this point, it was priced at $349. We predict this will open up the potential for the original Apple Watch to hit a $199 price point by the holiday season, when on sale or combined with a gift card offer. Both Best Buy and Target have already knocked $100 off the $349 MSRP earlier this year, thus sales will be likely continue to be aggressive.

Be sure to check Ben’s Apple deal feed for the most recent sales on Apple tablets, smartphones and smartwatches.

Price Drop Alert: iPad Air 2 falls to $399, Apple Watch to $299

Released earlier today, Target’s 2015 Black Friday ad is loaded up with a large variety of technology deals in product categories like HDTVs and tablets as well as toys, video games and clothing. (You can check out the full version here.)

Of course, we have scoured through the 40-page advertisement to highlight the best of the best. These deals have compared to our historical deal data. Check out the full list below:

1. Westinghouse 55″ 1080p HDTV  ($249)

The most recent sale on this television brought the price down to $400 at Best Buy. Target’s price knocks off an additional $150, possibly making it one of the least expensive 55-inch models available in stores on Black Friday. While Westinghouse is definitely an off-brand, this could make for an excellent television purchase for a secondary room in a household; bedroom, office, etc…

2. Apple Watch ($349)

While the sales price on the Apple Watch isn’t exciting, the $100 gift card bonus most certainly is interesting. In general, Apple products rarely go on sale, thus deals like this one are ideal on Black Friday. The lowest we have seen the Apple Watch price drop to this year is $330 on eBay.

3. LEGO Creator Bike Shop & Café ($55)

Another brand that rarely has sales, this LEGO builder set will be reduced by 40 percent on Black Friday. According to our previous data, the lowest recorded price on this model was $69 during July 2015. You will also find a great price on two additional LEGO sets, including one from The LEGO Movie.

4. Xbox One 500GB Gears of War Bundle ($299)

While the sales price is in line with other retailers on Black Friday, the $60 bonus gift card definitely sweetens the pot. That’s potentially a better option for someone looking for the base console rather than having to spend a larger sum on a bundle with additional games.

5. LG 49″ 4K 2160p HDTV ($499)

Beating a historical low of $548 at Walmart during October 2015, this is a fantastic price on a 4K television in the 49-inch size. Be aware that the majority of video content is still encoded in 1080p rather than 2160p. That content will be upscaled to take advantage of the additional resolution. To see native 4K content, look to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

6. Audi Convertible 6V Ride-On  ($85)

Beating a historical low of $119 sold by Target through eBay, this $85 price is roughly 55 percent off the normal MSRP. This powered car travels roughly 2.5 MPH and is recommended for children ages three and up.

7. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 16GB 9.7″ Tablet ($229)

While we have seen this model drop to $220 previously, this price is actually better with the bonus $30 gift card included in the mix, ostensibly bringing the price down to $199. This Samsung tablet was released during mid-2015.

8. Guitar Hero Live ($59)

Beating the best deal (Bonus $15 GC at Dell) we’ve seen on this brand new game, the 40 percent discount on Guitar Hero Live beats out prices at gaming stores like Gamestop. The game will be available for the PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PS3 and Xbox 360.

9. 7-Piece Disney Princess Ultimate Doll Collection ($40)

Beating a historical low of $45 (also sold by Target this month), this is the lowest price that we have seen on this Disney doll set. It’s likely the doll set will be at the same price during early to mid-December when toy sales kick into high gear.

10. Pebble Time Smart Watch ($130)

Beating a historical low of $150 during a Best Buy sale this month, this is the best price we have every seen on the Pebble Time. If you are unfamiliar with Pebble watches, this watch is compatible with both iOS and Android platforms. It offers a color display and excellent battery life.

Target’s 2015 Black Friday Ad brings deals on tech and toys

Need a snappy comeback to the endless barrage of Apple Watch status updates in your Facebook feed’s future? We are here to help. We’ve gathered up 20 of our favorite Apple Watch memes that poke fun at the $350 gizmo that will supposedly replace your smartphone. Enjoy!

(Click on any image for a larger resolution version.)

Embrace the iMockery: 20 Hilarious Apple Watch Memes

Definitely an awesome desk accessory for anyone stuck in the office, the iPad Foosball table is a miniature version of Foosball that combines an iPad, four real spinners and a companion app.

Specifically made for the older generation of iPads to save on costs, the table connects to the older iPad using the original 30-pin connector. In fact, the heavier weight of the older iPads would probably be idea for this type of physical game.

The spinners attached to the table correspond to the spinners within the companion app. The app includes a number of options like customization players, score tracking over multiple games and sound effects like a cheering crowd. The Foosball table includes rubber feet to keep the table from sliding around a table as well as the classic abacus-style counting system on the left and right side of the table.

The iPad Foosball table is currently priced at a price of $100 on UncommonGoods and is compatible with the original iPad as well as the iPad 2 and iPad 3. It is not compatible with an iPad that utilized the Lightning USB connection. Your best bet for older generation iPad technology is likely eBay or Craigslist.

Shut Up and Take My Money: iPad Foosball Table

As a learning tool, a personal tablet can be extremely useful for children of any age. In addition, buying a tablet for a teenager entering high school is useful for gaining an edge in preparation for college as well as fostering a sense of personal privacy by allowing them to get away from a family computer.

Each year, retailers attempt to get parents into stores to purchase new tablets for students with sales throughout August and early September. While you can find a constant feed of the best tablet deals on Ben’s Bargains, it’s also good to know what brands and models to keep an eye out for when shopping for students of all ages.

We have put together a list of five tablets that will be ideal to own at the start of the school year:

Ideal for Early Learning

LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra

• Includes parental settings to control app downloads
• The Web browser is safe and protects kids from adult content
• More than 1,000 apps ideal for kids between 4 to 9
• Retail cost around $150, Deals in the $125 range

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

Great for Avid Readers

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

• Kindle Freetime allows parents to limit time of specific activities
• Kindle Unlimited subscription service great for kids that love to read
• Available in 7-inch and 8.9-inch models
• Retail cost starts at $229, Deals in the $150 range

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

Excellent for Writing Notes / Drawing

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

• Handwriting-to-text engine converts your written notes to digital type
• High resolution display (2560×1600) excellent for drawing
• Offers up to 9 hours of battery life
• Retail cost around $600, Deals in the $500 range

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

Perfect for College-level Work

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

• Fantastic for using Microsoft Office for schoolwork
• With keypad, excellent for taking notes while in class
• Processor upgrades ideal for games during downtime
• Retail cost starts at $799, Upgrades available

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

Fun after Finishing the Homework

Apple iPad Air / Mini

• Excellent for entertainment like movies, television or games
• Also ideal for checking up on email or surfing the Web
• Light weight of Air (1 lb) ideal for carrying around the house
• Air starts at $499, Mini with Retina at $399

Search Ben’s for this Tablet

The Best Back-To-School Tablets for Students