Apple Black Friday Sales Open

Apple's Black Friday sales in the US have kicked off, hot on the heels of the company's international discounts. The "special one-day Apple shopping event" offers an iPad 2 from $458, a $41 saving on the regular price, as well as a MacBook Air from $898 and an iMac from $1,098. You can even save money on iTunes purchases, with a $50 iTunes gift card just $45 for one day only.

If you've wanted a new iPod for a while, Apple has discounts on both the iPod touch and iPod nano. The touch is down to $178, a saving of $21, while the nano is $118, an $11 saving. MacBook Pro buyers can save $101 off a new notebook, with prices from $1,098.

Meanwhile, accessories and peripherals are also discounted in many cases, with both Apple's own products and those of third-party manufacturers getting a Black Friday price cut. The Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and Bluetooth Keyboard are all down to $58, from $69, while there's $21 off a Time Capsule or AirPort Extreme. iPad 2 Smart Covers are down to as little as $28.

Anybody tempted by something shiny with an Apple logo today?