Get a refurbished iPad 3 (16GB) for $379

Yep, that's just $50 more than the smaller, non-Retina iPad Mini. Sellout risk: mammoth.

At $379, the Retina-enhanced iPad 3 is a steal.

(Credit: CBS Interactive )

Mea culpa: In yesterday's post about the free Inpaint program (now expired), I neglected to warn users about the big, blue, fake Download button on Giveaway of the Day's cluttered download page. That's a commonly used adware ploy found on a lot of sites, and I know some people clicked it and got stuck with unwanted toolbars and other junk.

For the record, I did include a direct download link within the post (meaning you needn't have visited GotD at all), but I still feel awful about what happened. It's really important to look before you click, and always a good idea to hover over any link or button before clicking it to see what URL appears. If it's long and/or fishy-looking, it's probably not the download link you're looking for.

Anyone, on to today's deal. While supplies last (and I don't suspect they'll last long), Apple has the refurbished third-generation iPad (16GB) for $379 shipped. Prior to yesterday, it sold new for $499.

You can also get the 32GB model for $469 and the 64GB model for $549. (The 3G-equipped models are on sale, too; check Apple's iPad-specials page for prices.) But for purposes of our discussion, I'm going to focus on the 16GB version.

No doubt you can do the math: That's only $50 more than you'll pay for a 7.9-inch iPad Mini -- you know, the tablet that doesn't have a Retina display. And it's $20 less than the price of a newiPad 2.

Ah, but this is a banged-up old refurb, right? Wrong. As I've mentioned before, Apple refurbs rock. The company gives you a new shell, new battery, and same-as-new one-year warranty. Downsides: zero.

Also, unlike the 4th-gen iPad announced yesterday, which comes with the atrocious Lightning connector, this old "new iPad" is compatible with all your docks and sync cables.

I've long dinged Apple for high iPad prices. At $379, the third-gen iPad is a colossal deal. Grab one while you can, because these will almost certainly sell out -- and soon.

Bonus deal: If you missed that Asus laptop from a couple weeks ago, here's a deal that's pretty close: Today only, Tech Woot has the refurbished Asus X54C-BBK13 15.6-inch laptop for $279.99, plus $5 for shipping. Specs include a 2.2GHz dual-core Intel processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and good old Windows 7. It's covered by a 90-day warranty.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.