The Apple store has been updated and that could mean big savings if you are willing to purchase an older model. As new products are introduced, older products tend to get a price reduction. The Apple store has a refurbished section were you can purchase certain items, like ipods and mac book pros, for a reduced price.

There is always a way to cut costs when buying Apple products. Patience is important. The iPhone 3GS was dropped to $99 when the iPhone 4 was released. There are other avenues you can take. Amazon is offering an Apple MacBook Pro MC374LL/A 13.3-inch Laptop for about $1139. That is roughly 50$ in savings. Amazon also offers a few used Apple products as well.

The iMac has had an update and it is much faster. From Engadget:

• The low-end $1,199 unit boasts a 21.5-inch display (1,920 x 1,080), a 3.06GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI’s Radeon HD 4670 GPU (256MB) and a 500GB hard drive. There’s also an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with dual-layer support, Mini DisplayPort, AirPort Extreme 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, iSight webcam, gigabit Ethernet, a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets, a single FireWire 800 port and a bundled wireless Apple Keyboard and Magic Mouse.
• There’s a new $1,499 21.5-inch model that includes a 3.20GHz Core i3, ATI Radeon HD 5670 GPU (512MB), a 1TB hard drive and 4GB of DDR3 memory (along with the usual suspects mentioned above).
• The $1,699 model is a 27-incher with a 2,560 x 1,440 LED-backlit display, 3.20GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI’s Radeon HD 5670 (512MB), a 1TB hard drive and available CTO options that include a 3.6GHz Core i5, 2TB HDD, 256GB SSD and up to 16GB of RAM.
• The flagship $1,999 flavor (27-inch) packs a 2.8GHz quad-core Core i5 with 8MB of shared L3 cache, 4GB of DDR3 memory, ATI’s Radeon HD 5750 GPU (1GB), a 1TB hard drive and available CTO options that include a 2.93GHz Core i7 CPU, 2TB hard drive, 256GB SSD and up to 16GB of memory.

Those prices may be a little steep, but if you can take a little hit on speed and memory, you can save big bucks.

Want to keep your new iPhone 4’s screen protected but don’t want to pay the almost $20 charge for the Invisishield? The splash Masque screen protector film may be an option for you.

The screen is completely compatible with all iPhone for models. The material is a three layer PET film made in Japan. Once the film is applied in his almost invisible. It will protect the screen and is reusable by by cleaning with a moist cloth and then replying to the device.

The self-contained film will attach itself to the screen. There are no adhesives used. And no residue is left behind when she taken off of the iPhone. The protector film stills allows full access to the controls and touchscreen. There’s a cutout for the home button, speaker, and front camera.

The film should protect your screen from any possible scratches scrapes or dust throughout the day. There are three included in the pack, an application card, and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

This is currently in stock at Amazon for $8.95. That’s about a six dollars savings over the list price, and twelve dollars over the Invisishield. Current reviews of the splash Masque screen protector at Amazon are positive.

Mozilla has released Firefox 4 public beta on Wednesday. This is the latest release of the open source free web browser. Mozilla released the first pre-release code for Firefox 4 a few days ago. There are a few noticeable design changes and enhancements. Usability and security has also been upgraded.

Once downloaded, the browsers look is the first thing you’ll notice. Firefox 4 has a set of tabs located at the top of the browser for Windows. It also has an add-on manager included to make those plug-ins more accessible.

Security has been tightened for the beta-1 release. There’s also a crash protection and it supports technologies with HTML 5 and WebM which are increasing lead new web standards. They’re also a host of other features included. Privacy improvements and HD video compatibility are a few of them.
it is a public beta so expect a few bumps along the road. But after our initial run, it seems to be functioning well. You can download the a new browser from the Mozilla website.

The Samsung LN32C450 32-Inch 720p 60 Hz LCD HDTV Is pretty enough to make you throw up. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing. This LCD HDTV is absolutely gorgeous. The resolution is delicious And it tastes like SnozzBerry. Okay, not really.

You can connect a thumb drive or digital camera to it. And it has a nice interface that allows easy access to videos, music and pictures. And for all those people looking to save a little on energy costs, it exceeds energy Star standards. It uses about 30% less than the latest energy Star specification Standards.

The TV is a good choice for gamers because of enhanced dark areas and a sharper picture. The image processing speeds up respond to the games in the picture and sound quality have been optimized for gaming systems. For audio supports multichannel sound and second audio program with 181 channel capacity. And if you pick this up new and comes with a one-year parts and when your labor warranty. There are three HDMI connections, to the back and one on the side. This little baby can be picked up for anywhere between $380-$550. This is a pretty good price range for TV of this power. If you’re looking for a new LCD HDTV, this Samsung TV may be right for you.

The unemployment rate is still incredibly high but the numbers may not be what you expect. Many people are finding new and exciting way to make money online. Entrepreneurship is not something people see as an easy choice, but there are tools available, online, that can help ease the stress of starting a small business. There are a few steps you can take to achieve success.

Creating a blog about something with the purpose of making money is creating a business. It can be as easy as looking at your likes and dislikes. Deciding what business you want to start is very important. If you don’t like retail, stay away from creating a site dedicated to selling items, even though it may sound lucrative. Food is a great subject if you are into cooking. You can write about cooking techniques, rate cookware or appliances, and critique cooking shows.

Getting your own website may sound daunting, but it isn’t. There are many resources available to you. Blue Host and iPage are domain hosting websites. Web Hosting $6.95 Per Month / Free Domain is what Blue Host offers. You can easily purchase other domains once you have their service. The other offers 100% Eco Friendly Web Hosting Service — iPage Web Hosting is another tool that can get you up and running on your own website.

Making money can be done is many different ways. Some site suse contextual ads like Google Adsense and Kontera. Others use affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, Google Affiliates, and Commission Junction. The most basic way is selling a product. It doesn’t have to be a physical product.

Blogging can be a good way to start a business, but it is not your only choice. You can easily set up a site with a landing page dedicated to selling a product or service. If you want to offer your advice on subjects you are knowledgeable in, like stock market trading or canning home goods, the internet can help you market yourself to the world. Selling a product, like having the resources to customize someones car or repairing computers, can be difficult. With some savvy advertising through large online sites, like Facebook and YouTube, you can reach your target audience.

Unemployment is scary. It can be hard to know what to do. The best thing to do is to write down your skills. You may be surprised at how knowledgeable you are in various subjects. Pick a topic and create a site dedicated to that. If it doesn’t work out, you can create another website with your hosting service for 10-15 dollars.  A little trial and error may provide you with long term, sustainable income.

Google TV is causing quite a stir. There are many rumors bouncing around about what Google TV will be and what it may mean for the future of television. Google (GOOG) may have finalized a deal with Sony and Intel. This deal may include the production of a smart TV that could provide online access and videos through your television set. The smart TV box will be running off of Google’s Android operating system.

The I/O conference on Wednesday may give us some clues. It may or may not be announced. It seems pretty exciting, and may be very lucrative for all parties involved. This could help Google get a leg up over Apple, especially with Apple’s lukewarm reviews of Apple TV.

Google has had trouble recently with its Nexus One. The popularity of the Nexus One wasn’t as high as expected. Though not a great outcome, Google learns from it’s mistakes and Google is usually a couple steps ahead of the game. You can expect that Google has a good plan for this smart TV set. If Google TV does come out, its popularity could change the future of PC sales.

Unfortunately, in the tech world, one or two days is a long time. We will not know for sure until Wednesday or Thursday. You can bet they’re plenty of people on the edge of their seat just waiting to hear the news. We will update you as it comes in.

The Apple Company is big. Very big. Apple has created another reality within our own. The gadgets and gizmos developed, and smartly advertised, by Apple have produced a more interconnected, (and trendy?) world. Steve Jobs is God, Apple is the universe and the iPad, iPod, etc., are the bibles that rule it all. So what are these electronic biblical devices missing? A set of ten commandments, of course, so let’s head to the top of Mount Cupertino and get some.

1. Thou Shalt Not Steal
Though painfully obvious to Gizmodo and that guy who “found” the iPhone 4.0, its good to remember Apple will open up a fresh can of whoop-ass if you try anything like that. Ever.

2. Thou Shalt Not Create Adult Themed Apps
It is as easy as that, unless you are using a browser like Bing, then you can probably work around this one.

3. Thou Shalt Not Make Yourself An (i)dol
Who knows a douche-bag that has shown off their new iPhone or iPad when they know you can’t afford one until you get paid. What a jerk!

4. Thou Shalt Not Have Any Other Gadgets Before Mine
This is hard to follow because Apple has a tendency to break this commandment with their own new hardware. Take the ipod. It has been clearly replaced with the iphone. Your e-soul should be ok, just don’t get anything Android, or HTC.

5. Thou Shalt Not Make Wrongful Use Of The Name Apple
This is the “in vain” one and it is a wide range commandment. You can’t blaspheme against the company, ask Ellen Degeneres. Also, you probably shouldn’t put the “i” in front of anything. Apple has copyrights all over that.

6. Thou Shalt Not Work On The Holy Day Of WWDC
Goes without saying. I know I don’t work that day. I’m not going to hell, thank you very much.

7. Honor Your Apple Store On Release Day
So that the long lines make the new products even more desirable.

8. Thou Shalt Not Commit Gadget Murder
Recycle your electronics, man. Apple is totally going for that whole “green” image, and stuff.

9. Thou Shalt Not Bare False Witness Using Some Random Patent
There may be a few people who have been burned by the whole, “Thats my patent. I sued Apple, and I lost. I guess I was wrong” theme. Its best to just recognize Apple created everything, forever.

10. Thou Shalt Covet Thy Neighbors New Apple Product
Let’s face it. This is a huge reason for their success.

There you have it. Make sure to follow these commandments, pray daily (there’s an App for that), and may Jobs have mercy on your soul.

I remember watching The Last Star Fighter and waiting for the game to accidentally show up in my home town. It should be no surprise it never did. I slowly came to the sad realization I would never get to play the game that could decide the fate of the universe.

Luckily, the crushed dreams of a child can be reversed thanks to technology. The site Rogue Synapse has a download of The Last Star Fighter and I may have my chance at piloting one of the fantastic ships.  They also have some great pictures. Unfortunatly I am running my Mac and I will have to do a bit of tweaking to get the .exe to work, so I am a bit SOL for now.

With a little faith, and maybe a partitioned hard drive, I might still have a chance. I really hope they included the “special button”. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, you probably shouldn’t be reading this. Go out and rent The Last Star Fighter and prepare to have your life changed for ever.

Tomorrow is Mothers Day. Give thanks and special attention to the person that gave you life, allowed you to grow up with a controller in your hand, and continues to offer you emotional support. Though my mom saying, “Of course you are handsome and any woman would be lucky to have you,” is a complete lie, I am still really thankful for her. Thanks Mom, but I have to get back to the new Call Of Duty stimulus package.

Happy Mothers Day!!!!!

We all need to protect our pictures, music, documents by backing up these precious items on an external hard drive. We rarely protect the hard drive itself. Case Logic has come up with a solution that will do the job, without too much flair. It will easily fit into a backpack zipper pocket or a briefcase.

The compact case can store and transport your small portable hard drive, as long as the dimensions are less than 6.75 x 5 x 1.75 inch. The Case Logic Compact Portable Hard Drive Case is about 2.72 ounces.

One concern is this case is a little too big for the western digital passport drives, but you could easily say it is a little to big for your PS2 Memory cards. It is marked as a universal case, but there’s really no such thing. Until we get the same form fitting technology Marty Mcfly’s coat has in Back To The Future 2, you will just have to deal with it. The portable hard drive case is about $17 – $22, which isn’t too bad for some protection for your digital possessions.