giftcard
Latest
Samsung's Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Buds are on sale for $624
Amazon has dropped the price of its Samsung Galaxy bundle to $624. The package includes a Galaxy S10 (unlocked with 128 GB in Prism black), Galaxy Buds and a $50 Amazon gift card. Valued at $1,078, the bundle has most recently been on sale for $850. At this new Cyber Monday price, it's an even better deal (while it lasts).
Gift cards and subscriptions to give as last-minute gifts
Sometimes it's better to pick out a gift for someone yourself and other times it's a good idea to let that picky loved one choose their own. (And if you've waited this long to buy gifts, that might be your easiest course of action.) This is where gift cards and subscriptions come in particularly handy, and we've selected a few of the best for our 2018 holiday gift guide. For TV lovers, we've recommended subscriptions for HBO Now, Hulu Live TV and YouTube Premium, but we've also got your gamers covered no matter which system they use. For the readers on you list, how about a curated book subscription based on their tastes or an unlimited subscription to Comixology? A pre-emptive note: Some services that you or your friends use (like Apple Music, say) didn't end up on this list. That doesn't mean we don't recommend them -- we do! -- but for people who are starting fresh without a paid music subscription or what have you, these are the services we feel bring the most value. Can't hurt, of course, to do some sleuthing first and see what your giftee is already using and go from there.
Coinbase users can convert crypto into gift cards
Coinbase announced today that it has teamed up with WeGift and customers in Europe and Australia will now be able to convert their cryptocurrency into e-gift cards. Gift cards are available for companies like Nike, Uber, Google Play, Ticketmaster and Tesco and Coinbase won't collect any withdrawal fees when users buy the gift cards with their cryptocurrency balances. Customers will also get bonus credit on some of their e-gift card purchases. Gift cards for Nike, Ticketmaster and Uber offer six percent, three percent and two percent bonuses, respectively, for example.
Amazon is refunding Prime phone buyers who paid to remove ads
Amazon's Prime Exclusive phones have great prices, but there was a big catch. You had to allow ads on your home screen and if you changed your mind later, it could cost up to $50 to opt out. Buyers got a bonus last week when Amazon decided to eliminate the ads, saying they could interfere with facial recognition and cause other issues. That's great, but it what about folks who paid the fee to get rid of them? Amazon has agreed to refund it in the form of a gift card, essentially closing the chapter on its Prime Exclusive phone ad experiment.
Steam introduces digital gift cards ahead of holiday sales
Got friends who wait for Steam's holiday sales to buy a ton of games they might not get around to playing? Is that friend you? Now you can help your friend soften the blow by sending them digital gift cards that add to their Steam Wallet balance. Or, since that friend is you, have your parents/cousins/distant aunts help fund your habit.
Amazon UK now lets you easily convert cash into online credit
The beauty of shopping online is that you can browse and buy without ever leaving the comfort of your sofa. Amazon accepts all major debit and credit cards online, but what if you've got a bundle of cash lying around you'd rather use instead? Enter "Amazon Top Up - In Store," a mouthful of a new service that lets you convert cash into online credit.
Samsung Pay stores your gift cards, lets you buy new ones
Samsung Pay was already handy for using the company's line of Galaxy phones to take care of mobile payments via credit and debit cards. Making good on its promise ahead of the holidays, Samsung added the ability for you to use those gift cards you're sure to receive in the weeks to come. Similar to the bank and credit card methods that Samsung Pay already employs, the app will allow you to load those gift cards to keep your pockets free of extra clutter on your next shopping trip.
Square merchants can now make their own gift cards
It's simple: Square arms small-business owners with an arsenal of weapons they need to do battle with larger (chain) competitors. In turn, you, the consumer, reap a variety of benefits. Now, the company's furthering that entrepreneurial spirit with its own Square Register-integrated gift cards program. Starting today, any Square merchant can order custom-designed cards at $1.50 apiece, without having to worry about future subscription, redemption or transaction fees. What's more, when a customer buys a gift card, the funds are immediately transferred into the seller's back account, rather than sitting in limbo until they're redeemed. For shopkeepers, it's a simple, inexpensive way to entice customers.
Google's Wallet apps now handle your gift cards
Gift cards are supposed to be pleasant surprises, but they can frequently be headaches; assuming you remember to bring them in the first place, you have to keep tabs on any leftover credit. They should be easier to manage after today, though. Google has just rolled gift card support into the Wallet apps for both Android and iOS. All you have to do is either snap a photo of a card or type in its info. After that, you can safely leave the plastic at home. Some merchants, such as AMC, Best Buy and Whole Foods, will also show the remaining balance on their cards.
Apple's new US promo gives Apple TV buyers free $25 iTunes gift cards
Color us intrigued. Apple seldom offers discounts on any of its devices outside of Black Friday, and yet it just launched a short, US-only promotion (PDF) that gives Apple TV buyers free $25 iTunes gift cards to jumpstart their media libraries. There's no major strings attached -- you just have to buy the device between now and March 5th to get the bonus credit. It sounds like a solid deal, but you may not want to rush to the store right away. The promo comes hot on the heels of rumors of a next-generation Apple TV, which suggests that the crew in Cupertino may be clearing out inventory ahead of a new model. If you're not worried about owning the latest and greatest, though, it's a tempting offer.
Walmart launches trade-in program with special iOS offers till August 25
Trade-in programs are common among big retailers like Best Buy and Amazon, but there's one ubiquitous icon in the American marketplace that has up until now not dipped its toe in the water of buybacks. You know it as Walmart. This week Walmart is launching a new program called "Gadget to Gift Cards," an online trade-in program that offers instant money transfers for used electronics. Customers visit www.Walmart.com/gadgetstogiftcards to find out what their iOS devices and other hardware are worth. As a special incentive for the launch of the program, the company is running a promotion offering $225 for an iPhone 4S 64GB and $250 for the iPad 3 through August 25. Considering the best offer we could find on Gazelle for a used iPhone 4S 64GB was $210 for a "flawless" unit, this current trade in promotion could be attractive to some readers. Of course, for less impressive models, the price is considerably lower. My iPhone 4S 16GB would only net me $82.50, and that money is delivered via a gift card that can only be used at Walmart. All devices must be sent in within 10 days. When you confirm your order, Walmart sends you a free shipping label and instant e-card that's redeemable at any of the company's stores in the US or at Walmart.com, pending credit approval from BillMeLater. If the customer cannot pass the BillMeLater check, they will be paid when Walmart receives their device and verifies its condition. The trade-in site is currently live. If you've been thinking about trading in your iOS device and need the cash, the current special offers for iPhone and iPad end on August 25.
Target offering free gift card with iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Apple TV purchase
The discount department store Target is offering a free gift card with the purchase of several Apple products this week. As first noticed by 9to5 Mac, Target's weekly circular is offering gift cards ranging from US$10-$50 with the purchase of various iOS devices and the Apple TV. 9to5 Mac states that some Target locations aren't offering free gift cards on the entire line of iOS devices, but we found that most of the gift cards are available via purchases made on Target's online store. Here are the deals: Buy an iPad with Retina display and get a $50 Target gift card. Buy an iPad mini and get a $40 Target gift card. Buy an iPhone 5 and get a $25 Target gift card. (It's not clear if an in-store purchase is required with this one) Buy an fifth-generation iPod touch and get a $20 Target gift card. Buy an Apple TV and get a $10 Target gift card. The free gift card promotion ends at 11:59 PM ET on Saturday, July 13th.
Gyft and its guilt-free gift cards now available on Android
Gift cards sure are convenient, but who likes futzing with all those useless, environmentally-unfriendly plastic rectangles? Certainly not us, which is why we dig free iOS application Gyft, an application that not only aggregates our gift cards, but allows us to buy and gift others with gift cards from a variety of major retailers (Gap and Sephora, among many others). And today, our Android-inclined brethren can get on board the Gyft train, as its headed to the Google Play store. To incentivize your use of the free app, Gyft's doling out $10 in free cards, so head over to the Google Play store and snag your free money.
Variable iTunes gift cards hit retailers just in time for holiday shopping
Instead of combing through the gift card aisle for just the right iTunes denomination, you'll soon be able to get one of these newly released variable gift cards. Just bring the card to the cashier, pick an amount between $15 and $500, and it'll get validated for that amount. The Cupertino company has offered variable pricing for regular Apple Store gift cards for awhile now, but iTunes cards had previously only been available in $15, $25, $50 and $100 options. These cards should also be compatible with an iTunes 11 feature that lets you redeem gift cards by scanning the code with your computer's camera. We're not sure which third-party retailers are offering these just yet, but it sounds like a decent last-minute impulse gift for your iOS-loving pals.
Redeem iTunes gift cards with iTunes 11 and your Mac's camera
One of the coolest iTunes 11 features has got to be the new redemption system. It allows you to scan gift codes using your Mac's camera system. As the screen shot above shows, all you have to do is hold up your iTunes barcode and let your camera do the work. No more laborious typing of barcode-supported gift cards is needed any more. Click Use Camera and then use the interactive camera feed to hold up and scan your card. You can only redeem cards that have a box around the code letters, as you see in the screenshot above. Here is Steve Sande redeeming himself. He isn't actually a gift card, but he pretends to be one on alternative Sundays. TUAW first noticed Mountain Lion's Core Recognition framework early this year and suggested that it might be used for this kind of redemption through the "CRCodeRedeemer" class. We're gratified to learn we were right on the money. Mike Rose pointed out in his original write-up that there's even more this tech could be capable of. As he wrote back in Feburary, "This technology would be even more interesting if Apple's 2011 patent application for 'digital handshakes' ever sees daylight. With barcodes or data embeds printed on your devices with invisible ink, you could log into your Mac just by waving your iPhone at it -- which would require that your Mac have some barcode-reading savvy."
Skype launches gift cards, lets parents drop hints to distant kids
Many empty-nester parents would like nothing more than to hear from their kids every now and then. For them, Skype's new gift cards might be the perfect not-so-subtle clue: both digital and physical cards are going on sale today that offer $10 or more in credit, either for the company's time-honored VoIP calling or (if need be) some Skype WiFi at the airport. Only online versions are customizable, although Americans who want something tangible can swing by the Microsoft Store, OfficeMax or Target. Skype's already brought prepaid credit to Mexico and the UK, but the cards should be more than welcome gift options for anyone who would otherwise have to spring for a prepaid phone card -- just be prepared for more heart-to-heart chats than usual if you're on the receiving end.
Apple starts offering Passbook-enabled gift cards, may save our hides in holiday shopping
Gift cards often get a bad rap as the last resort in holiday shopping, what we supposedly get only when all hope of a carefully considered present has gone out the window. Apple isn't quite so cyncial, and it may have injected new life into gift giving now that it has switched on buying gift cards through the recently updated Apple Store iOS app as of this weekend. Pick a color and a card value -- up to $2,000, if someone's been good enough to earn a MacBook Pro -- and the resulting email lets iOS 6-touting recipients load the card into Passbook. Besides saving some plastic, the Passbook entry adds some worth through geofencing that reminds recipients to splurge if they're near one of Apple's steel-and-glass stores. All told, the card may be more than welcome by iPhone fans and save the ignominy of a last-minute rush to the store. Just make sure the recipient doesn't mind going without a physical gift on the big day -- it wouldn't be right to drain all the romanticism out of a special occasion.
Passbook-enabled gift cards now available via Apple Store app
We knew it was coming and yesterday's Apple Store app update made it a reality: You can now use Passbook-enabled virtual gift cards to pay for items at Apple retail outlets. The refreshed app has added the ability for customers to purchase gift card codes which are sent via email. The codes can then be added to your Passbook wallet and used to complete purchases in-store. So, say, for example, you forgot your wallet and/or purse on your way out the door to the Apple Store. Don't worry, because you can use your Apple device to bring up the virtual Apple Store, and purchase a virtual Apple gift card. Then, you can use your virtual Passbook on your physical Apple device to pay for another physical Apple product inside the physical Apple Store. Isn't the future great?
Gyft for iOS now compatible with Passbook, adds gift cards from more than 200 retailers
With Apple having recently introduced its novel Passbook feature in the latest version of iOS, it's only natural for app makers to try and take advantage of such miscellaneous hub. With that in mind, Gyft -- a 2012 TechCrunch Disrupt finalist -- has made its application fully compatible with Cupertino's newfangled iOS 6, adding support for the iPhone 5's 4-inch screen and, most importantly, the ability to add gift cards from many retailers to Passbook; some of which include Amazon, Target, Lowe's, GAP, American Eagle and Starbucks. You can grab the Gyft (v1.2) application now directly from your iDevice, or there's always the link below if that makes it slightly easier for you.
Motorola's rebate site goes live: $100 credit if you need to upgrade to get Jelly Bean
During Motorola's keynote on Wednesday, the company announced a nice little bonus for loyal fans -- should your 2011-or-later handset not receive a Jelly Bean update, you'll get $100 if you upgrade to one of its new models. Well, a website for the deal has gone live and the initial Ts&Cs don't make it sound like an immediate discount, but that the Benjamin will instead be reimbursed as a gift card, carrier credit or a cash equivalent of Motorola's choice. We're still in the dark about which specific phones will be denied a taste of Android 4.1, although the list is expected "very soon." In the meantime, you can sign up at the source link below to receive details of how to update, or how to claim the rebate once the fate of your old handset has been decided.
