case

Electric guitar case will play your iPod

It's the next logical step, we suppose, in the guitar mania that's sweeping our culture: an electric guitar case that doubles as an iPod speaker dock. The "Gator Lightweight Electric Guitar Case" has two built-in battery-powered speakers and a clear pouch on the side to hold a media player, according to Red Ferret. For those who really must have keep their guitars at the ready this much, however, it might be worth considering a model that folds away for easier stowing.

The US military bets big on open source

While some in private-sector industry drag their feet on open source, it's instructive that arguably the most mission-critical systems in the world are being migrated to open source, namely, the US military's systems.

It's not just a question of cost that drives the US military to buy open source. Indeed, the biggest benefits come down to innovation and flexibility:

...[T]he increasing scope and complexity of military software requirements encourages the use of open source. "If the project is of a sufficient scale, you cannot get there without an open source approach," said Dewey Houck, a senior engineer at Boeing, the lead systems integrator for the Army's FCS.

That is a massively important statement. We may be rapidly approaching the point when it will make little sense to buy proprietary software at all, given the tremendous benefits of open source.

Other benefits? The military cites several:… Read more

Snakes on an iPhone

Any old schlub with 20 large can get an iPhone case studded with diamonds, but how many can say they have one that's made of shimmering silver python? (We didn't say anyone would want one, mind you, just how many could say it.)

French designer Chloe apparently uses a special treatment that gives the snakeskin a "unique metallic look," according to Sybarites, at the bargain price of around $370. The fashion house has even set up a Web site specifically for the iPhone, reportedly accessible by typing in www.chloe.com in its address bar.

They … Read more

A Dupont case for the discerning road warrior

With the MacBook Air about to descend upon the masses, it's time to think about a valise that's appropriate for this piece of techno-royalty. But what to do if you weren't amused by the "AirMail" envelope and aren't thrilled with more conventional alternatives?

Dupont has the answer. The luxury goods concern is releasing the "S.T. Dupont Diamond," a limited-edition handmade travel case to mark its 135th anniversary. Although it's not a computer case per se, it can still do the job while also serving as a laptop stand--one that's … Read more

iFrogz Audiowrapz: protection and sound in one

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 randomly stylish, … Read more

Here comes the Air accessory deluge

Less than three days since the MacBook Air's debut, companies are working furiously to come out with accessories that will most certainly deluge the market in coming months. So even though Belkin's sleeves and cases aren't exactly revolutionary, they score points for being so quick out of the floodgate. In fact, Belkin's already got a whole new line on its site, with options for color, leather, neoprene, straps, and fasteners, for $40 or $50. It's unclear when they'll be ready for delivery, however. So if you want some faster--and cheaper--you can always opt for &… Read more

Macworld: Blinged out iPhone Cases

Much like CES, the vast majority of iPhone accessories were limited to carrying cases or skins, which is surprising given that this was the event where the iPhone was introduced. While entries from iSkin and CaseLogic were there, these entries from Gilty Couture caught my eye. A gold-plated case ($99) and a diamond-encrusted (not real diamonds, right?) case ($135). However, not sure what the taste factor would be here. When we rolled up to the booth it looked as if a deal was going down, so you may see these soon.

The gadget that really powers CES

As I get ready to leave CES and Las Vegas, I wanted to give a shout-out to the device that truly powers the convention: the smartphone. Doesn't really matter whether it's Treo or Blackberry, everyone was calling, texting and emailing all day long. At such a techie summit you could talk in any public space with impunity. I would have been lost from my CNET compatriots without it. [Side note, my iPhone had "no service" within the convention center but my Blackberry was fine, both on AT&T.]

So at the end of they day, … Read more

Open Source Business Conference update: CIO case studies

I just heard from Dan Agronow, chief technology officer for The Weather Channel Interactive, who will be speaking at the Open Source Business Conference next year (March 25-26). He's one of a range of IT executives who will be speaking at the event, sharing best practices and digging into the pros (and cons) of open-source adoption.

His session sounds fascinating:

CIO Best Practices: How Weather.com Uses Open Source Software to Deliver a Highly Scalable and Cost Effective Website… Read more