Amazon.com offers rebates on Apple notebooks and desktops

Does anyone know if Amazon is shipping the new Mac Minis [the ones that we know many Apple retail and online stores are shipping] but not yet formally announced ? Is there a serial number or a P/N scheme that can be used to determine if these are the NEW Mac Minis ?

I don't see a way to upgrade your computer on Amazon. I have to have bluetooth, and I can't find where Apple will sell Airport and Bluetooth seperate from buying the whole computer and upgrading that way.I want to buy from Amazon to avoid the sales tax zing, but I can't find a way to get bluetooth on it without ordering the whole thing from Apple. Any one have a suggestion?

Save an additional $30 with a purchase of a 15' PB at Amazon using their 1.57% A9 search discount. Just search using A9.com using your Amazon login for a few days, it will magically appear!

If you buy through Amazon check that the product (either the Powerbook or iMac) is a current revision and not an older rev. I bought an iPod Mini from Amazon that was less expensive than the Apple online store but ended up that it was not the latest rev of the product... Another good option is to buy from the "Sale" items on the Apple online store. Just look for the red tag on the bottom right of the web site... good deals on refurbs and previous rev product. Just my 2 cent...

Amazon's return policy may be better than Apple's in practice, but I avoided buying from them because I could never get them to explain the details of that policy in theory (specifically, I wanted to know where I would stand with a product whose manufacturer had designated certain flaws as "acceptable," "within spec," etc--as Apple has been known to do). If you e-mail them asking for such an explanation of a vague or contradictory passage in their written policy on returning computers, they simply reply by sending that same passage to you via e-mail. They were also totally unconcerned when I alerted them to a Powerbook/escrow scammer operating through the zShops portion of the site, e-mailing me some pre-written "You can always count on us" nonsense. Fairly infuriating.

I swear by Amzn, I've done tons of rebates with them and bought an ibook with a 150 cash back last year. Everything worked out perfectly. But you do have to read the rebate rules very thoroughly otherwise they can nix it.

Also, keep in mind that Apple offers a $100 rebate on a printer when you buy a computer.

Amazon's return policy is MUCH better than Apple's. I've ordered from both and I can safely say I'll never order anything from Apple ever again.

Caveat Emptor, I bought my iBook through Amazon last January. I am still waiting my $150 rebate.

Yes, the Education Store charges sales tax! At Amazon, if you sign up for an Amazon.com Visa, they'll give you $30 off your first order AND all purchases at Amazon.com earn 3% cash back (1% on non-Amazon purchases). I got the 20" iMac, $150 rebate and about $50 in "cash back"-- way better than the $100 off Educational price, AND avoided the 7% sales tax (worth another $100 or so).