Anonymous targets Singapore govt with second tweetstorm

[HallOates]

http://www.zdnet.com/anonymous-targets-singapore-govt-with-second-tweetstorm-7000026111/

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[HallOates]

Walmart drops price of iPad 2 to $299, Target to offer $50 gift card with select iPads

Summary: Walmart's sale runs through March 7, and the company will also give you at least $100 for any iPad you trade in. Target's deal, starting tomorrow, is good for the next week.

Sean Portnoy
By Sean Portnoy for Laptops & Desktops | February 8, 2014 -- 13:04 GMT

While stores like Target and Walmart were trying to outduel each other with the best iPad deals during the recent holiday season, things had been quiet on that front in the new year. But that's changed in the last couple of days, with these two retailers offering new iPad specials they hope will provide a quick sales boost.

Target's deal is more pedestrian, and also lasts for a shorter duration. Starting tomorrow (February 9), it's offering a $50 gift card with the purchase of a 16GB iPad Air or Retina iPad mini (or iPhone 5s) through the next week (February 15). That's obviously not as good as an actual price cut, but if you shop frequently at Target (and obviously many do), it's a useful perk.

Walmart has slightly more intriguing offers. It's providing an outright price cut -- or rollback, in Walmart parlance -- on the iPad 2, which will now cost $299 through March 7. Note, however, this is an in-store deal only.

Of course, the iPad 2 is a three-year-old tablet, and, at $299, is still priced higher than many new full-size slates. But if you have to have an iPad and don't mind buying an older model, this could be as good as it gets for the next month.

You can pay even less if you have another iPad (presumably a first-generation one) to trade in. Walmart says it's also offering at least $100 trade-in credit for any working iPad, though this doesn't currently seem to be reflected on its online trade-in service.

Are either of these deals going to motivate you to buy a new iPad? If not, what price would you pay for an iPad 2 in 2014? Let us know in the Talkback section below.

 

[HallOates]

Microsoft wants to swap your iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, or Galaxy S2 for a Lumia 1020 or Lumia 1520

By Emil Protalinski, 6 February 2014

Earlier this week, we wrote about a Microsoft Store deal offering to buy your smartphone or tablet for up to $250, and speculated that “device-specific deals” would come later. The first one is already here: you can now get a new Windows Phone (Lumia 1020 or Lumia 1520) in exchange for your iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, or Galaxy S2.

As you can see, Microsoft has included a cute image of the Android and Apple logos in the trash. The deal is only valid until March 2, 2014, or “while supplies last.” There are also some important caveats worth noting (we’ve highlighted the important parts in the following fine print):

To be eligible for trade-in, product must power on and be in fully functional, working condition without broken/missing components, cracked display/housing or liquid damage, cannot be password protected, and include original chargers/accessories. To receive maximum trade in value, you must purchase an eligible Nokia Lumia 1020 or Nokia Lumia 1520 with a qualifying new or renewal mobile contract or upgrade (2 years) at the same time.

Any appraised value will be determined at trade-in and provided as store credit, subject to Microsoft’s discretion and approval. All trade-ins are final. Not valid on prior orders or purchases; cannot be transferred or otherwise redeemed for cash or gift cards. Not combinable with other offers. Discount does not include taxes, shipping or other fees. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Microsoft reserves the right to modify or discontinue offers at any time.

If you have old devices lying around, you can either get a fairly recent Lumia device in exchange, or some in-store credit. As has been pointed out a few times with these deals, however, you’ll need to find a store (US and Canada only) that is close to you, and make sure the deal is available.

This is a smart strategy for Microsoft, though it also highlights the company’s problem in retail: it doesn’t have many stores.

http://content.microsoftstore.com/en-us/offers/fashionsquare#offer-trade-phones-nokia