Incase has just updated a couple of their accessory lines just in time for the upcoming Spring season.  First up is the Metallic Monochrome Slider Case, which has been refreshed in a bunch of bright, Spring hues.  Available in Metallic Blue Sea, Metallic Purple, and Metallic Silver, each case features a two-tone combination of metallic and matte colors as well as Incase’s signature all over soft-touch coating.  Inside, rubber guardrails provide shock absorption as well as impact and scratch protection for you iPhone 3G/3Gs or iPod Touch.  They’ll be available in physical retail locations soon, but right now you can pick them up in either the Apple or Incase webstores for $34.95.

While primarily known for their various MacBook and iPod/iPhone cases, Incase is no slouch when it comes to bags either.  They’ve also decided to refresh their Courier Collection with some new styles that will keep your gear protected as you traverse the urban jungle during your daily commute.  The Messenger Backpack ($149.95), which joins the collection’s Messenger Bag and Skate Messenger Bag and is the highlight of the collection, is constructed of custom weather resistant 1680D nylon and has a wide-mouth top closure for easy access, a side access faux-fur lined notebook compartment to keep your laptop cozy, and multiple pockets to stay organized.There’s also a bevy of adjustable straps to provide increased comfort and support while reflective hits make sure you’re seen even in the blackest of nights  In addition there’s a new iPhone Pouch ($29.95) that will keep your device even more protected and a lightweight Vertical Messenger Hip Pack ($49.95) good enough for holding your small, essential items.

The collection is available in a range of colors, from Dave Gray with Orange accents to more subdued Black on Black, and can be picked up at a retailer near you or online in the Incase webstore.

Oy!  Govnuh!  Coming straight out of the UK is Alkr, an upstart MacBook and iPod accessory maker looking to make you totally forget about Incase and their lovely array of never ending collaborations.  Alkr operates under two principles:  the sleeves that protect our gear should be built standards as the gear itself, and the stuff that protects our gear should be fun, cheer you up, and should make travel a tad bit easier.  Guided by these principles, the company just launched  its first collection of Urban Protection Sleeves for just about every MacBook variety under the sun.  Each sleeve features soft, cushioned, fleece lined interior and form fitting 3mm neoprene construction, and  they’re all  available in an array of  eye-catching color combinations.  Those in the UK can purchase these exclusively at The Hideout, The Glade, and Oi Polloi while the rest of us will have to settle for ordering from Alkr’s online store.  Sleeves run for €30,00, roughly $45.

Contrary to popular belief, there are actually three things pretty much guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and new iPods dropping every September.  And while Apple did indeed drop new incrementally better iPod Shuffles, Touches, and Classics, the standout is the new fifth generation iPod Nano.  What’s new?  Unlike its predecesosr, the iPod Nano now sports a camera on the lower left side as well as a speaker and microphone that you can use to record video using any number of special effects filters (including, but not limited to, sepia, black and white, thermal, and cyborg) and then later on upload to Youtube (but it doesn’t shoot still images, shockingly enough).  Apple has also seen fit to finally include a built-in FM tuner with Live Pause and iTunes tagging, VoiceOver (which allows for voice control of the Nano), support for voice memos, a pedometer with Nike+ support, and an upgraded 2.2-inch screen (up from 2.0-inches).   Despite all of these improvements, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the Nano’s design: other than the camera, the only way to differentiate between it and the 4G Nano that dropped last year is its polished anodized aluminum finish (so shiny).

The new Nanos are available right now in a rainbow’s worth of colors (yellow and red being Apple Store exclusives), with the 8GB version at $149.99 and the 16GB one at $179.99.

Are you an iPhone addicted fashionista that needs to constantly stay up on the latest runway shows, the hottest new looks, and all the style related news you can possibly wrap your brain around?  Then you might want to check out the iTunes app store, as more than a handful of fashion brands have jumped on the the technological bandwagon and are offering snazzy apps to satisfy your every need.  Style.com’s app (the online home of Vogue) is probably the best fashion related app out there and does an excellent job of bringing the Vogue brand to the small screen.  Users can visit the Vogue blog, visit an archive filled with catwalk videos and catwalk and party photos, and vote on a “Look of the Day”.  The navigation is smooth and intuitive, and there’s enough content here to keep you more than busy on your next flight.  Net-a-Porter, the world’s premier online luxury fashion retailer, launched an iPhone application called Net-App that allows users to browse its notoriously well-edited merchandise (featuring labels like Alexander Wang, Prada, and Phillip Lim) and actually make purchases from the comfort of your own phone.  If you don’t have the funds to do some uber-expensive online shopping, you can “window” shop, read Net-a-Porter’s online fashion mag, email product pics to friends, and add items to a wish list.  For the younger crowd (or the young at heart), Seventeen Magazine has a popular iPhone app that lets users to check the availability of products in the magazine at stores near them and reserve them. The app is refreshed every month and includes products chosen by that month’s celebrity cover model.  And the Canadian version of Elle (one can only hope that other territorities will receive their own app) has their own app that features link to their gossip blog, a photo gallery, horoscopes, a look of the day and a shop.  This is only the beginning, and it shouldn’t be long before even more magazines and labels start offering their own apps in the store.

Cassette tapes used to be all the rage in the 80s and early 90s until CDs came around and gave tapes the technological pimp smack.  But Vancouver design duo Nathan Lee and Trevor Coghill, better known collectively as Contexture Design, won’t let the once popular format go quietly into the night.  They’ve given cassette tapes a whole new life by gutting them and rebuilding them as cases for 4th Generation iPod Nanos. Named 45 Nano Cases after half the length of a D90 tape in minutes, they are available in 24 different colors and add an air of retro cool to your modern MP3 player.  You can get yours now from Contexture Designs’ online store for $45 CAD ($41 USD).

Legwarmers, Nintendo, Paula Abdul, Say Anything, Madonna , MTV, 16 Candles, corduroy pants, Ronald Reagan, Thriller, Cabbage Patch Kids… if you know what any of this means, you probably grew up in the 80’s.  As a child of the best decade ever, the time period is near and dear to my heart. Let’s be real here…any decade that boasts the best Saturday morning cartoons and Richard Simmons can’t be bad, now can it?

Now the ultimate icon of the 80s, Lansonic’s ghetto blastin’ boombox, is about to make its return in the form of the updated Lasonic i931 iPod boombox.  The ultimate in retro chic, this not so portable iPod dock is set to drop soon at Honeyee for around $180.  Few iPod docks rival the size and design of the 1931: measuring 15 inches tall, 2 feet wide, and 7 inches deep, it’s big enough to blow the doors off a born or deafen small children.  The front of the Lasonic i931 is littered with retro 80s graphics that make it look just like Lasonic’s TRC-931 of yore.  Features wise, the i931 also functions as an iPod charging dock and includes an AM/FM radio, EQ, headphone jack, LCD readout, a composite AV output, and SD/MMC and USB Flash drive playback support.  Plug it in to an outlet an amaze people at parties, or plop in 10 D batteries, put it on your shoulder, and walk down the street making the world a better place.

Yeah, those white earbuds you’ve been rocking the past few years work just fine and let everyone and their mother know that you’re a proud card carrying member of the iPod fan club, but isn’t it about time you upgraded to something better sounding and a whole lot more eye-catching?   These retro inspired Zumreed Dream ZHP 005 headphones should do the trick quite nicely.  Coming in five vibrant colors, these headphones don’t just look good resting atop your dome; they sound good too.  They have a frequency response of 20 Hz – 20kHz and a 40mm driver that’ll ensure you hear every last note in your favorite Guns N’ Roses song.  Available now at Audiocubes for $60.

For all the runners out there still looking to shed those pounds gained after that July 4th cookout a couple of weeks ago (or for people who want a fashionable looking exercise gadget), Nike has just upgraded it’s Nike+ running gear with this brand spanking new Nike+ Sportband.  Designwise the Sportband comes in three different two-tone color schemes and is now weather sealed, meaning you can take it out with you during those runs in the rain.  On the inside there’s a tracking device for calories, distance, and speed, information which is displayed on the new, easier to read screen.  Beats having to whip out your iPod every now and then to check out your stats instead.  Available now at for $59 at the sports store of your choice.

Welcome to the Social, now in HD!  Microsoft has been churning out Zunes now for a number of years, but now they’re finally ready to unleash their challenger to the iPod Touch throne: the Zune HD.  While previous Zune’s were pretty good pieces of hardware, the Zune HD is looking really nice.  So nice, in fact, that if you brought it out among your smug, Apple loving friends, you probably wouldn’t get ridiculed for not owning an iPod.

What separates the Zune HD from the rest of the iPod pretenders?  For starters you’ll be able to view your photos, movies, and CD cover art on the devices large, striking, OLED touchscreen with 16:9 widescreen display.  You’ll also be able to check out your favorite websites using the built-in, Internet Explorer based web browser featuring tap to zoom technology, an accelerometer, and a touchscreen QWERTY keyboard.  But the real showstoppers are the built-in HD Radio receiver and HD compatible output (the HD sure doesn’t stand for Hot Damn, after all).  With the HD Radio, Zune HD owners can listen to higher quality sound than traditional radio stations, and the HD output capability allows users to playback supported HD files through a docking station (sold separately) directly into their HDTV.  Throw in Wi-Fi that allows you to stream songs directly from the extensive Zune music store and you’ve got a real contender people.

Don’t line up in front of your local electronics store just yet, especially if you’re a Mac user…The Zune HD isn’t expected to arrive until sometime in the Fall and chances are it still won’t be Mac compatible.

It seems like every other day now tech companies are releasing their popular goods in vibrant spring colors, and iLuv is no exception.  The portable electronics accessory specialists have just released their iSP100 Ultra Portable Stereo Speaker System in striking pink and purple to go along with the already available black and silver colorways.  Perfect for those times when headphones just won’t do because you need to kick out the jams as loud as possible, the iSP100 features iLuv’s jAura Acoustic Speaker Technology with 720° surround sound accoustic chambers that help coax improved sound quality from smaller drivers.  It’s all powered by three AAA batteries, and is compatable with all versions of the iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 player on the market (sometimes I cheat on my iPod Nano with my Creative Zen Vision: M).   You can pick up your iSP100 Ultra Portable Stereo Speaker System for around $35.