Promotion

AT&T offering $100 bill credit for customers that sign up for Next

AT&T announced this afternoon that, starting today, both new and existing subscribers are eligible for a $100 bill credit when activating a new line of service with a smartphone on Next—AT&T's upgrade program that allows customers to get new devices on installment plans.

More specifically, the Next program allows qualifying customers to get a new mobile device for $0 down, without upgrade or activation fees, and no annual contract. The cost of the equipment is spread over a two-year term, which makes this $100 promo somewhat appealing.

Minimalistic puzzle game Bicolor goes temporarily free via Apple Store app

Concluding its four-week promotion celebrating the life of a college student, the beautiful minimalistic puzzle game Bicolor has gone free for a week inside Apple's official Apple Store client for the iPhone and iPad (not to be confused with the App Store).

Created by 1Button and released on May 1, Bicolor includes 180 handmade levels, each consisting of just two colors. Bicolor tasks you with completing various patterns in order to clear the board and progress to the next level.

Priced at 99 cents in the App Store, Bicolor is free for the next seven days exclusively through the Apple Store app.

App Store Productivity Monday: automate iOS with these fine apps

Like any given Monday, Apple's App Store editors today highlighted iPhone and iPad applications aimed at increasing your productivity by helping you get organized and keep pace with your busy life.

In this week's edition of Productivity Monday, the App Store team is sharpening its focus on apps which help make the most out of iOS by automating the things that don't need your expertise, so you can spend your time wisely.

Here's a quick rundown of each featured app.

Sci-fi robot platformer Atom Run goes free as Apple’s new Free App of the Week

It's Thursday and you know what that means, don't you? That's right, today is the day Apple editors get to pick another paid app to go free for seven days, as part of the App Store's ongoing Free App of the Week promotion.

Reminder: last week's freebie was Uppercut Games' excellent post-apocalyptic shooter, Epoch 2.

This week's free app is Atom Run by Fingerlab.

Normally costing three bucks a pop, this retro-futuristic platformer set in a mechanical-dynamic environment will be free until next Thursday so best thing you save yourself $2.99 and download Atom Run for free right now...

Beautiful iOS calculator Tydlig goes temporarily free in official Apple Store app

Apple is celebrating the life of a college student so they're giving away one education-themed app each week via the official Apple Store client for the iPhone and iPad.

Although some other promo offers are available only to Apple Store visitors, anyone who has downloaded the free shopping app to their device and has a U.S.-based iTunes account can now download Tydlig for free.

Note that these promos are separate from Apple's ongoing Free App of the Week so iOS apps which go temporarily free in the Apple Store app still cost money when accessed regularly in the App Store via their iTunes links.

In the past two weeks, two high-quality apps have gone temporarily via the Apple Store app (not to be confused with the App Store): the gorgeous Rise Alarm Clock and Runtastic Pro, a premium version of the popular fitness tracking software.

If you love calculators, the advanced Tydlig for the iPhone and iPad will be free until next Wednesday, a $2.99 saving.

Here's how you can redeem your free copy of Tydlig...

Runtastic Pro is temporarily free in Apple Store app

Runtastic Pro, which normally sells for $4.99, has gone free exclusively through Apple's free Apple Store application for the iPhone and iPad (not to be confused with the App Store). The official Apple Store app is a sleek and awesome way to browse thousands of products carried on Apple's online and brick-and-mortar stores. It also offers exclusive deals: not just to Apple Store visitors, but to anyone who has downloaded the software to their device.

Case in point: last week, the gorgeous Rise Alarm Clock went free in the Apple Store software. This week, the app is offering Runtastic Pro free for a limited time. Again, this offer is exclusive to the Apple Store app: Runtastic Pro still costs money if you download it directly from the App Store. With that off my chest, here's how you can redeem your free copy of Runtastic Pro in the Apple Store app...

Best Buy offering $100 iTunes Gift Cards for $85

Best Buy, the Richfield, Minnesota headquartered American multinational consumer electronics retailer, is seemingly offering discounts on Apple products on a weekly basis. To boot your week, the company is now offering $100 iTunes Gift Cards for just $85, representing a saving of fifteen bucks on your software and digital media purchases on iTunes.

These physical cards usually leave Best Buy's warehouse in 1 business day and the retailer is throwing in free shipping to sweeten the deal a bit more...

T-Mobile announces accessory payment plans coming July 20th

As expected, T-Mobile has announced that it plans to begin offering accessories under its equipment installment plan. The program, which initially launched last year, allows customers to  purchase mobile devices [and now accessories] for $0 and small monthly payments spread out over two years.

The plan does not require a downpayment for qualified customers, and applies to all accessories priced between $69 and $250. Customers must be a T-Mobile subscriber, with a Simple Choice plan, and if the service is ever terminated, they'll be required to pay the remaining monthly payments in full...

T-Mobile’s back-to-school due Wednesday with $100 rebate on combined iPhone/iPad purchase

After taking a heat over the accusations by the United States Federal Trade Commission that it placed unauthorized charges on phone bills for years, T-Mobile is back in the news with some positive headlines.

As noted by the TMoNews blog, the Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier will soon start treating its customers to a $100 rebate when buying an iPhone and iPad together, as part of its back-to-school promotion that launches on July 9...

Major Target promo offers gift cards with select iPad, iPhone and iPod touch purchases

American retailing company Target has launched a new sale offering free gift cards with the purchase of an iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and the iPod touch media player. If you're in the market for an iPad Air or iPad mini with Retina display, the retailer will treat you to a $100 gift card.

Furthermore, Apple's latest iPhones are on sale, too, and now come with a $20 gift card. As for the iPod touch, buying a 32-gigabyte version will net you a $30 gift card...

Rayman Fiesta Run goes free for the first time ever, courtesy of Expedia

Back in April, I told you about Expedia's interesting promotion which provides free iOS apps through the official Expedia Hotels & Flights travel app, a free download for the iPhone and iPad.

The company kickstarted the promotion by giving away premium travel apps and now they're giving away Rayman Fiesta Run, Ubisoft's colorful, fast-paced endless runner.

Here's how you can redeem the offer and download the game free from within the Expedia app...

iOS journaling app Day One goes free as Apple’s new Free App of the Week

Day One by Bloom Built is one of the sleekest journaling programs available for iOS and OS X.

This fine piece of software has been named the 2014 Mac Apple Design Award Winner at WWDC last month, was 2012's Mac App of the Year and gets frequently highlighted by the App Store/Mac App Store editors.

Day One keeps your entries in sync via iCloud across platforms and puts back the fun in keeping a journal of your daily highlights, thoughts and memories.

Its rich feature set includes location/weather support, uncluttered interface styled for iOS 7, multi-Markdown text formatting, full screen mode, passcode lock and photographic entries, to name just a few. And now, for the first time in almost a year Day One for iOS has gone temporarily free in celebration of the upcoming Independence Day weekend (regularly a $4.99 download), courtesy of Apple's ongoing Free App of the Week promotion...