By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 08:00 AM EST

Apple Computer early Friday morning kicked-off the 2006 holiday shopping season with its annual "Black Friday" sale, offering significant discounts on Macs, iPods and accessories.

Macs and iPods

As part of this year's sale, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company is offering a $101 discount on all MacBook and iMac models, $31 off its updated fifth-generation video iPods and $21 off its second-generation iPod nanos.

Mac accessories

A handful of Mac accessory discounts include $41.00 off the Apple AirPort Express Base Station, $11.00 off the Apple wireless Mighty Mouse, and $21.95 off Canon's PIXMA mini260 Photo Printer.

iPod accessories

iPod accessory discounts are far more abundant, including $5.00 off the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, $11.00 off the Apple iPod Radio Remote, $21.95 off the Belkin TuneTalk Stereo, and $61.95 off the Sonic Impact VIDEO-55.

Specific iPod car audio deals include $21.95 off Kensington's Digital FM Transmitter/Auto Charger and RDS FM Transmitter/Car Charger, as well as $5.95 off Sony's CPA-9C Car Cassette Adapter.

Apple is also offering $101.95 off Shure's E5C Sound and E500PTH Sound Isolating Earphones, $61.95 off the E4C Sound Isolating Earphones, $41.95 off the E3C Sound Isolating Earphones, $21.95 off the E2C Sound Isolating Earphones, $11.95 off the Sennheiser PX100 Headphones, and $5.00 off the second-generation Apple iPod Earphones.

Over a half dozen iPod cases are part of the sale, including $5.00 off the Apple iPod nano Armband (Grey), $10.95 off iSkin's eVo3 cases, $11.00 off the Nike + Sport Armband, $11.95 off the Incase Sports Case with Armband for iPod nano, $11.95 off the XtremeMac SportWrap for iPod (Black), and $6.95 off Agent 18's VideoShields.


Speakers and Audio

Apple has also knocked $51 off the cost of its iPod Hi-Fi, $31.95 off Logitech's AudioStation Express, $21.95 off JBL's Creature II Speakers, $21.95 off M-Audio's Keystation 49e USB Midi Keyboard and $6.95 off Sony's Personal Speakers SRS-P11Q.

Software

In the software department, Office 2004 for Mac Standard Edition has been knocked down by $41.95, .Mac by $31.95, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 by $21.95 and Parallels Desktop for Mac, The Sims 2, Call of Duty 2 and Sid Meier's Civilization IV each by $11.95,

Notebook cases

Rounding out Friday's sale are discounts on a handful of notebook bags, including $41.95 off the Incase Ripstop Backpack, $21.95 off the Brenthaven Metro Bag, $11.95 off the STM Alley 13" Shoulder Bag, and $5.95 off the Incase Neoprene Sleeve.

Items discounted as part of the 2006 Apple "Black Friday" are available through the company's online store and its national retail chain. The sale ends Friday at midnight.