Our friends over at AppDeal have sent over another list of great iPhone App deals.

These deals won’t last forever so check them out.

1. Scorecard for Gold – Was $1.99, now $0.99

Did you ever want something to keep track of all your golf scores? Tired of using a paper and pencil scorecard on the course? Dont like using other electronic scoring devices because they are hard to use, or dont save your rounds?

2. Fitness Builder – Was $19.99, now $9.99

FitnessBuilder is your Ultimate Fitness App. The amazing program combines the features of over 300 other health & fitness apps and provides exercises, workouts, custom sessions, fitness calculators, tracking, logging, weigh-ins and personal trainer support in ONE App.

3. Camera Flash – Was $1.99, now $0.99

Camera Flash adds a software-based camera flash effect to iPhone camera. Unlike a small physical camera flash, Camera Flash app has unlimited effective range; and it does not drain the battery.

For more iPhone App Deals, visit AppDeal.

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Our friends over at AppDeal have sent over another list of some great iPhone Game deals.

These deals won’t last forever so check them out.

1. Star Hogs: Online & Campaign Battles – Was $4.99, now $2.99

Rig up your hogs, strap yourself in, and head out into orbit for the fiercest turn-based battles this side of Uranus. Obliterate the competition with a Cruise Missile or close in for some potshots from your Vulcan gun. Not your style? Don’t worry, you’ve got more than 20 ways to destroy the opposition.

2. AC-130 Spectre: iSniper from above – Was $2.99, now $0.99

2011, a mysterious organization lead frequent attacks against military and civilian facilities on the border of Pakistan and India.
Now it’s your turn to take control over the deadliest weapon in the sky, to restore peace and order.

3. Knights Onrush – Was $4.99, now $0.99

From the makers of iDracula, we bring you Knights Onrush. Knights are now officially Onrush!
Not this time! Let’s show them what we’ve got! Flick them into the air, crash them into ground, blow them up, freeze them, boil them, sacrifice them, anything.

For more iPhone App Deals, visit AppDeal.

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Our friends over at AppDeal.com have sent over a list of iPhone games that have been reduced in price for a limited time.

Check out these games because it’s hard to beat their price: FREE!

1. iMobsters

Start as a petty thief and rise to become the Mafia Don by bringing others into your mob and spreading your influence throughout the city. Fight other mobsters in the most immersive massively multiplayer online game ever!

2. Wild West Pinball

Welcome to Wild West Pinball – world first professional pinball simulator for the iPhone. With fast 3D graphics and realistic physics this game will blow your mind. All parts of pinball table are real objects and you can see how it works! Western style locations and environment gives you a lot of fun.

3. Bowman

The object of the game is to shoot arrows at your opponent and kill them before they kill you. It’s a battle against your opponent to see who can accurately judge the angle and strength of the shot to make the arrow land on your opponents body.

4. Word Scramble by Zynga

Scramble is the fast fun game of finding words in a jumbled grid. Compete with friends and play live with fellow word game fans.

Visit AppDeal.com for daily iPhone App discounts, deals, reviews, contests and more!

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Amazon.com will be carrying a limited edition version of Speakal’s iPig iPod docking speaker system.

The docking station features 25 watts of power, touch volume control, a “Pig” inspired design and an exclusive high gloss black finish.

Speakal CEO David Solomon says “The exclusive availability
on Amazon.com will certainly insure our customers have a pleasant purchasing
experience and we are happy to grant this exclusivity.”

Speakal says the 5 speaker system’s acoustic design enable it to disseminate 360 degree sounds.

Speakal also promises continued environmental focus on their products, designed to have little impact on the environment. The product is listed as GREEN and RoHS.

The unit is selling for $139.99USD.

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Here’s the complete list of the Playstaion Store Update for March 8, 2009.

It’s week four of the “PSN Spring Fever” section of the PlayStation Store, featuring games, trailers, and themes available for download!

Highlights this week include:

Watchmen: The End is Nigh!

Street Fighter Arena Category
In this custom category, we gather all Street Fighter themed items to commemorate the launch of Street Fighter costumes in Home!

Downloadable Games
Watchmen: The End is Nigh ($19.99)
The lines between good and bad have been blurred and crime and terror run rampant in the streets. And now Underboss – in a daring escape – has escaped prison and is ruling with vicious darkness. The city need saviors and only masked vigilantes answer the call. Play the demo and experience Watchmen’s unlawful brand of justice as Nite Owl and Rorschach team up to brutally take down the ruthless gangs and street thugs.
ESRB Rated M
File size: 1.23 GB

Add-on Game Content
High Velocity Bowling – Bruce ($0.99)
It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Bruce “Flyboy” Fitzpatrick to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Bruce is a real flyboy and world traveler. His ball control is fabulous, but he has to avoid heavy balls to protect his manicure. Download includes Bruce’s special Round the World ball, plus the new Fabulous Airways lane.
File size: 51 MB

High Velocity Bowling – Carmen ($0.99)
It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Carmen “Sordida” Sanchez to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Carmen is a homegirl from Cali with a chip on her shoulder and much to prove. But she only bowls barefoot, so her form leaves something to be desired. Download includes Carmen’s special Pink Butterfly ball, plus the festivous new Avenida de Bowlarama lane.
File size: 57 MB

Burnout Paradise
Burnout Paradise: Toy Car Collection ($12.99)
Want all the Toys? Want amazing value? This is the collection for you!
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Car Pack 1 ($5.99)
See some of your favorite Burnout Paradise cars as you’ve never imagined them. 4 of the fan favorites in Toy form.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Car Pack 2 ($5.99)
Another 4 of the fan favorites come to you in Toy form.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Cavalry ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Hunter Cavalry.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Citizen ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Hunter Citizen
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Nakamura Firehawk ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Nakamura Firehawk Bike.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Carson GT Concept ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Carson GT Concept.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Carson Inferno Van ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Carson Inferno Van.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Takedown 4X4 ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Hunter Takedown 4×4.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Hunter Manhattan ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Hunter Manhattan.

Burnout Paradise: Toy Jansen P12 ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Jansen P12.
File size: 100 KB

Burnout Paradise: Toy Krieger WTR ($1.99)
Introducing the Toy Krieger WTR.
File size: 100 KB

NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM Pack 10 (free)
Download Storm Pack 10 and unleash the legendary Sound Ninja Sakon as your support character in battle. The Storm Pack 10 also contains new Ultimate Mission to engage!
File size: 100 KB

Prince of Persia: Epilogue ($9.99)
New Region: The Underground Palace
New Power: Energize
New Attack: Sprinting Clash
New Unlockable Skins
File size: 518 MB

Skate 2 Throwback Pack (free)
Unlock the retro gear and celebrate the past with some short shorts, knee high socks, tie dyed shirts and crazy sunglasses. While you’re at it, play some air guitar and throw out the peace signs with our classic gestures.
File size: 3.58 MB

Street Fighter IV Shoryuken Pack ($3.99)
Street Fighter IV alternate costume pack.
File size: 118 KB

Rock Band
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

“New” – No Doubt ($1.99)
“Dirty Pool” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“I’m Cryin’” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Lenny” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Love Struck Baby” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Pride and Joy” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Rude Mood” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Tell Me” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Testify” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
“Texas Flood” – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble ($1.99)
Texas Flood (Album) – Stevie Ray Vaughan ($15.99) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: Texas Flood (Album) – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Some tracks in this album are instrument-only and cannot be played by vocalists. Please make sure you have the latest Rock Band update.
File sizes: 17 MB – 40 MB (singles), 241 MB (album)

Guitar Hero World Tour
For all song credits please visit www.guitarhero.com.

“Break It Out” by Vanilla Sky ($1.99)
“C’est Comme Ca – Les Rita Mitsouko ($1.99)
“In the Shadows” by The Rasmus ($1.99)
European Track Pack 03 ($5.49) – Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring “Break It Out” by Vanilla Sky, “In the Shadows” by The Rasmus, and “C’est Comme Ca” by Les Rita Mitsouko. Please Note: Many songs are available both as singles and as part of a Track Pack, so please carefully consider your purchases before downloading.
File sizes: 39 MB – 42 MB (singles), 135 MB (track pack)

Game Demos (free)
Watchmen: The End is Nigh Demo
The lines between good and bad have been blurred and crime and terror run rampant in the streets. And now Underboss – in a daring escape – has escaped prison and is ruling with vicious darkness. The city need saviors and only masked vigilantes answer the call. Play the demo and experience Watchmen’s unlawful brand of justice as Nite Owl and Rorschach team up to brutally take down the ruthless gangs and street thugs.
ESRB Rated M
File size: 1.23 GB

Wanted: Weapons of Fate Demo
For centuries, a secret fraternity of assassins has brutally executed kill orders dictated by the Loom of Fate. Your destiny is to become their ultimate weapon. Kicking into action where the hit film, WANTED, left off, you are Wesley Gibson – an uber assassin and heir to a legacy of power, hunted by a renegade faction of The Fraternity. Master and arsenal of deadly skills to protect the secrets of your killer coalition … or blow them all away!
ESRB Rated M
File size: 815 MB

Age of Booty Trial Version
Fight for pirate supremacy in this game of strategy and cannon-blasting action that’s fun for all ages. Sail the high seas alone or with friends as you build your pirate empire by plundering villages, sinking ships, and sending your enemies to the briny deep! Upgrade your ships with new, more powerful weapons, and explore 25 different maps or create your own to share. Download the multi-player, online demo today!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 45 MB

Game Videos (free)
Midnight Club Los Angeles: South Central Trailer
File size: 44 MB (HD)

Watchmen: The End is Nigh Rorschach
File size: 12 MB (SD)

Watchmen: The End is Nigh Nite Owl
File size: 12MB (SD)

Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection Trailer
File size: 37 MB (HD)

Tom Clancy’s HAWX PS3/YouTube Upload Video
File size: 57 MB (HD)

Tom Clany’s HAWX Gameplay Video
File size: 63 MB (HD) 83 MB (1080)

TV, Movie, and Blu-ray Trailers (free)
Watchmen: Sets & Sensibility
File size: 181 MB (HD) 302 MB (1080)

Watchmen: Minutemen
File size: 120 MB (HD), 199 MB (1080)

Watchmen: Dressed for Success
File size: 164 MB (HD), 273 MB (1080)

Watchmen: Attention to Detail
File size: 123 MB (HD), 205 MB (1080)

Breaking Bad Webisodes (x 5)
File size: 803 MB (HD)

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li Trailer
File size: 15 MB (SD) 56 MB (HD) 73 MB (1080)

PS3 Themes
MLB 09 The Show MLB Theme (free)
File size: 1.62 MB

MLB 09 The Show Team Themes (x5) (Orioles, Pirates, Padres, Mariners and Nationals) (free)
File Sizes: 1.65 MB – 1.70 MB

Bunnies Pinups ($0.99)
File size: 5.13 MB

PlayStation Store for PSP
Downloadable Games
* Killzone: Liberation($15.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
The Helghast Return!
As the fate of the planet hangs in the balance, one soldier is sent on an impossible mission.
- 16 intense single player missions
- New Weapons and Vehicles – drive an ISA hovercraft and Helghast tank
- Ad Hoc Mode features, including two-player coop Campaign mode, six-player Multiplayer battles, and Game Sharing
ESRB Rated M
File size: 510 MB

Game Videos (free)
* Winter Dew Tour Videos (x8) (also available from PS3 storefront)
File sizes: 11 MB – 25 MB

PSP Themes
* MLB 09 The Show MLB Theme (also available from PS3 storefront) (free)
File size: 543 KB

* MLB 09 The Show Team Themes (x5) (Orioles, Pirates, Padres, Mariners and Nationals) (also available from PS3 storefront) (free)
File Sizes: 509 KB – 542 KB

* Bunnies Pinups (x2) (also available from PS3 storefront) ($0.99 each)
File Size: 344 KB – 345 KB

* Metal Battalion Maidens (x3) (also available from PS3 storefront) ($0.99 each)
File size: 576 KB – 634 KB

PSP Wallpaper (free)
* Killzone Liberation Wallpapers (x6) (also available from PS3 storefront)
File size: 89 KB – 160 KB

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JBL Duet II Speakers

We took a look at the impressive JBL Duet II at Macworld 2009 in January and are happy to announce that you can finally get them for yourself.

The Duets are desktop speaker systems for a computer, laptop, MP3 player or anything that uses a 3.5mm audio jack. The speakers feature convenient volume and power controls, a small footprint and great sound.

The Duet II feature: Phoenix SE Driver Technology, 6 Watts per satellite speaker, 80Hz-20kHz frequency response and cost $99.95.

The Duet III feature: Warrior Driver Technology, 10 Watts per satellite speaker, 70Hz-20kHz frequency response and cost $149.95.

The speakers are currently available at Amazon and will be at other retailers soon.

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CNBC is reporting that Steve Jobs is taking a leave of absence from Apple until June, citing health reasons.

Rumors of Jobs’ ailing health have been in an upheaval since the announcement that he would not deliver the annual Keynote address at MacWorld conference and expo this past January 5th, as he had done since returning to the company in 1997.

In 2004, Steve was treated for a rare case of pancreatic cancer.

Story is still developing.

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As we wait for Phil Schiller to get on stage and deliver what will be the last MacWorld keynote from Apple, you can get live updates from:

Macrumors
Engadget
GDGT

You can also follow me on Twitter with live updates @daniellevine

Apple is expected to update a range of products at this last MacWorld, including iWork, Mac Mini, iMac and possibly more.

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As I finish packing my bags for my holiday vacation to Florida, for which I leave tomorrow, I am happy knowing that this year will be the first in which I don’t miss any precious Toronto Maple Leafs’ games.

Packed in my suitcase alongside my clothes is my brand new Sling Catcher from Sling Media. Working with my Sling Solo device, the Sling Catcher will connect to the TV in my Florida Condo (or hotel) and let me watch and control my cable box from my bedroom in Toronto, over the internet.

Priced at $379.99 CDN and available since October, the Sling Catcher is a great idea this holiday season. In order to watch your cable box anywhere in the world, you will also require a Sling Solo ($209.99 @ BestBuy) or PRO-HD ($379.99), these devices link up to your cable box and internet connection and send your cable or satellite signal over the web. While you can watch these feeds from any computer with a high-speed internet connection, the Sling Catcher bridges the gap between the computer and the TV, allowing you to watch the signal on any TV, anywhere in the world.

The Sling Catcher also allows you to watch any media from a plugged in USB hard drive or USB Stick, computer, or websites like Hulu.com (only in the U.S.) and YouTube.com.

The Slingbox PRO-HD is capable of streaming high definition (HD) content from satellite, cable or DVRs from your home to anywhere in the world with a high-speed internet connection.

More info on the devices can be found here: http://ca.slingmedia.com/go/buy

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Seemingly inspired by a PVC tube corner-connector, LaCie’s latest diversion from the world of hard-drive comes in speaker form. Design by Neil Poulton out of France, the LaCie USB Speakers are a modern, lightweight and welcomed addition to the realm of desktop speakers.

The $59.99 (USD) speakers are completely plug and play for both PC and Mac, requiring no drivers. They work over USB which means no need for a power adaptor (they’re bus-powered).

The last time I was impressed by the design of a set of desktop speakers was the harman/kardon Soundsticks (they went great with my iMac G4). Since I stopped using those a few years ago, I haven’t actually used a pair of desktop speakers.

The minimalistic and modern design of the LaCie USB speakers make them an easy addition to any design conscious user. They look great next to a white MacBook or a current generation aluminum MacBook or MacBook Pro.

If there’s one complaint for Apple’s line of notebooks it’s their horrendously low speaker internal speaker volume. When I use my laptop at my desk, the $59.99 the LaCie speakers are an affordable and appreciated addition.

The sound volume of the speakers is considerably good for an office or working space, but don’t expect to wake the neighbours with them. As an audiophile, you may notice some deficiencies on the lows but considering their small physical footprint and overall great quality, this isn’t a huge issue.

While intuitively designed to hide cables and even allow the input of an iPod or other audio device (through a 3.5mm jack), the speakers give no ability for volume control, or volume level feedback on the unit themselves. The audio input has been great, allowing me to connect both my desktop (through the 3.5mm jack) and my laptop (through the USB) to the speakers and use them for both computers while at my desk.

Being USB powered has its obvious costs/benefits. On the plus, the direct digital USB connection provides for a better quality signal to the speakers, while at the same time it means sacrificing an important USB port.

The setup is extremely simple and completely plug and play. Just take the speakers out of the box and insert the USB. You’re ready to go. If for some reason they don’t start to work, just launch System Preferences (or Control Panel on a PC), go to your sound preferences and select the USB Audio Device as your sound output.

These speakers are a great addition and have earned a permanent spot on my desk. There are no alarming trade-offs between form and function, and the apparent focus on both has created a great product at a great price.

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As a techie, it’s often hard enough for me suspend my disbelief when certain pieces of technology show up in movies. Maybe Wikipedia really is the ultimate resource for information, so much so that even the “resident geek” in a movie no longer needs to hack into complex databases to retrieve important information. Just look it up in Wikipedia.

As I finished an (exceptionally good) episode of Dexter, I let the tube play on and take me into the adventure that was National Treasure: Book of Secrets (sequel to the riveting Nick Cage movie of similar name from ’04).

Take a look below at the screen capture. What you see is a picture of a computer screen that Riley Poole (Cage’s computer geek extraordinaire) was using to find information on Queen Victoria.

Look familiar? Riley utilized his computer mastery to delve onto Wikipedia and give Cage some important dates. First, the date Prince Consort died in 1861, and finally the key to unlock the mystical code, 1876, the date Victoria became the first Empress of India.

In all its shamelessness, screen grab in hand, producers still attempted to fool any savvy proletariat by inverting the screen colours and changing the Wikipedia logo to that of “FindOnline”.

Maybe I’m going overboard with this segment of “what really grinds my gears” but it really makes it hard to enjoy a movie when one minute the key researcher is finding invaluable information on “Wikipedia” and the next second hacking into security systems and setting off fire alarms.

I guess what it comes down to is if you’re going to rip-off Wikipedia, either give it a credit or make it harder for me to realize. Maybe I’m bored, but that just bothered me.

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Ultimate Band, a Guitar Hero like – minus the peripherals – game for the Wii will be released November 25th. Instead of guitars and drums, gamers will use the Wii Remote and Nunchuck in an “air band” style gameplay.

One of the best thing about this release? Possibly the price-tag.MSRP is $29.99 for Nintendo DS and $49.99 for Wii.

Just released is a song list for both the Wii and DS versions of the game.

Wii Song List
· Girls Not Grey
· Complicated
· Hanging on the Telephone
· Song 2
· I Want You To Want Me
· All Right Now
· Anna Molly
· Club Foot
· Won’t Go Home Without You
· Dashboard
· Helena
· Get the Party Started
· Crushcrushcrush
· Just
· Stumble and Fall
· When Did Your Heart Go Missing?
· In Too Deep
· Unconditional
· Somebody Told Me
· Always Where I Need to Be
· Debaser
· Fell in Love With a Girl
· Break on Through
· Beverly Hills
· Move Along
· Rock Lobster
· First Date
· Whip It
· Take Over the Break is Over
· Hold On
· Our Time Now
· Just What I Needed
· All Day and All of the Night
· Steady As She Goes
· My Generation

DS Song List
· Move Along
· Rock Lobster
· First Date
· Whip It
· Take Over the Break is Over
· Hold On
· Our Time Now
· Just What I Needed
· All Day and All of the Night
· Steady As She Goes
· My Generation
· All Star
· Call Me
· Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
· 9 in the Afternoon

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The dock pack by Scandyna is supposed to be a sleek, modern take on the iPod Dock, but is instead clunky, awkward and a mess of wires.

The dock pack consist of three components: two speakers and the actual dock itself. The two speakers are round, about the size of a grapefruit, and stand on three small plastic legs. The small dock component of the system stands alone, and the pack comes with 6 changeable dock shapes, so that every kind of iPod can be used with the dock. This is probably the strongest feature of the product, and comes in handy when hosting a party and you want to mix up the music by using your friend’s iPod.

While your hopes are set high after seeing the stylish package and unique design, the dock pack falls incredibly short. The instruction booklet is very brief and doesn’t actually tell you how to connect the three sets of wires that come with the dock pack. Luckily my sister was around and knew what to do because she had set up a iPod dock before, but otherwise I would have has no clue what to do.

When it came to actually setting the dock up, it was difficult to distinguish how to connect the wires to the dock. There were blue and red wires, and blue and red sockets to connect them to, but it was hard to decide where exactly to place the wires. Again, my sister, who had set up a dock before, could figure it out eventually, but even she had a hard time making the wires connect to the system. When I tried to start playing music, I had to move the wires around a bit to actually establish a connection between the speakers and the iPod.

I set the dock pack up on a table in my room, and there were wires and cords everywhere. Again, this is fine, but the whole point of the dock pack, to my understanding, is to be less clunky and awkward than a typical dock. While the dock pack may take up less space and allow for the increased mobility of the speakers, the extra cords and wires make it ugly and inconvenient. The actual sound coming from the speakers was fine, but nothing exceptional.

Another problem with the dock pack: the remote control that comes with the device didn’t work. It came with a battery and everything, but wasn’t working with the dock. Again, there was nothing in the instruction booklet that outlined how to activate the remote.

Overall, the dock pack was a disappointing experience. The packaging shows the dock and is intriguing, but in reality the device doesn’t live up to expectations. If you are looking to buy a dock, I would recommend looking into a more traditional model, as this new wave of docks are more trouble than they’re worth.

2 out of 5 stars

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Technology, it seems, is in a constant state of transition and it’s often hard to stay current. Last year’s hi-definition disc battle illustrated just how quickly a format can descend into obsolescence.

One format that has long since gone the way of the dinosaur is VHS. The tape which claimed victory over Sony’s Betamax in the format war of the 1980’s was a staple of almost every household. After being effectively killed off by DVD’s, VHS found itself in an awkward afterlife. Electronics retailers continued to sell VCR’s, but with no new content released on tape, the concept was dead in the water.

The only reason to keep a VCR in the house was to watch old videos and home recordings. In this world of digital transference, that logic equates to a bunch of wasted space. 

Enter the Pinnacle Video Capture Suite for Mac, a brilliantly simplistic way of turning analog content into digital video files.

There are dozens of video capture options on the PC, but the Mac has been left out in recent years. This is partially due to Apple’s lack of user-swappable video cards. On a PC, users can install their own video cards with video-capture ability. Apple’s closed system restricts this freedom in favour of aesthetic purity.

Pinnacle’s steak-shaped product requires two connections: one to your Mac’s USB port, and the other to your VCR via a composite or S-Video input. The video connection cables are not included with the unit, but most VCR’s do come with them.

Once these connections have been made, Pinnacle’s OSX application launches and begins the capturing process. It’s simple: press play on the VCR, hit the red button and the digitization begins. Video capturing is normally a resource hog, bogging down your system’s processing power and RAM usage. Pinnacle’s product features a built-in MPEG-4 encoder for all the grunt work, meaning your Mac won’t break a sweat during the import. The MPEG-4 codec is also compatible with iPhone, iPod, and Apple TV right out of the box. I was astonished to see how effective this process worked.

Pinnacle doesn’t include any video editing software but who needs it? Apple’s built-in iLife suite happily accepts the MPEG-4 format and allows for complete flexibility of the encoded file. I was able to import some old home movies with the Pinnacle, edit them in iMovie and later burn them in iDVD. Pinnacle’s product fits perfectly into the Apple ecosystem of simplicity and flexibility.

DVD discs remain the format of choice for newly-released video, but their extinction is already foreseeable. I predict the future of video to be 100 per cent digital, a concept exhibited by Apple TV and the XBOX 360’s Video Store. Some prefer physically owning their content, a tangible manner of ownership, but in this green-obsessed world, the elimination of all physical packaging is unavoidable and understandable. As hard drives get bigger and cheaper, they’ll become the medium of choice for media storage.

Pinnacle, it seems, agrees with this logic. By jumping straight from the archaic VHS format to the digital MPEG-4 format, the Video Capture for Mac effectively skips a stage of obsolescence.
The Pinnacle Video Capture for Mac is available for $99 USD, a small price to pay for the elimination of that clunky VHS collection.

Pros-

Brilliantly easy to use

Converts to flexible and compatible MP4 format

Doesn’t hog system resources

Cons-

Doesn’t include video/audio cables

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Product: Cargo Mambo Combo
Company: SFBags
Price: $209-$289 (Depending on size and configuration)
URL: www.sfbags.com

When you invest over $2000 in a piece of technology, one of the most important accessories is the one you’ll use to carry it around. When I got my MacBook Pro, the first thing I did was throw it in a sleeve; the next thing was throw out my old bag and search for a new one. The choice was broad, ranging from full-size back packs to business carry-alls to small sleeves with few pockets. One of the brightest stars of the bunch came from Mambo Cargo by WaterField Designs.

The Cargo Mambo Combo came well equipped. The Combo featured the Cargo Sleeve Bag, a Laptop Sleeve, Shoulder Strap and accessory pouch.

The Bag

The Mambo bag was immediately impressive, taking quite some time to find every little pocket. One thing most bag makers seem to forget is the importance of pockets. The Mambo is a really great example of a bag that utilizes its real-estate to provide exceptionally useful storage space, without compromising the overall look. The Mambo uses its flap, front-side, body, backside and one of the sides for storage. Many of the pockets have extra organizers in them for such things as business cards, pens and pencils and media devices. It was really refreshing to see the attention to detail put into this product. Whether it’s the unique clipping strap on the front of the flap, the way the shoulder strap is easily stored on the side of the bag, or the protective lips on the top of the main storage compartment, this bag shows-off quality and detail at every corner.

When you first look at this bag, you may be surprised to realize that unbuckling and lifting the front flap does not reveal the main storage compartment. Instead, the main storage pocket is always accessible from a zipper on the top of the bag. While this certainly represents an interesting paradigm shift in the design of carrier bags, this is certainly an improvement I was quite happy with. This makes accessing your most important stuff extremely easy, while maintaining a traditional look.

The actual design of the bag is interesting as well. The unit I had a Silver-Black design on the front, as well as on the computer sleeve. While I generally like the design, I did get mixed reviews from people. While some really liked modern and somewhat flashy look, others felt it was a bit too flashy. If you don’t want to stand out much, this bag may not be for you.

The overall build of the bag is extremely impressive. The Cargo Mambo screams quality. Everything form the material used to the zippers and inside compartments. The only thing lacking inside the main compartment is more padding for laptop protection. While the sleeve is great, it is optional and I would not recommend using this bag for your laptop without some additional protection, whether it be the Mambo Sleeve or an alternate choice.

The Accessories

The Cargo Mambo Combo comes with some great additions. The padding for the shoulder strap makes using the bag much more comfortable and much more usable, while the well thought-out computer sleeve gives your notebook the added protection lacking in the bag itself.