Every once and a while a product comes along that really catches my eye.  Such was the case when I spotted an advertisement for the HyperMac external battery in a tech. magazine last month.  The HyperMac is currently the only external battery available for use with Apple’s line of Mac Book computers.  And with the new unibody Mac Book Pro and its built in battery the HyperMac might just be a must have for the true road warrior.

Hyper Shop, the company behind the HyperMac, was kind enough to send me a HyperMac 150Wh battery for review.  I’ve put it to the test and am ready to share my thoughts.

Does the HyperMac live up to my expectations?  Read on to find out.

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Since the first time I used one of the multi-touch trackpads on the current MacBooks I have wanted to have similar multi-touch abilities when using my iMac. I love using the trackpad on the MacBook. It works beautifully. The buttonless left and right click work great. And the multi-touch capabilities… well I didn’t really understand why I would want such a thing… until three minutes after I first tried it. Now I would never use a notebook without one. (Except the netbook I am using to write this, but that is another story.)

When Apple announced the new Magic Mouse, I was excited; finally Apple was bringing the amazing technology to their desktops. So when Larry IM’d me earlier today that the new Magic Mouse was finally in stock in Apple retails stores, I wanted one… fast.

I called my wife Elana and asked if she was near an Apple Store. “Nope but I can be if you like.” (Now THAT’S a good gadget-freak’s mate!) A short time later she IMed the following to me…

Mouse in hand. $69. Expensive, no?? Nice Style and packaging- shocking for Apple

So do I love the new Magic Mouse? Does Apple hit a home run with their new mouse? Yes… and NO!

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Twelve South, the makers of the “Back Pack”, which we told you about here, recently announced that both their Back Pack and Book Arc work fine with Apple’s newly released 21.5″ and 27″ iMac and Mac Book.

The Back Pack is a shelf which attaches to the back of the iMac and is the perfect place to rest your external hard drive.  I have one myself and love it.  It’s available for $29.99 here.

The Book Arc is a stand which holds most Mac Books freeing your desktop from clutter.  It’s available for $49.99 here.

Speck is running an frightfully goolishly awesomely great Halloween sale. A 50% Halloween Sale!!

That’s right, you can take 50% off ALL Speck’s clear, white, black, purple and orange-colored cases!

Seriously, this is an amazing offer from Speck but hurry, because like the Halloween treats I got as a kid, once Halloween is over this offer is GONE!

Too get a better idea of the cases you can get as part of this offer visit the Speck site here.

iSkin was the first company to create a silicone keyboard to protect Macintosh computer keyboards. Never one is to sit on their laurels, they’ve now released the next generation of their ProTouch keyboard protectors.

The new line-up offers three different styles of protection — The ProTouch Classic, The ProTouch FX and The ProTouch Vibes. Each is made from high-grade silicone that is specially engineered to cover each key to ensure smooth and easy use of the keyboard even while protected. Each is designed for maximum comfort and the greatest degree of non-obtrusive protection so that all typists find the protectors useful without reducing their speed and accuracy. Finally, each offers embedded Microban® antimicrobial product protection helps inhibit the growth of odor and stain causing bacteria on the product.

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Larry reviewed GelaSkins last month and there were literally hundreds of designs.  Now there are an infinite number, as you can design your own artwork to put on your iPhone, Laptop, iPod or any other device that GelaSkins supports.  Prices range from $14.95 to $29.95 on GelaSkins.com.

Last week I reviewed Timbuk2’s new H.A.L. backpack. I like it a lot. I was impressed with the quality of the workmanship, the design itself, and the incredible utility of the backpack for anyone needing to carry a laptop and assorted other items. My one criticism of the backpack was that the area designed to hold the notebook, while convenient, or for no real fall protection. That’s where today’s review item comes in more than a bit handy.

The ColcaSac is a simple, rugged burlap sleeve that offers excellent protection for your MacBook Pro from the daily bumps and grinds of life. Let’s take a look.

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The new Unibody MacBook Pros are gorgeous. They are sleek, refined and… well they just look awesome. And while it is a shame to cover up those good looks, there is a lot to be said for keeping the beauties pristine… especially if, like many of us on the site, you tend to cycle through devices frequently and therefore rely on keeping resale value as high as possible.

So if you ARE going to hide the unibody MacBook behind a protective shell, the least you can do is hide it behind an awesome looking one. On this front Case-Mate has you covered. Their new Unibody Suit looks great, and it offers super protection.

Let’s take a look…

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Many of us like to keep our overly expensive gadgets protected.  We always want them looking like they did when we first pulled them out of the box.

There are several ways to do so.

Cases are popular, as are clear protective skins.

But GelaSkins are another way to not only keep your device pristine but also keep it looking stylish and personalized.

GelaSkins are removable covers for protecting and customizing your portable devices. They feature stunning, photo-quality graphics ranging from fine art prints to contemporary urban images designed by the company’s growing family of artists from around the globe.

I recently received a few GelaSkins for some of my gear.

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Anyone with a MacBook knows that the MagSafe Power Adapter’s block has an elegant winding device built right in – there are little wings that flip up from the block itself to hold the cable. This works very well as long as you are only winding the thin power cable that comes from the block itself. The remaining removable portion that goes from the block to the wall outlet is a much bulkier cable, and it generally has to be looped over itself and tied off somehow.

That’s where quirky’s PowerCurl comes in.

PowerCurl wraps both cords (plug end & MagSafe end) around the device and allows for easy and quick cord wrapping. The Curl, as we like to call it, makes it easy to unplug and pack up quickly saving you the trouble of untangling your extension cords the next time you need to set up shop.

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Here’s a neat looking product for those who value aesthetics, clean lines and cool-looking accessories. The BookArc is designed to hold any and all MacBooks vertically for use with a keyboard, monitor and mouse.

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CASECROWN is a southern California based company founded by self described gadget lovers.

They make some of the most affordable cases around, and they were kind enough to send me one of their Classic Slim Cases for laptops to review.

Here’s a quick overview of the case from the CASECROWN web site:

- Perfect Fit For Your Notebooks
- Premium Quality Shock-Absorbing Double Memory Foam Interior
- Water & Wear Resistant; Zipper Scratch-Free Exterior Material
- Light & Thin Compact Design
- Internal Supporting Bands To Secure Your Gadgets

How does this laptop case match up?  Read on to find out.

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iSkin offers a wide range of excellent accessories to enhance and protect your iPhone, iPod and Mac.

The company was kind enough to give me the opportunity to check out a number of their items first hand. I found all to offer good protection, nice style and decent good value. Let’s take a look…

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Some people like shoes while others like jackets. Me… I’ve always had a thing for notebook cases. There is something about the combination of function and style that draws me to a new case when I see one. So when the opportunity to take a look at Rivet’s new Vertical Leather Bag came up I jumped. It looked nice and, perhaps more importantly, it looked DIFFERENT from the other bags available.

Let’s take a look…

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One of the challenges with any MacBook or notebook PC is cooling. While these devices are made to be a bit more heat tolerant than their desktop tower counterparts, they still can overheat which can cause damage or diminish performance. Getting air flowing through the cooling fans and vents on your MacBook or notebook is they key to avoiding potential disaster and the team at Just Mobile have come up with a sleek, stylish and amazingly simple solution for MacBook users. The CB-200 Cooling Bar is an solid, all aluminum bar that you rest the back of your MacBook onto. This lifts it about an inch from your desk surface, providing plenty of space for the cooling fans and vent to work properly. Although designed with the MacBook in mind, the CB-200 works well with any notebook PC as well and it has a hidden benefit that Mac and PC users alike can benefit from while using it.

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