Well, if we have learned anything from the past it is that cases can predict the future fairly well.

Recently,a company called XSKN has put up a link on it’s website for an iPhone Nano case. The arrival of this case may be a simple mistake or serious leak. Rumors of a cheaper iPhone have been circulating for awhile now. As sketchy as all of this may seem, the app store is a serious market for Apple and a lower cost iPhone could drive profits upwards. As of now, the details are sketchy but semi-reliable sources state that the Nano version would lack 3G support.

You can find the full story at: BrightHand.com

I have been constantly switching back and forth between Xtorrent and Transmission for the last year. Sadly, I have never being satisfied with either one. But now I have a new choice.

Introducing µTorrent for OS X.

I am very glad µTorrent has finally made its way to OS X. I have always been a big fan of minimalization. Large applications that do relatively simple things tend to bug me. µTorrent’s 1.3MBs are very appropriate for a torrent client. The developers behind the OS X version made a great choice when they decided to re-build instead of simply porting the existing version. The OS X version has all the great features of the it’s Windows counterpart yet still is a completely different app.

Whether you did or didn’t like µTorrent for windows, I suggest you give this one a look. µTorrent for OS X

Two weeks ago I brought you “Mac Storage Solutions“; An article that analyzed and reviewed 5 different external drive options for Macs. Capacity and features isn’t everything though, most Apple users prefer a product with style if given the opportunity. So today I bring you the 3 most stylish external drives.

1. G-Raid Mini by G-Tech – The G-Raid mini is a 100% portable, bus powered, raid solution with capacities up to 640GBs. Firewire 400, 800, and USB 2.0 interfaces. The Mac Pro inspired design makes the aluminum enclosure incredibly stylish.
2. My Passport Studio by Western Digital – The My Passport Studio offers up 500GBs of incredibly low-profile storage. The minimalistic design will make sure this drive fits in no matter where you take it. Firewire 400, 800, and USB 2.0 interfaces.
3. Lacie Hard Disk by Lacie (Design by Neil Poulton) – The Lacie Hard Disk by Neil Poulton is, in my humble opinion, one of the better designed products to hit the market. Although the design is very simple, it is simple in a very good way. eSATA, FireWire 400 & Hi-Speed USB 2.0

So, if your looking to pick yourself up a little holiday gift this season, why not think about grabbing a little extra storage. You never can have enough.

The world is full of portable pocket sized speaker systems, sadly though, they all sound like they are made out of paper and tinfoil. I have some good news though, if you are willing to fork over some serious green, you can get a portable speaker system you are proud to own.

The soundmatters foxL is the world’s first pocket-sized portable stereo speaker system that good enough for an audio purist, bringing the power of a stereo system to the palm of the hand. Bluetooth support makes it a true traveler as well.

Features:

• 5 hours of batter life / Recharge via USB or AC adapter
• 4 High efficiency digital amplifiers
• 4W of output (8W when plugged into AC adapter)
• 8 Octave bandwidth
• 95db Max output
• Standard 3.5mm jack allows for easy connectivity to your iPod or MacBook/Pro
• Bluetooth allows for wireless music streaming from your Laptop, Desktop, or Phone

If you are looking for more details I suggest you check out the Sound and Vision mag review of the foxL

Although Apple claims they can only support 4GB max, those shiny new MacBook and MacBook Pros can support up to 6GBs of DDR3 memory. For the casual user, installing a 4GB and 2GB module in your MacBook or MacBook Pro may seem like a bit of overkill. Especially with a $600 price tag. But if you are looking for shear performance on the go, its good to know you can always add another 2GBs. Keep in mind though, that as of now, 6GBs is the absolute limit. 8GBs apparently gives the system issues.

The recent seed of OS X 10.6 (Build:10A222) to developers has brought about rumors. Rumors of PowerPC support being an optional install instead of being systematically bundled with the OS. This news along with rumors that Snow Leopard may only run on Intel machines is making me and my G4 nervous.

However, most common apps have already become Universal Binaries, which means that they are able to run natively on both PPC and Intel machines. So, even though the last PowerPC machine shipped from Apple less then three years ago, PowerPC users may be quite upset when they find out that their PowerMac G5′s and PowerBook G4′s will not be able to take advantage of the new OS from Apple.

As of lately I have started keeping a closer eye on my money. Being able to organize and track my expenses has actually started saving me money. Now, it may not sound like the most exciting thing to do, but if you are looking to grab a hold of your finances by the horns, here are three little apps to help you out.

1. iCompta 3.0 – iCompta is a freeware app that has support for multiple accounts, graphing, budgeting, and sorting/filtering. Ease of use and $0 price tag make iCompta a great choice
2. Fortora Fresh Finance – Fresh Finance is a slightly more sophisticated app. It can handle a bit more information and is better suited for complex spending habits. Credit card monitoring, loan monitoring and upcoming paymernt alerts are a few nice features.
3. Money 3.2 – Money is by far the most appealing and easiest to use. $40 is a bit high but if you are looking to seriusly monitor and manage your finances from your mac, Money is the way to go. Budget planning, expense reports, and portfolio summaries are just a few of the great features Money has to offer.

Give ‘em a try. You may be surprised with how much good they can do for you and your budget!

The Google Earth Plug-in and its JavaScript API let you embed Google Earth, a true 3D digital globe, into your web pages. Using the API you can draw markers and lines, drape images over the terrain, add 3D models, or load KML files, allowing you to build sophisticated 3D map applications. If you have an existing Maps API site, you can 3D-enable your page with as little as one line of code.

Today, we’re excited to announce the release of the Google Earth Browser Plugin for Mac OS X 10.4+ (PowerPC and Intel). The Mac plugin is supported on Safari 3.1+ and Firefox 3.0+.

Download here: Google Earth API

Full Story here: Google Geo Developers Blog

When Apple introduced the PowerBook  “Pismo” with a 500MHz G3 in 2001 (Thats like 8 years ago), the laptop impressed many people. However, the high price tag of $3495 turned many off. Today though, the computer is more popular then ever and people are finally taking advantage of it’s great features.

• When introduced, the 500MHz PowerBook came with a nifty little function. This model came with a swappable drive bay that allowed you to remove the standard DVD drive and replace it with an additional battery. This dual battery set up provides up to ten hours of continuous run time!
• Other features include: Dual Firewire 400 ports, a 14.1″  display, support for up to 1GB RAM, and support for Apple’s Airport technology

If you are looking for a portable solution with amazing style, and decent price tag, you may want to look into investing in one. Today you can by them with upgraded DVD burners and 250GB HDs for around $400.

They pack enough power for doing common stuff like web surfing, blogging, and watching DVDs without a hitch.

Owning a Macbook Pro probably means you do a lot of work on the go, or at least you want to appear like you do alot of work on the go. Nevertheless, here are three Expresscards that will increase the productivity and usability of your MacBook Pro.

• Lexar 16GB Expresscard:Not only is this a good way to increase your internal storage, it is also a great way to keep and transport secure files that you don’t want to leave on your laptop all the time. cost:$58
• 21IN1 Multimedia Reader/writer with SDHC support:Apple’s decision to exclude a built in card reader is an unpopular one, but easily remedied. For $27 you can pick up this card reader and forget the problem ever existed.
• 2 Port eSATA Expresscard:The lack of an eSATA port on your MBP is nothing to get down about. This $40 Expresscard adds 2, 3Gbp/s eSATA ports to your MacBook Pro in just seconds. A must for people dealing with frequent and large file transfers.

If I could convince you to get only one, I would recommend the SSD Expresscard. The ability to keep secure backups of all your data on a removable internal card is feature worth forking over some cash.

By the way, these all make great gifts for people who own a MacBook Pro. They will be more then impressed when they open your gift to find something incredibly thoughtful, and useful.