Black Friday 2014: 4 Best iPad Deals

Whether you're a serious Black Friday shopper or just a casual observer of the mayhem, it seems the one tip everyone has for buying Apple tech at Christmas time is that the best deal is never from the Apple store. As with previous years, this is totally true. Remember, these deals start Thursday evening, so you may need to shake off that turkey coma if you want in on them. Let's get to it:

Starting with Target, things there jump off Thursday evening at 6pm. That's when you can get a 16 GB iPad Air 2 (WiFi) for $499. Sure that's Apple's price too, but Apple isn't throwing in a $140 gift card like Target. You can also get a 16 GB iPad Air (yes, last year's non-Touch ID model) for $399, which includes a $100 gift card. Also at Target you can get the 16 GB iPad mini 2 at $299 with a $100 gift card. If you aren't looking for an iPad, check out the rest of Target's Black Friday Deals anyway, Target is taking Black Friday (That Really Starts After Dinner Thursday) very seriously this year.

Walmart is in most ways a vile corporation, damaging the middle class around the world in its race-to-the-bottom pursuit of profits, but the company is also using iPad to lure shoppers into its stores. Of course, at these prices, the company is losing money on each iPad sold, so one can take consolation at that idea. In any event, Walmart will be offering 16GB iPad Air 2 for $497, but that price includes a $100 gift card. There will be deals on other iPad models, too.

Not to be outdone, Best Buy will be unleashing hell deals at 5:00 PM Thursday. These deals include a variety of iPad accessories like cases and keyboard cases, with the iPad Air 2 coming in at a straight $100 off retail, and the $75 off the iPad mini 3. As of now there are no confirmed deals on the previous models of the iPad Air or iPad Mini. You can find the full list of Best Buy deals over at DealNews.

AppleInsider reports that gift cards with purchase are returning this year as Apple's Black Friday offering, with iPads rating a $50 gift card, good for any of Apple's digital stores (iOS/Mac apps, music, or books). Notably these will be Product (RED) gift cards, with a portion of sales on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday being donated to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.