When you do hear good audio it’s usually found on notebooks designed to be stuck on a desk, but the Dell XPS 14z is able to pack in some of the best sounding speakers I’ve ever heard, in a surprisingly portable package — one that starts at $899.

I’ve spent the morning working on the Dell XPS 14z, after lusting over the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook we’re giving away at GottaBeMobile, and I’m incredibly impressed with the sound quality coming out of this system.

The Dell XPS 14z has a few things working for it, including the large top open speaker grills which send the sound right at your head, instead of into your jeans like so many other notebooks do. Also helping out is the inclusion of Waves MaxxAudio on the system, which helps deliver better sounding audio in smaller packages.

The Dell XPS 14z speaker grilles help deliver great audio directed at your ears, not your lap.

Listening to a variety of music I was most impressed with the depth and clarity of the music. While listening to 99 Problems by Jay Z and I Put Your Picture Away (Live) by Kid Rock on Pandora it was hard to believe these were notebook speakers. I could make out background sounds that don’t come through on other notebooks and on some dedicated systems I have tried out.

Volume is good, though if you want to host a house party with this system, you’ll need to connect to some bigger speakers. For a dorm room, small office or a hotel room though, you get great sounding music at a sufficient volume.

This isn’t the only system from Dell with Waves MaxxAudio included, the Dell XPS 15z which I reviewed last year also impressed. If you are looking for a great audio experience on your notebook, I highly recommend the Dell XPS 14z, and suggest checking out other Dell systems with similar setups.

Stay Tuned for a full Dell XPS 14z review.

Dell XPS 14z Rocks – Great Speakers and Sound is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Here are some recommendations for tools that might make going off to college, high school or any educational experience, more productive and fun.

Verbatim Tuff N Tiny USB Flash Drive – $9.75 for 2GB

This tough little USB flash drive made our Father’s Day gift guide too. I like it that much. I personally tried to destroy one of these for a review that ran earlier this year. The drive takes a beating and holds your files intact. This rugged drive will help you back up or transfer papers (or other content) safely. The drive starts at under $10, and a large 16GB drive only costs about $40 direct from Verbatim.

iTunes or Amazon Gift Cards

You might think I’m just getting lazy with this pick. Gift cards? Really?

Yes! Gift cards supply both future and present needs. Your college student can get that useful note taking iPad app for class or some music or videos for entertainment. If you look at a local Sam’s Club you will often find iTunes Gift Cards for a few bucks less than the face value. For example, I recently bought four $25 gift cards in a single pack for only $96. You can get iTunes Gift Cards on discount at Sam’s Club or almost anywhere you buy electronics.

Amazon sells everything, and students get free access to Amazon Prime which provides free shipping or low-cost next day shipping. They can save some money using Amazon compared to getting books at the campus store. You can buy Amazon gift cards in any amount from their site.

ZooGue Binder Pad iPad 2 Case – $29.99

If your student will be carrying an iPad 2 to class, the ZooGue BinderPad iPad 2 Case can help them store it in their big three-ring binder notebook for just $30. I’ve tested it out and can assure you that it protects your iPad 2 well while in a three-ring binder. The case doesn’t add much weight to the iPad. It has three holes for the binder and you slide the iPad 2 into the top of the case. A flap with velcro holds the iPad in place. ZooGue makes it from a rugged polyester material. In the past I’ve been impressed with their iPad cases.

YooBao Slim Leather Snap On Case – $29.99

Speaking of cases, the makers of my favorite iPad 2 case have a snap-on iPhone 4 case made with the same nice leather used in that iPad 2 case. The iPhone case has a nice grip and protects your iPhone without adding much bulk or weight. The YooBao Slim Leather Snap On Case is inexpensive and looks nice too. The high-grade leather comes in three colors – white, brown and black.

Booqpad iPad 2 Case and Notepad – $49.99

Booq makes great laptop and tablet cases, but one favorite is the Bookpad iPad 2 case. It protects your iPad while adding a notepad that you can use for your note taking in class. When finished marking up a sheet of paper on the tablet side, just take the iPad out of the case and shoot an image to “scan” it into your favorite note app like Note Taker HD or Evernote. Our review linked above recommended this combination for people who take a lot of notes but haven’t become acclimated to digital note taking yet. Students often fit this category since your professors and teachers won’t wait for you to finish. Many people can keep up on a tablet screen, but many, like me, cannot if the speaker talks fast.

Booq offers a number of styles and colors to choose from including a high-end brown leather that costs $99.95 or the basic model for $49.95. We just wish that they would make a hole for the iPad 2 camera to make the capture process of the notes easier.

Also check out their other cases and bags for notebooks and tablets. You won’t be disappointed with a Booq Bag.

Livescribe 2GB Echo Smartpen – $99.95

A couple of our contributors here at Notebooks.com and GottaBeMobile.com swear by this tool. Livescribe pens will do more than just put ink on paper. They record the audio of lectures or meetings. They also record the motion of your pen, which is then transcribed into editable text. On top of that, they also offer storage for your audio. Our own Adam Mills told me, “If I was still in college, I’d definitely be using one for lectures.” With the pen you get a free year of Evernote Premium, which gives you extra storage and transfer space.

The 2GB Echo is one of the lower cost options, although they have higher capacity pens. The pen connects to a computer via Micro-USB to transfer files on and off. The ink is replaceable and the pen writes on special tablets, which you buy from the company.

Our own K.T. Bradford recommends getting the headphones with the pen. She said that they have a mic in them like you get with your smartphone. The mic picks up the sound better than the built-in mic on the pen.

iHome iA17 App-Enhanced Color Changing FM Radio Alarm Clock – $99.99

I’m a big fan of iHome’s products and the new iHome iA17 dock for your iPod Touch or iPhone should be as good as the past products I’ve tested. The radio changes colors based on your chosen settings. The base of the dock is translucent so the colored lighting shines through and will fade between colors as it changes or pulse to the beat of the music. You can turn it off completely.

The base of the dock changes colors with the music

The color feature might just be a fun attention-getting gimmick, but coming from iHome you can be assured that the sound quality will be top-notch for a product in this price range.

The dock fits anywhere in your dorm room, or on a bedroom nightstand, and helps keep you on time for those early morning classes or school days. It adds an FM stereo radio to your iOS device while it is docked, so you can both play your iPod files through the speakers and listen to the radio.

Install an iHome app on your device to get more features like sleeping stats, weather, alarm clock, wake to your favorite iPod tunes and more.

Sony Xperia Play Android Powered Phone – Verizon – $99

Our reviewers at GottaBeMobile see a lot of different Android phones, but for Verizon customers there is one that stands out if you like to play games. The Xperia Play from Sony will help you waste plenty of time. Our own Josh Smith reviewed the phone for our sister site GottaBeMobile and liked it. If you hate using a touch screen to control Madden NFL or your favorite first person shooter, then the Xperia play will satisfy you. Josh said the following:

The Xperia Play is not going to blow your mind with graphics, even if they are pretty good, but it is able to deliver a fun mobile gaming experience. Thanks to the off-screen controls, you can use your whole display for viewing the game — which even touchscreen junkies will appreciate.

Watch his hands on video for more info.

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB Hard Drive – $109.99

You can quickly share files with an external hard drive hooked up via USB. I wish everyone would adopt the fast Thunderbolt port on the new Macs, but at present few have other than Apple and some high end accessory makers. USB 3.0 is the next fastest hard drive interface and it works with older USB 2.0 ports as well.

This WD My Passport Essential SE 1TB USB Hard Drive, on sale right now for less than their 750GB model, will store a ton of music, movie, picture and personal files. The size means it won’t take up too much space in your backpack. The drive can be powered via USB on the majority of modern computers.

Microsoft Office Home and Student – $149.99 from Microsoft

Microsoft Office is the de facto office suite for the known world. Sure you can get other cheaper and free alternatives like OpenOffice.org or iWork’s apps on OS X, but Microsoft’s suite doesn’t cost all that much. Since the vast majority of computer users have Office, why put up with the hassle of converting your documents if you don’t have to? The suite has Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. More expensive versions add Outlook, Access or Publisher.

Office retails for $150, but never pay that much. You can find it online for as little as $100-$120. You might even find it in your college bookstore for as low as $20.

Computer majors might want to consider going with a TechNet subscription which allows downloading of full versions of Office and Windows for just a little more than the retail cost of Office Home and Student.

If you use a Mac, you can get Office for Mac 2011 for the same retail price or cheaper online. Microsoft offers it through TechNet as well. The Mac version is not a clone of the Windows version, but instead incorporates some of the OS X interface to make it more Mac-like. I’ve used the iWork apps like Pages, Keynote and Numbers. I prefer Word by far to Pages because it just has more to offer, while being more compatible in the dual-OS environments you find in most schools and universities. Keynote may be a little better than PowerPoint due to more attractive themes and transitions, but not enough to choose iWork and Pages over Office with Word if you have a lot of Office users around.

SuperTooth Disco Battery Powered Bluetooth Stereo Speakers – $149

I called this set of speakers the “21st century boom box” at GottaBeMobile.com. The SuperTooth Disco has bluetooth connectivity so you can hook them up to your smart phone or laptop to blast those beats. The sound quality beats most mobile speakers we’ve tested, and the long battery life means the music keeps pumping for hours out in the campus quad after classes, or just in your room.

I’ve used the system to show an outdoor movie to a few dozen people in my backyard and to play music at the beach on vacation this summer. They worked great. I also play music in my office with them.

The speaker system comes in a nice carrying case and has an auxiliary line input to connect a non-bluetooth enabled audio device. The speakers cost $149 directly from SuperTooth.

Canon Powershot SD1400IS Point and Shoot Camera – $199.99

Why would we include a camera when so many smart phones have great cameras these days? Not everyone owns one of those great smart phones with a nice camera. A lot of people still have a cheap feature phone or an early smartphone, and many are still locked into a 2-year contract. Also, a dedicated camera is still the best option for taking a lot of snap shots of special events, or when you are traveling. I’ve missed a lot of great moments because my smart phone camera took three or four taps to get started when a pocket camera would have been ready after the push of one button.

I love my Canon SD 1300IS. The only camera I would rather shoot with is my DSLR, or if I could justify it, the Canon SD1400IS. The optics on these inexpensive little cameras are surprisingly good for still shots or bright outdoor photographs. They are simple to use and just work! Many of the product shots I take for my reviews are taken with the older brother of this camera. Below is a sample of a shot my wife took at Ft. Myers Beach, FL this summer of some palm trees early in the morning outside our hotel room.

Muzetto Laptop Case from Waterfield Designs – $259

A traditional gift for a recent college graduate heading off to graduate schools is a high-quality briefcase. While I would appreciate the thought, I’d much rather have a premium laptop case. Based on our experience with Waterfield Designs cases a great option is their Muzetto line of cases that fit anything from a 10″ tablet for $199 up to a 15″ laptop for $259. The vertical orientation bag has a leather flap to cover the computer.

The leather case has colored accents and a nice strap to carry over your shoulder. Inside are compartments for you computer, a phone, sunglasses and more. A computer in a protective sleeve or pouch would fit, giving you double the protection and the versatility of just pulling out the computer and taking it alone down the hall to a friend’s dorm for a study session.

I love Waterfield Designs products and think you will be pleased with one of these bags. You might want to look at the Racer-X if you want to go with a mid-range price. At the lower end is their Sleeve Case for the MacBook Air, which I reviewed and still love.

Slingbox and Mobile Apps – $299 + $29.99

A Slingbox hooks up to your TV and video source, like a cable box or Satellite, and streams the video from those sources to other TVs or the mobile app. This setup rocks for a student going off to college. Have the box connected to your home cable system, or satellite dish, and then you can load the iPad or another mobile app and watch content anywhere your mobile device has Internet access. It also supports watching through an Internet browser on a Mac of PC as well.

I live in North Carolina, grew up in Wisconsin and went to college in Kentucky. Before the days of DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket I only watched my beloved Green Bay Packers when the national game of the week featured them. I can afford the NFL Sunday Ticket, but a lot of college kids never could. And even if they could they would not be able to instal it in most dorm rooms because you need a DirecTV satellite dish. Slingbox and the mobile app gives them access to their home team, local news broadcasts and any other TV content without paying the cable or satellite man for a feed in the dorm or their apartment.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer – $399

Everyone knows about the iPad, so recommending it is too easy. Not many people know about the excellent ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, which I really like. It is cheaper than the iPad by about $100 and can do a little more. First, the optional keyboard dock connects to the tablet and turns it into a fully functional Android netbook and doubles the battery life thanks to the keyboard dock’s battery. I’ve used it to type for long periods of time and, while I would not give up my MacBook Air or Pro, the keyboard was good enough to use without getting frustrated or feeling cramped.

The tablet comes with Honeycomb. A 3.2 update makes it one of the earlier 3.2 tablets. The update is not earth–shattering, but it is nice to have. I love the bright crisp display, the responsive interface and the feel and weight. A forthcoming review will give more details, but for now I recommend this as the best Android tablet available because of the screen and the added functionality the keyboard dock with extended battery gives you. Take notes by day with the tablet in all of your classes and then use it as a netbook all evening long to write papers.

Now if only Android had as great a choice for tablet apps as the iPad we’d be set.

Just know this. ASUS will be probably release the Transformer 2 sometime this fall with a faster Tegra 3 processor, so you might want to hold off until then. If that doesn’t matter, the Eee Pad Transformer’s versatility makes it a great choice right now. Below is my first look:

Mili Pico Projector 2 HP-A10 – $449.95

Our friends at XenGadget sent one of these units over for review and it is cool. I’m testing the Mili Pico Projector (HP-A1) V2 out now, but based on limited experience I wanted to include this in our roundup for those Friday night movie nights in the dorm, or for an overnight at a friend’s house. The little projector is about the size of two stacked iPhones and has a dock port for an iPhone. Plug it in and the video will be projected through the tiny lens. The projector works best in dark rooms, but isn’t that how you want to watch a movie? The LED light projects the image. You won’t get HD, but remember, you are carrying your projector in your pocket.

The device has a battery so you don’t need to plug it into the wall outlet while watching your movies. You could do presentations from your phone, iPod touch, iPad or computer if needed. The latter can be done through a VGA input. The projector casts up to 70″ from corner to corner, although 40-50″ will look the best.

As you can see from the image, the device has a kickstand that folds out of the back. Connect it to external speakers or use the ones built into the projector. They might disappoint, so I’d suggest external speakers.

The device comes in either black or white for about $450. There is a nice carrying case and remote in the package too.

Gateway ID47H02u 14″ Laptop – $699

We look at a lot of notebooks, but the Gateway ID7Ho2u made our editor Josh Smith “do a double take” when he opened the box the first time. The screen offers an edge-to-edge display, meaning you get a nice width without a lot of bulk. The ID series of notebooks from Gateway have a little more style and performance than others from the budget manufacturers. Josh said it was “worth a closer look” for buyers who want something with some power at an affordable price.

Here are some of the basic specs:

• Intel Core i5 2nd Gen Processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 500GB Hard Drive
• Intel HD 3000 Graphics
• DVD Super Multi-Drive
• USB 3.0 that will charge while it sleeps
• VGA, HDMI out
• SD card reader
• Dolby Home Theater v.4 Audio
• Full size keyboard but no number pad
• Over sized mousepad

Apple MacBook Air – $999 for 11″

If money is no object, the one computer I would recommend to all students is the Apple MacBook Air. It is fast, light and looks cool. You can perform any basic educational task with it. It is under-powered for intense uses like gaming or creative content creation, but you can do limited video and photo editing with the included iPhoto and iMovie. I’ve played a few of the games available in the Mac App Store on my 2010 version. The 2011 MacBook Air has a faster processor and faster SSD too.

The 11″ travels perfectly for those taking it to class or for pulling it out on a public transportation commute or carpool. If you need more screen real estate, go with the 13″ model. I would also recommend adding 2GB of RAM and getting at least 128GB of storage, making the cost a few hundred dollars more than the base model. It will be worth it.

Check out our own Xavier Lanier’s posts about the out of the box experience and the battery life of the newer 2011 MacBook Air. You can also read about his first impressions. Below you can watch his unboxing video.

Back to School Gadget Buying Guide: 18 Fun and Productive Suggestions is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Antec sent us a set of these 2.1 speakers to test. We found that the sound is very good, especially when compared to the built-in speakers on most computers.

You could just hook the speakers up to a desktop system, use them with your entertainment setup, or do as we did – test them with a notebook computer. We used a 15″ 2011 MacBook Pro for a desktop replacement system. These speakers really improve over Apple’s built-in sound.

The unit is made up of a very large subwoofer that is 13.8″ x 10.6″ x 7.7″ and weighs 18.7 lbs. This is definitely not a mobile setup, although we did take them outside for our outdoor theatre setup. The two satellite speakers are kind of cool looking with a honeycomb pattern on the speaker inside round aluminum bowls that funnel the sound out into a wide array. They are 5.7″ x 6.3″ x 4.7″. The total output of the speaker system is 150 Watts with 25 Watts for each speaker and 100 Watts for the subwoofer. The maximum sound output is 95 dB.

In our outdoor movie night they filled a large area with a 10 foot high inflatable screen and about 25 people sitting about 20 feet back.

The sound control comes from round controller that has a silver dial on top. Push it down to mute the system and rotate for volume. The button on the front switches between the analog hookup which plugs into a 3.5mm jack for stereo sound and the digital system which comes via an optical cable. Both sound setups are very good, although the digital is much louder and has better quality.

There are a four different modes, two for analog and two for digital. Each has a mode for music and 3D. The optical cable provides the digital mode while the 3.5mm cable powers the analog mode. The music mode in analog is the one we set it at most of the time. It offers deep bass and nice sound. The digital setting sends the music through an optical digital cable which we tested with the Apple TV. The sound was great! Everything was crisp and movies had a very rich sound with everything coming through clearly. The 3D sound in either mode doesn’t sound any more 3D than the music mode, so it is not even worth a third setting. It would be simpler to just have the button toggle between digital and analog and you wouldn’t lose anything valuable.

Setup is easy. Hook up either the 3.5mm jack or optical audio cable to the subwoofer and your external source. Plug the speakers in with the wire that goes into the back of the speaker and runs to the subwoofer with positive and negative posts. Plug in the control dial and the power cord into the back of the subwoofer and you are ready to go. It takes a little getting used to the functions of the control dial, but the little help booklet explains it all. Push the button to switch between 3D and music. Hold it in to get Digital.

The other problems include the angle the speakers point and the lack of an auxiliary input. The angle of the speakers would be better if they were adjustable. The lack of an auxiliary input jack make these speakers a one trick pony. A lot of speaker systems have a jack to plug in an another device, like an MP3 player. With these you would have to unplug the 3.5mm speakers from the laptop. The work around is to plug in the optical cable to one source and the stereo jack to the second source. If both devices are stereo only, then this won’t work.

We really like this system despite the limitations. They are not as good as an expensive Bose system, but compared to our Klipsch Pro Media 2.1 system they sound great at a comparable price. If you get them directly from Antec’s online store you will pay $200. Look around and you can find them as low as $156 on Amazon and elsewhere.

Pros:

• Large subwoofer offers nice bass
• Speaker quality is good
• Looks cool
• Easy to setup
• Optical and stereo connections

Cons:

• 3D mode is useless
• Speakers point up and the angles are not adjustable
• No auxiliary input

Antec soundscience rockus Speakers Offer Good Affordable Sound is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Many notebooks are focusing on the audio quality these days, but with the addition of Klipsch speakers Dell is setting the tone for the Alienware notebooks. Klipsch has long been known as a premium audio brand and we are hopeful that the Klipsch speakers in the new gaming notebooks will deliver premium sound.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to team up with Alienware and can’t wait to experience the excitement in the marketplace surrounding the release of this new laptop series,” said Chris Aiello, Klipsch product manager for personal audio in a press release announcing the new audio collaboration. “By fusing 3D technology with unmatched built-in, Klipsch-refined laptop sound performance, Alienware is truly defining an entirely new product category. We’re thrilled to play a role in it.”

The Alienware M17x is a 17.3″ 3D gaming notebook powered by the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processores and powerful AMD Radeon or NVIDIA graphics. The Alienware M17x won our Best Notebook of CES 2011 award when we were able to give it a look earlier this year.

In addition to the newer specs, the Alienware M17x is also thinner and lighter than the previous generations; not a small feat for a gaming notbook packed with high end components. The M17x comes with WiDI 2.0 to stream HD content to your HDTV or can be configured with WirelessHD for higher fidelity streaming that allows you to play games on a wireless monitor or HDTV.

You can order the Alienware M17x right now from Dell, starting at $1,499 with an estimated ship date of March 30th.

Alienware Notebooks Get Better Sound with Klipsch Speakers is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

To help you use your iPad as you would a notebook, we’ve rounded up 7 essential accessories to help you get the most out of your iPad. Some of these apps and accessories will be handy at home, while others will be needed on the road, wherever you use Apple’s latest tablet, we have you covered. Don’t forget the apps you need to complete the transition from iPad to notebook.

iPad and iPad 2 Accessories to Turn your iPad into a Notebook:

Dock: If you are going to use your iPad to replace a notebook, you need a dock or stand to keep it at a more ergonomic angle. We suggest looking at the official iPad Dock, iPad 2 Dock or an aftermarket one like the PadDock10 which gives you a stand.

HDMI Adapter: Next up, we recommend getting the HDMI adapter which will mirror your iPad’s display on an HDTV or monitor. This is a must for longer work sessions, where a bigger screen would be helpful. The new iPad HDMI adapter works with the iPad 2 and the original iPad and can be used to charge your iPad while you are using it.

Monitor: If you’re going to work for a longer period, use the HDMI adapter to connect to a monitor that accepts HDMI input and you can make the magic happen faster thanks to a larger works space and a more ergonomic position.

Bluetooth Keyboard: Of course, if you are going to hook up to a monitor and dock your iPad, you’ll need a Bluetooth keyboard to allow you to type. We suggest getting the Apple Bluetooth keyboard because it has shortcuts that can control some of the iPad functions, but you can also use pretty much any Bluetooth keyboard. We also like the Microsoft Comfort Curve Bluetooth keyboard.

Speakers: A set of external speakers is a must if you listen to music or watch many videos on the iPad. You can get by with a cheap $20-40 pair, but we really like the Logitech Z 623 2.1 speakers which sound amazing.

iPad Keyboard Case: You may have a Bluetooth keyboard, but you don’t want to always be carrying a larger keyboard around so we suggest an iPad case with a built in keyboard. Popular choices include the ZAGGmate iPad Keyboard Case and a collection of other iPad keyboard cases.

iPad Folio Case: You might be able to get by without it, but we also suggest that you have a folio style case, like the inCase Convertible Magazine Jacket, on hand to allow for a slimmer and lighter traveling solution that will allow you to watch or read on the iPad in landscape mode or flip it over to type at a very comfortable angle. The stand portion also protects the face of the iPad. If you have the iPad 2, we suggest getting the Apple Smart Cover which provides similar functionality.

In the end you’ll have a great office and mobile office setup that could pass for a notebook replacement for users with light demands. Here is our collection of Apps you need to complete the experience of using your iPad like a notebook.

7 Accessories to Turn Your iPad or iPad 2 into a Notebook is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

According to Logitech, the setup of Logitech’s Wireless Speaker Adpater is not too difficult. Plug the adapter into the jack on speakers and launch the Intel WiDi software. There is a connect button that needs to be pushed on the adapter, as the next step. It will automatically connect to the adapter and pump the sound through it to the speakers.

Source: Businesswire.com

Logitech Announces Wireless Audio Connection for Laptops and Speakers is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Before you check out the deals, be sure to enter to win an free 32GB iPod Touch from Notebooks.com to celebrate Black Friday.

Edifier Prisma E3350 2.1 Speakers for $98 – $31.95 off.

Incase 15” Coated Canvas Shoulder Bag for $74 – $25.95 off.

Michael Kors Wallet iPhone case for $68 – $11.95 off.

Giffin A-Frame Stand for iPad $34 – $15.95 off.

JAMBOX by Jawbone Wireless Speaker in both Blue and Gray – $148 – $51.95 off.

Griffin Loop Stand for iPad – $18 – $11.95  off.

Beats by Dr. Dre Beatbox for iPhone and iPod for $348 – $51.95 off.

Philips Fidelio DS7550 Portable Speaker Dock for $98 – $31.95 off.

Civilization V for $48 – $6.95 off.

The Sims 3 Deluxe for $28 – $21.95 off.

Anime Studio Debut 7 for $34 – $15.95 off.

The Complete National Geographic for $58 – $21.95 off.

Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac for $58 – $21.95 off.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 for Mac and PC for $69.95 – $30 off.

Computrace LoJack for Laptops Premium Mac – 3 Years for $78 – $21.95 off.

Roxio Toast 10 Titanium for $68 – $31.95 off.

Belkin Video Stand+Charge Sync for $28 – $11.95 off.

Griffin PowerJolt Plus for iPad, iPhone and iPod for $24 – $5.95 off.

Griffin PowerDock Duo for iPad for $48 – $11.95 off.

Incase Snap Case for iPhone 4 for $24 – $10.95 off.

M-Audio KeyStudio 49 for $68 – $31.95 off.

djay 3 for $38 – $11.95 off.

Blue Microphones Yeti THX USB Microphone for $98 – $51.95 off.

Flip MinoHD Camcorder (2nd Gen.) for $148 – $81.95 off.

Microsoft Office for Mac Home and Student 2011 Family Pack for $128 – $21.95 off.

Bento 3 by FileMaker for $34 – $15.95 off.

Twelve South BookArc Desktop Stand for Notebooks for $38 – $11.95 off.

Western Digital 1TB My Passport SE for Mac for $98 – $71.95 off.

Speck iPod Touch 4th Gen Cases

• CandyShell for $24 – $10.95 off
• Speck Fitted with Damask Drip Design for $18 – $11.95 off.
• GeoMetric for $18 – $11.95 off.
• PixelSkin HD for $18 – $11.95 off.

Incase Cases

• Nylon Backpack for $78 – $21.95 off.
• 13” Protective Sleeve Deluxe, gray for $38 – $11.95 off.
• Protective Sleeve Deluxe, black with pocket for $38 – $11.95 off.

Headphones from Philips

• ActionFit Bluetooth Stereo Sports Headseat (SHB6000) for $98 – $31.95 off.
• ActionFit In Ear Sports Headset (SHQ1007) for $28 – $11.95 off.
• ActionFit Neckband Sports Headset (SHQ4007) for $44 – $15.95 off.
• ActionFit Earhool Sports Headset (SHQ3007) for $38 – $11.95 off.

Other Headphones

• Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Headphones for $228.00 – $71.95 off.
• Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD Headphones from Monster Gray and Black for $158 – $41.95 off.

Michael Kors Jet Set Case for iPad with Gold Pebble for $94 – $35.95 off.

Incase Convertible Book Jack for iPad for $38 – $21.95 off.

Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital Camera for $148 – $81.95 off.

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS Digital Camera for $128 – $51.95 off.

Eye-Fi Geo X2 4GB SDHC Wi-Fi Memory Card for $48 – $21.95 off.

HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One Printer (B210a) for $134 – $15.95 off.

Be sure to check out the other Apple deals listed on our site.

Black Friday Deals: Apple Accessories, Peripherals and Software is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 is a smaller version of the popular Speaker Lapdesk N700 which you my have seen strolling the aisles of your local Best Buy. The N550 is aimed at notebooks 14.1″ and smaller.

The Lapdesk N550 doesn’t just address sound, Denis Pavillard, vice president of product marketing for laptop accessories at Logitech says that Lapdesks are the unsung heroes of the laptop and netbook world,” explaining that,The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 solves the two complaints people most often report about their laptops and netbooks — poor audio quality and laptop heat. Using this one product can dramatically improve the experience people have with their laptops.”

The Speaker Lapdesk N550 is compatible with laptops up to 14.1″ and works with Windows and Mac operating systems. It comes with a 3-year warranty.

The Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 will be available later this month for a suggested retail price of $59.99

Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N550 Brings Big Sound to Small Notebooks is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell USB Soundbar is designed to sit on the top of your netbook and by the looks of the images on Dell.com matches up pretty well with the style and size of the netbook.  The Dell PS5111 USB Soundbar delivers a 2 watt output and comes with a hard carrying case for $34.99.

It is similar to the Insignia USB Soundbar sold at BestBuy for $29.99 which is designed to it on a variety of notebooks and netbooks. Soundbars like these offer an affordable and portable improvement over the built-in speakers of many notebooks.

The following hands on video is courtesy of NetbookNews.

Via Liliputing

Dell USB Soundbar USB Speaker System Sounds Off at IFA is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

AirPlay is the technology developed by Apple which allows users to listen to their music wirelessly. A set of AirPlay speakers can be in the living room while the source of the music may be the family PC in the home office. The speakers will have a rechargeable battery, much like the iHome Portable Audio Dock we reviewed in July. The benefit is that the system could potentially be mobile allowing users to take their tunes with them and play them for a group of friends away from home.

iHome is not giving many other details except that the iHome AirPlay wireless speaker system will come sometime before the holiday season. To be notified, visit the AirPlay speaker announcement and provide your email address.

iHome Wireless AirPlay Speakers Announced is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.