Macworld 2008

The Macalope knows the MacBook Air isn't perfect, but the amount of silly punditry it's attracting is seriously out of control.

First, did you know that the MacBook Air Lacks Features, Analysts Say (tip o' the antlers to the Rat Boy)?

It's true! And, according to squirrels, it lacks delicious nuts!

Well, pardon the Macalope for saying so, but dur-hey. He'd have to scroll through keynote again, but he's pretty sure that you don't need analysts to tell you that it "lacks features" because Steve Jobs actually said so. That "lack of features" is (Read more)

(Credit: iFrogz)

Why buy a protective skin and a set of speakers for your iPod Nano when the iFrogz Audiowrapz lets you kill two birds with one stone? Well, for one, a separate set of speakers would probably sound much better, but that's beside the point: The Audiowrapz protects your player while offering the added bonus of three external speakers in one very compact package. No denying it's a little gimmicky, but also kinda cool. The case itself adds some length to the third-gen Nano, but isn't bad looking. In fact, I think the overall look is (Read more)

(Credit: Macally)

In the ever-saturated market of iPod speaker docks, distinguishing oneself from the crowd is important for the bottom line. Macally attempts this with its new FlexTune stereo speakers by including dual iPod connections: one in the standard position in the bottom of the central docking area, and one sticking out of the right wall of the cradle. This second option allows for an iPhone or iPod Touch to be docked sideways for wide-screen video viewing. It's actually a great idea for sharing since the FlexTune outputs sound to the speakers and the iPhone and Touch already offer (Read more)

(Credit: CNET Networks)

With Macworld in full swing, throngs of people are flooding the streets of San Francisco to check out the latest offerings from Apple and all the other vendors exhibiting their wares at the expo. But some Mac-related stuff is only indirectly related to what's happening on the showroom floor or how thin the new MacBook Air is.

One thing I've noticed as a Mac software editor is how, when Apple has its biggest show of the year, the majority of Mac software developers figure it is the best time to release an update for their (Read more)

(Credit: ezGear)

Um...I'm pretty sure this thing is as long as I am tall. Wow. The press release for the ezGear XL90 Sound Bar doesn't include any information on the unit's measurements (nor does the product page, for that matter), but comparing it to the iPod that's docked into it in the picture, I think it's safe to say that this speaker is at least nine iPods wide. OK, so that's only about 22 inches--shorter than me, to be sure--but it's still really long compared to any other iPod speaker dock that (Read more)

(Credit: manilamac.com)

In the "why didn't I think of that" category, an enterprising couple of media types (Web designer Jona Bechtolt and freelance science writer Claire L. Evans) were so knocked out by the Steve Jobs Macworld keynote that they decided to create and market a laptop case for the new MacBook Air--based on the simple manila office envelope Jobs pulled his new laptop out of on stage.

The AirMail is little more than a simple Web site and a prototype photo right now, but the designers promise to start shipping the handmade bags in about two (Read more)

(Credit: DLO)

(Credit: DLO)

Among the cooler products coming out of Macworld 2008 is DLO's iBoom Jukebox, an iPod-ready speaker dock expected to ship this spring. Style-wise, this unit certainly lives up to its name: It's shaped like a mini jukebox. It's a fun design, though the iBoom isn't all about form over function. Hidden beneath the grille wrapped over the speaker's arch, you get two 1-inch tweeters and two 3-inch woofers. The unit also includes a super sweet-looking RF remote that can be used from up to 100 feet away (even through walls) and (Read more)

(Credit: XtremeMac)

Not content with the generally good marks it received for its first-gen Luna iPod clock radio, XtremeMac is back with the Luna X2. Boasting two separately programmable iPod alarms and a slew of customizable options such as volume control and play duration, the X2 can tailor to almost any specific wake-up preference. Also included in the package is an eight preset AM/FM tuner, remote, an adjustable brightness LCD display, and an auxiliary port for connecting other audio devices. The X2 is compatible with all of the new iPods including every previous model with a dock connector. The

If you want to look at how the personalities of Apple's two co-founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, differ, perhaps one way would be to measure their responses when asked to pose for pictures.

Let's start with Woz. Though he claims to have been acutely shy in his early life, these days Woz is a social butterfly. He shows up at tech event after tech event in Silicon Valley, such as the 30th anniversary of Apple, or the 25th anniversary of the Commodore 64, and is almost eager to glad-hand anyone who comes by. Want a picture of (Read more)

DLO HomeDock HD: The HDMI output upscales iPod videos to (sorta kinda) HD resolution

(Credit: DLO)

The iPod accessories are hitting hot and heavy at Macworld. DLO has used the occasion to take the wraps off its HomeDock HD. As you might guess from the name, the latest iteration of DLO's HomeDock Deluxe now offers upscaled HD video output (720p or 1080i) from an HDMI port built into the dock. (For those that still haven't made the leap to HDTV, it'll still connect to standard televisions via the composite or S-Video jacks.) In addition to playing back