On our way down, everyone was twittering, getting on IM and staying connected to the ground – Justine was even live streaming from the plane.

When we landed in SNA, we were greeted by a few hundred people on the tarmac, red-carpet style. Sir Richard Branson got off the plane with a bodyboard in hand and answered some our questions about tech and entertainment:

Virgin America’s in-flight entertainment system, RED,  is pretty incredible compared to what you’ll find on other domestic airlines. It features a touchscreen display on the back of every seat with access to dozens of movies, video games and music options. You can even order food and chat with other passengers.

More importantly, all of Virgin America’s flights will have Wi-Fi by the end of the month. I tried their GoGo in-flight Internet service with my HP Mini 1000 on the way back home. It was more than fast enough to check email, browse the web and watch YouTube videos. The service costs between $8.99 and $14.99 per flight, depending on distance.

Virgin America flies to San Francisco, LA, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston and Orange County.

Getting Geeky on Virgin America Flight (video) is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

The case is made of durable silicone with additional coring in the corners to help absorb bump and shock. It has indented textured ridges on either side for added grip. All ports, buttons, and functions are accessible through the thin silicone layer and there is a cut-out circle in the back, so the apple logo remains visible.

There are a lot of iPhone 3G cases to choose from, but the Otterbox Impact Case is designed to provide more protection than most. It is also thicker on the corners and back, which are the most likely points to hit the ground when you drop it.

The case is all about function and not as fashionable as some of the other cases out there. It makes the iPhone 3G look more industrial, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your taste. One thing that I don’t like is the enormous Otterbox logo that’s stamped on the back of the case.

It’s available in black and white, which will satisfy most iPhone users.

I’ve been using this case for a few months now and it’s kept my iPhone in pristine shape despite a few drops onto hard surfaces. The silicone does attract dust, but it can easily be cleaned with a dry cloth or t-shirt. Also, the silicone case doesn’t stretch out and seems to maintain its shape.

Otterbox and other manufacturers do make cases that do an even better job at protecting iPhones, but they are much bulkier and overkill for many people.

The Otterbox Impact Case for iPhone 3G retails for $19.99 at Otterbox.com and Amazon.com for just $12.95. Unfortunately, it’s not available at Apple retail stores and major retailers like Best Buy.

Review: Otterbox Impact Case for iPhone 3G is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

The N97 comes with a ton of features that I wish my iPhone had, including a digital compass and Flash video support. It has a QWERTY keyboard that’s very easy to slide out. It comes with 32GB of memory and if that’s not enough you can add another 16GB thanks to a microSD expansion slot. The 5MP camera has a Carl Zeiss lens, which means you’ll get significantly better images than what you expect from a camera phone.

The N97 can be loaded with widgets that are available via Nokia’s ovi store. I really liked the Facebook widget, which shows you a previews of updates and messages without launching the application.

Here’s a quick video of the N97:

Nokia N97 specs and features:

- 3.5-inch, 640 x 360 pixel screen

- Dimensions: 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9-18.3 mm

- OS: Symbian OS v9.4, Series 60 rel. 5

- Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM

- Browser: WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds

- Games: Downloadable

- Camera – 5 MP, 2584×1938 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, video (VGA@30fps), flash; secondary videocall camera

- Built-in GPS receiver

- A-GPS support

- Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch

- Digital compass

- Java MIDP 2.0

- MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player

- MPEG4/WMV/3gp video player

- Stereo FM radio with RDS

- FM transmitter

- TV out

- 3.5 mm audio output jack

- Voice command/dial

- Document viewer

- T9

- Flash Lite 3

- Built-in handsfree

Battery Life

* 5.3 Hours Talk time

* 400 Hours Idle

* 4.5 Hours of video (with GSM OFF)

* 37 Hours of music (with GSM OFF)

Nokia N97 Demo (video) is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

If you find yourself hunched over too often it’s a good idea to use a notebook stand to prevent strains and injuries. The N110 can be adjusted to 20, 30 and 40-degree angles so you can raise your notebook to just the right height. It can handle just about any 15.4″ or smaller notebook and collapses for easy storage when you’re not using it. It will be available at Logitech.com and major retailers starting in May for $29.99.

The Logitech Cooling Pad N100 is designed to be used while you’re using your notebook on a couch or in bed. It has a slotted surface, which allows the USB-powered fan to distribute air quietly. The cooling pad will be available in April for $29.99

New Logitech Notebook Riser and Cooling Pad is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

I’m really excited that this was fixed, as I lug my lovely Vivienne Tam around everywhere and don’t have to rely on another for video chats. And after all, us fashionistas always do like to look our best.

If you recently purchased a HP Mini 1000, you can try removing the film on your own. But be careful as you don’t want to scratch the webcam.

Update: Xavier: HP contacted us and asked us to take down the video and we agreed to do so because this fix may cause more harm than good. Opening up the display housing and removing the film may void the warranty. After opening up another Mini 1000 and trying this ourselves it’s clear that anyone that’s not used to working on computers can easily damage the display and webcam.

We’ve reported on this issue more than once and HP’s fully aware of the lackluster webcam performance on the Mini 1000. Notebooks.com and other blogs have raised the issue over the past couple of days and HP’s responded by assuring us of an official fix in the near future. We’ll keep you updated and hope there’s a resolution for all Mini 1000 owners facing this issue. If you have any questions, please feel free to email xavier_at_notebooks_dot_com.

HP Vivienne Tam Mini 1000 Webcam Fixed is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

I’m using an older version of this case on my white MacBook in light green. I like how the Speck SeeThru hard shell protects my MacBook from dings and scratches and how it easily snaps on and off. One downside is that the shell adds some weight and thickness, so you might want to consider a stick-on solution if thinness is important to you.

While I was checking out the Speck website, I came across this photo of President Barack Obama – apparently he has the clear Speck SeeThru.

The Speck hard shell retails for $49.95 and will be available online and at retailers. The limited edition hazard orange” color is available only online via Apple.com and SpeckProducts.com.

Press Release from Speck:

SPECK SHIPS FOUR NEW ‘SEETHRU’ HARD SHELL COLORS FOR ALUMINUM UNIBODY MACBOOKS

Something Special: New Limited Edition ‘Hazard Orange’ Exclusively at Apple.com and SpeckProducts.com

PALO ALTO, CA – February 24, 2009 Speck today announced the release of its newest colors for its ever expanding line of SeeThru hard shell cases for MacBook: the new shockingly bright hazard orange,” along with purple, aqua and green. The new colors, available today for the 13” and 15” aluminum unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro, join the already available pink, red and clear offerings from Speck. For images of the new cases, please visit http://www.speckproducts.com/content/seethru-for-macbook.

We’re very excited about ‘hazard orange,’ our first limited edition SeeThru color available exclusively online,” said Irene Baran, CEO of Speck. You’ll never see another hard shell case like it. With ‘hazard orange’, school crossing guards can now use their MacBooks instead of stop signs. Construction zones will be marked with MacBooks at the beginning and end. And most importantly, Space Shuttles will have a landing marker if the landing lights go out.”

Specifically designed for the new line of MacBooks, the translucent SeeThru hard shell case snuggly fits the unibody aluminum notebooks for the ultimate in protection and style. The lightweight case, which conveniently and easily snaps onto your MacBook, is perfect for toting your notebook wherever you may need to go without ever worrying about bumps and scrapes. All SeeThru hard shell MacBook and MacBook Pro case colors are available today for $49.95 MSRP. For more information and images, please visit http://www.speckproducts.com/content/seethru-for-macbook.

Limited edition hazard orange” colored SeeThru for 13” MacBook and 15” MacBook Pro is available only online via Apple.com and SpeckProducts.com.

For more information about Speck’s entire line of cases, bags and packs, please visit http://www.speckproducts.com

Speck Offers New Colors For MacBook Hard Shell Cases is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

I’m a big fan of Vivienne Tam’s designs, whether I’m wearing them or if they’re on a computer. I think it’s great that HP is experimenting with fashion-forward designs. This goes beyond offering colors – it is bringing “fashion” into consumer electronics – or what I like to call geek chic.

Here are some pictures of Vivienne Tam and the bloggers I’ve been hanging with this week.

In New York for HP/Vivienne Tam Fashion Week Events is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

The webcam doesn’t work well unless you are in a very brightly lit setting – and even then, it is grainy looking. In my living room or at a cafe, I found the screen looks like a big black or grey box with a twinkling of light or dark shadows at best. I tried it in my very brightly lit bathroom and I could see my face on the screen, but it was grainy and made me look darker than I am.

This netbook is supposed to appeal to image-conscious women, so the webcam on this little machine should work better. In addition, the point of having this netbook is to be mobile and you can never count on decent lighting in cafes, conference rooms or hotel rooms.

Given the $699 price point I think HP should upgrade the webcam on the Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition. It really matters to us ladies who always like to look our best.

Oh, Lovely Tam, Why Can’t You Make Me Look As Fair As I Am? Or Least Make Me Visible? is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

I’ve been carrying this netbook around for the past month and it’s been turning heads everywhere I go.

To win a Vivienne Tam just write a love letter on Facebook and tweet about it.

To enter follow the instructions below:

1. Follow the HPCheer Twitter channel: http://twitter.com/HPCheer

2. Write a blog post or Facebook posted item on the HP Vivienne Tam Fan Page describing how much you love the digital clutch and why you deserve to win one for Valentine’s Day.

3. Include a picture of the digital clutch in your blog post or Facebook posted item

4. @reply to HP’s Twitter channel with a link to your post Example: “@HPCheer This is why I deserve to win the digital clutch [LINK]”

5. Winner will be selected by HP and contacted for delivery on Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Here are the rules:

1. Contestants must be 18 or older

2. Contestant must follow the HP Twitter channel (@HPCheer)

3. Entries are due by 5 p.m. PST on Monday, February 9, 2009

4. Contestant cannot be an HP employee

5. Winning entry will be chosen by HP

Hot Valentine’s Giveaway: HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.

The bags are fashion forward, but what really sets them apart Cocoon Innovations’ bags is the ingenious grid system. Pretty much every other notebook bag I’ve seen has a few pockets and pouches that never seem to fit what I need them to. The grid system is a criss-cross of elastic bands that let you strap down your phone, lipstick, business cards and whatever else you normally toss in your bag.

If you already have a notebook bag you can pick up a Cocoon Innovations portfolio, which starts at just $19. I think the red bag in the video is the nicest bag I saw at the show. I wanted to take it home with me and was surprised that it’s only going to cost $79. Some of the larger leather Cocoon Innovations briefcases will cost up to $290.

Cocoon adds a level of sophistication and style to notebook bags that I haven’t seen before at these price points. The bags will be available at major retailers and at CocoonInnovations.com starting this spring.

Cocoon Innovations: Best Bags of CES 2009 is a post by Amisha from Notebooks.com.