Buyer’s Guide: Deals on iPad Mini 3, MacBook Air, Apple Accessories, and More [Mac Blog]

Father’s Day is this weekend and there are some decent deals on iPads, iMacs, and the MacBook Air. Best Buy’s running a promo discounting some iPad mini 3 models by $100, so now is an excellent time to pick up an iPad mini 3 if you’ve been waiting for a sale. Best Buy’s also discounting the 2015 13-inch MacBook Air by $100.

We’ve also rounded up some deals on Apple accessories including Beats headphones and iTunes gift cards, plus we’ve highlighted a long list of apps and games that are on sale this week.

iPad Air 2

B&H Photo is offering a small discount on most of its iPad Air 2 models, dropping prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB WiFi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $469 and the 64GB model is priced at $559. Prices vary somewhat by model, but there are slight discounts to be had.

MacMall is also offering some discounts on iPad Air 2 models, dropping the prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB entry-level Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $459, while the Wi-Fi-only 64GB iPad Air 2 is available for $549.
Read more

Review: ShuttenWorks ‘Wave’ is a Compact, Elegant Apple Watch Charging Stand [iOS Blog]

Most of the Apple Watch stands and docks that we’ve reviewed so far have been from major manufacturers, but the Wave Apple Watch Charging Stand from SchuttenWorks is made by a small team in Oregon. Available in several different woods, the Wave is named for its shape, which resembles the crest of a breaking ocean wave.

Visually clean and simple, the Wave uses a clever split design and magnet system to hide away the Apple Watch cable and lock the charger in place. It’s more expensive than most Apple Watch stands at $75, but it’s also arguably more elegant and certainly an aesthetic that some Apple Watch owners will love.

The Wave comes in two pieces, which snap together with a series of magnets and wooden pegs. Each side has cutouts for the Apple Watch charger and cable, which is routed through the middle of the stand and out the back. Setup is super simple — just pull the two pieces apart, nestle the charger at the top, snap the cable in place, and put the two pieces back together again.

All of the cutouts in the wood are perfect and the two pieces of the Wave are flush with almost no visible seam. Snapped together, it looks like a single piece of wood that was designed around the charger. At the top, the Apple Watch charger is held in place with micro suction tape, but even without the tape, the fit is tight enough that it the cable would stay firmly in place.
Read more