Apple Stores are now selling iPad gift cards. Actually, let’s rephrase that – Apple now has the option to package Apple gift cards in a giant piece of cardboard labeled as an “iPad Gift Card” and stamped with a picture of an iPad. The gift card itself is the same one Apple has always offered – sliver with a white Apple logo in the center.

The interesting thing to note is that this means iPads are now able to be purchased with a gift card. In the past, it was required to have a debit or credit card to buy an iPad (as with iPhones), so Apple must have changed their policy.

What I don’t understand, is why anyone would give an iPad gift card instead of an actual iPad. Call me crazy, but if I was gifting an iPad, I’d want to witness the recipient taking it out of the box and using it for the first time. An iPhone gift card makes perfect sense since activation with a carrier is required, but for an iPad? Why?

[iLounge]

Just in time for the holiday season, Apple is now selling iBooks gift cards. They have been spotted at Apple stores, Target stores, and Best Buy stores. These will pair very nicely with iPad gifts.

There was some confusion as to whether iTunes gift cards could be used to buy iBooks since iBooks are not purchasable on a desktop – they must be bought in the iBooks store on an iPad or iPhone. The answer is yes, you can, but this makes it easy for those who are not sure and want to gift a book.

Anyone planning to pick up some iBooks gift cards for your iPad-weilding family and friends? Whose hoping to receive one as a gift?

[iLounge via TUAW]

Want to buy from iTunes but don’t want to use your credit card? No problem. Just head on over to a pharmacy, supermarket, big box, or any of the myriad of places that sell iTunes gift cards, buy one for yourself, and use it to top off your account.

Bonus tip: Costco sometimes has packages for a few dollars off, like $50 worth of cards for $45.

The tip comes by way Ian Ross and Shelby Lee Engels, who shared it with Apple’s iTunes team.

[iTunes News]

From the Forums is a great way to see all of the hot topics in our iPhone and iPad forums. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is a simple process that will only take a few minutes out of your day, so if you have not already already done so, head on over and register now!

• TiPb’s curious — how do you use the iPhone for your job? Participate in this thread for your chance to win a iTunes gift card!

• So the latest carrier rumor is that iPhone will be available on the Sprint network, what are your thoughts on this?

• iPhone HD/iPhone 4G pricing… let us know what you think the price points will be!

• Want to discuss all of the latest jailbreak apps that’s available? Found a new app you’d like to share? This is the place to do it – Jailbreak Apps, Games, and Themes.

See you in the forums!

From the Forums is a great way to see what all of the current hot topics are on the TiPb forums. In order to create any new threads of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is a simple process that will only take a few minutes out of your day, so if you have not already already done so, head on over and register now!

• For your chance to win a $10 iTunes gift card simply post your top 5 most wanted iPad applications in this thread right here. It’s that simple and you have until Sunday to get your post in for your chance to win!

• The iPhone 3G vs iPhone 3GS – what are your thoughts? Was the upgrade worth it for you?

• The iPhone 4.0 software is only a few short months away, feel free to discuss and speculate all you’d like about 4.0 in the following thread: Discuss the iPhone OS 4.0 software here.

• In search of some wallpapers for your soon to be released iPad? If so be sure to visit the thread: iPad Wallpapers Collection. Also feel free to post wallpapers you may have for the new device!

• Lastly for today, if you were creating the next generation of iPhone what is the one hardware feature you’d like to see added?

See you in the forums!

Ok, well Apple is really not selling $200 iTunes gift cards for only $2.60 so keep dreaming. But according to Music Ally Chinese “pirates” have hacked the algorithm that generates the iTunes gift cards and so now fake cards are flooding the market for as low as $2.60 in China. When we say flooding we literally mean flooding the Chinese market:

Apparently six months ago, a $200 card went for around 320 RMB (roughly $47), but the price has since plummeted to around 18 RMB ($2.60) as more sellers pile in.

With the iPhone 3G getting ready to make an appearance in China it should be interesting to see just how Apple responds to this. Apple will more than likely make a quick change to nullify the pirates ability to create these cards but it’s not like you can do away with the ones already in circulation as there is no easy way to decipher a bogus card from one that is legit (unless they have some super secret Apple wonder-ETL and ad-hoc query/number-crunching monster we don’t know about).

[Via Music Ally]