The WinX DVD ripper is a great application for ripping DVDs to almost any platform and device you can think of, from Apple TV to the Zune. It can rip DVD to .mov,. avi, .flv, .wmv, MPEG and MP4.  Devices include DVD to iPhone, iPod, iPad, PSP, Zune, and mobile phone.  You name it, it will handle it. It can also rip DVD audio to an MP3 file, so really can just listen to the movie. Even CNET gives it their seal of approval.

Image from CNet

Right now, WinX DVD is giving away their WinX DVD for Mac version free until May 1, 2010 12AM GMT.  This is the full version of the product, not something that will suddenly stop. So why would Digiarty Software, the developers behind WinX DVD want to suddenly give their software away?  To answer the why, here is some FAQs from their web site:

Q: Why do you give away this program?

A: WinX DVD Ripper for Mac is our latest product. We’re confident this software is an excellent video converter tool. However, we still need your advices to improve it in next upgrade. And this giveaway is to collect feedback or suggestions from users.

Q: Will I have to pay to continue to use this “Giveaway” version after April 30, 2010?

A: No, you don’t need to pay any fee. We’re offering WinX DVD Ripper for Mac free for a limited time but the software can be used with no limitations for as long as you’d like.

Q: Will I be able to upgrade this version to a newer version for free?

A: No, there’s no free upgrade of this “giveaway” version to future versions. But you can get the upgraded version for a very low fee. Feel free to email us then.

Windows users, dont feel left out.  Digiarty Software wants you to have some fun with their software as well.  Digiarty Software ,along with Notebooks.com, is sponsoring a giveway of their Win X DVD Ripper Platinum for Windows edition.

If you leave a comment on this post, you will have a chance to win a copy of their software free.  Yes, free software folks.  We have a limited supply, so its first post, first serve kind of contest.  You dont have to be witty, you just have to say that you want a copy of WinX DVD Platinum.

Now remember, if you are going to rip DVDs, please do so at your own risk.  You dont need any legal hassle just because you want to have a copy of Pirates of the Caribbean on your iPhone for a trip. Ok?

WinX DVD Ripper- free Mac version, plus Platinum version giveway is a post by Amy from Notebooks.com.

The KIN One and KIN two both have slide-out, QWERTY keyboards.  All personal content including pictures, video, contacts and messages are automatically backed up online. The backup site is called the KIN Studio. The KIN One and KIN Two are based on the new Windows Phone 7, but will have a very different user interface. Priority number one” according to Microsoft’s announcement is social networking.

Working closely with our partners, we saw an opportunity to design a mobile experience just for this social generation — a phone that makes it easy to share your life moment to moment,” said Robbie Bach, president of the entertainment and devices division at Microsoft. We built KIN for people who live to be connected, share, express and relate to their friends and family. This social generation wants and needs more from their phone. KIN is the one place to get the stuff you care about to the people you care about most.”

Of the two, KIN One is the smaller rounded-square device. It has a 5MP camera with flash for shooting stills and is capable of shooting standard definition video. It comes with 4GB of storage, a mono speaker, and a 320×240 resolution capacitive touchscreen display. The keyboard is smaller and is designed for one-handed use.

The KIN Two has the more advanced features than the KIN One. It comes with a higher resolution camera (8MP and HD video) and screen (480×320 pixels). It also has double the storage and stereo speakers. Its wider landscape design is intended for two-handed thumb typing.

The interface of the KIN phones begins with the home screen dubbed the KIN Loop. From there you access all your social networking information from your social networking sites. The Loop also helps the user share their content with their friends and family via the Spot. The Spot lets them focus first on the people and stuff they want to share rather than the specific application they want to use. Videos, photos, text messages, Web pages, location and status updates are shared by simply dragging them to a single place on the phone called the Spot. Once all the people and content are in the Spot to share, the consumer can choose how to share, and start broadcasting” to Facebook or via e-mail and MMS.

Content from the phone is backed up online and sharable with others. Storage is unlimited and can be accessed via any Mac or PC computer through a Silverlight application.

KIN will utilize the Zune Marketplace giving users access to music, video, FM radio, and podcasts. One of the great features of the Zune Marketplace is the Zune Pass subscription which allows you to listen to a tone of music in the store for only $14.95 per month.

In light of the app-centric devices like the iPhone and Android smartphones, it is curious that Microsoft has left out the ability to run apps from an app store. You will be able to do this on phones running Windows Phone 7 when it is finally released this fall. There will also be no calendar on the KIN. The thinking must be that the target audience, younger consumers, do not really need a calendar. Finally, there will be no instant messaging. Microsoft doesn’t think their text-loving users will care.

Microsoft Pink Becomes Kin One and Kin Two is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Incipio is easily one of the best case-makers on the market. They offer a wide variety of stylish  products to protect your mobile devices from harm. Incipio’s site is running a special holiday promotion for all their white colored items, offering a 50% discount if you enter the coupon code SNOWDAY before checking out!

This can be a great opportunity to save on a present to an iPhone owner or power user. For example, you buy this snazzy feather iPhone case for $10.00! If you choose economy shipping, there’s no extra charge. You can also snag an additional $5.00 discount of your total purchase, provided it’s more than $30, if you pay using Google Checkout!

50% Off Incipio White Colored Items is a post by Bogdan Semida from Notebooks.com.

I have used a number of of FM radio adapters like the iTrip in the past, but Griffin has done a great job at improving upon previous approaches. The iTrip is not only for iPods. Any device with a 3.5 mm headphone jack will do, including a laptop. Everything about it is kept simple and convenient. The entire unit is a little thicker than your average USB flash drive and with good reason. The iTrip is made to plug directly into any USB port for recharging. Gone are the days that you had to occupy your single precious cigarette lighter adapter in order to power your FM adapter. With a GPS and phone charger around that one plug already has to do double duty. The backlit display is easy to read and displays the relative amount of battery life you have left on the unit along with the current frequency its using. With a simple push of the + or – you can scan through 88.1 MHz – 107.9 MHz at .2 MHz increments. The iTrip also lets you set up to 3 preset stations so you can find the open frequencies and keep them handy.

As I said previously, I’ve used a couple units like this in the past and the iTrip sounds just as good as you will get from any FM adapter I’ve messed with so far. At $39.99 the iTrip is priced to be the perfect companion to any MP3 player.

Pros:

• Large backlit display
• Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery gives you hours of music between charges
• Works with any device with a 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Compact design

Review: iTrip Universal by Griffin Technology is a post by Adam Helweh from Notebooks.com.

If the Zune is going to have a fighting chance, Microsoft’s going to need to put out some more compelling ads that will get people to actually want to go out and buy a Zune. I’m not suggesting they copy Apple’s iPod ads, but people seem to be having a much more positive reaction to the current iPod Touch and Nano ads. I’ve heard people humming the music from the ads and buying these songs on iTunes. TV Shows are making paraodies of the iPod ads. People are BUYING iPods because of them.

I can’t believe Microsoft and its ad agency actually signed off on this. I really hope the Zune puts up a good fight this holiday, but these ads sure aren’t helping. I know someone at Microsoft will explain that these Zune ads are cutting edge and show how the Zune is unique and reflect how you can make it you. Blah, blah, blah- these ads just suck really suck.

Watch the Zune ad, then watch the below Apple iTunes ad. The Apple iTunes ad doesn’t show any product features either, but it sure does a better job communicating that iTunes and iPod are related to music.

The brainstorming session must have included some special brownies and gone something like this:

Microsft Zune Guy: “I want something creative, edgy and dangerous.”

Copywriter: “I’ve got it….Cobras battling in the Desert”

Microsoft Zune Guy: “Awesome! What kind of dessert…?

Copywriter: “Dude..uhh..I said desert”

Art Director “Check this drawing out guys…we can have it all! Snakes, fighting over dessert in the dessert!”

New Zune Commercial with Cobras and Ice Cream? is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

In “Academy of Dreams” we get just two quick glances at the Zune, the rest of the time we watch an actor wander around and climb over people. This ad may work for people who already want a Zune, but I think an ad like this flash promo video would work better as a TV ad.

New Zune TV Commercial “Academy of Dreams” is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The original Brown Zune is a little thicker than the new Zune 2, but it can easily be upgraded to the new interface for free.

Click here and scroll to the bottom of the Product page

Get a Microsoft Zune for $95.99 is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The Zune 2 looks like it’s well constructed and put together, but the Zune pad can’t be readily replaced.

Check out the full photo breakdown over at Rapid Repair.

8GB Zune Taken Apart is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

I don’t see anything compelling enough to make me switch from an iPod,  but it’s always good to have options.

via ZuneThoughts

Zune Version 2 Video Demo is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

âہ“Weâ€â„¢re bringing the entire category to the next level by empowering consumers to play a role in redefining the digital music experience,â€Â said J Allard, corporate vice president for Zune. âہ“Zune brings music discovery and acquisition into one simple, end-to-end solution, and the addition of unique customization options puts the originality back into portable entertainment.â€Â

Zune’s customizations are free with the purchase of any new Zune from  www.zuneoriginals.net,

From Microsoft’s Press Release:

Consumers no longer need to settle for the same portable media player as everybody else. The new Zune Originals online store will let people make a unique statement by customizing their Zune with laser-engraved art or personal text. Zune worked with 18 accomplished artists from all over the world to create a collection of 27 different designs, called the Artist Series, which will be available exclusively through Zune Originals. In addition to the Artist Series, a separate Tattoo Series will feature 20 graphics that consumers can have laser-engraved on their Zune with up to three lines of text. Alternatively, people can choose to engrave up to five lines of text in place of a design. On the Zune Originals Web site, customers can choose their Zune (Zune 80GB, Zune 8GB or Zune 4GB), pick a color and then select a design and their desired text.

The Zune Originals Artist Series will launch with designs from artists Colletivo Studios, Catalina Estrada, Laurent Fetis, Sam Flores, Klaus Haapaniemi, Pierre Marie, Kenzo Minami, Parskid, Mike Perry, Phunk Studios, Chisato Shinya, Skwak, Iosefatu Sua, Tado, Nobumasa Takahashi, Ramiro Torres, Darvin Vida and Steve Wilson.

Zune Entertainment Experience Expands

Together with the original Zune 30GB, the new models and customization options make it easier for consumers to find the size, color, design and price that best suits them. Three new Zune models will be on store shelves tomorrow: the black Zune 80GB, which has a bright 3.2-inch screen and comes with premium in-ear noise-isolating headphones (ERP $249.99), and the slim, ultra-portable Zune 4GB (ERP $149.99) and the Zune 8GB (ERP $199.99), both available in pink, green, black and red. The new Zune models also feature the new Zune Pad, a touch-sensitive navigation button that lets people fly through menus or lists with the flick of their thumb, or click to easily change songs or adjust the volume. Every Zune player includes wireless sync and wireless sharing, a built-in FM tuner, and a bright color screen to display music, pictures, videos and podcasts. Existing Zune owners will receive all new software features via a free and easy upgrade, available Nov 13.

The updated design of the new Zune players is complemented by smart new software and a dramatic new look and feel for Zune Marketplace. The new Zune software takes digital music to a new level of simplicity, while connecting consumers to a richer, more interactive entertainment experience through Zune Marketplace and the new Zune Social online music community. Zune is set apart from its competitors by having all the following features:

· Wireless sync. Consumers can set their Zune to automatically sync to their PC collection via a home wireless network whenever itâ€â„¢s placed in its dock or plugged in to charge, making it easy to keep the Zune updated with the latest music or podcasts. Consumers can also manually start a wireless sync from their device as soon as they are within range of their wireless network.
· Wireless sharing. Share select music, pictures and audio podcasts with other Zune devices nearby. Consumers can listen to any received song up to three times and even pass it along to other friends with a Zune.
· Redesigned Zune software. Easily drag and drop music, videos and photos to simple icons to sync content to a Zune, create playlists or burn CDs. A new search feature gives consumers one master view across music, videos and podcasts. Search for an artist to find all relevant content â€â€Â whatâ€â„¢s already in a consumerâ€â„¢s collection and whatâ€â„¢s available in Zune Marketplace.
· Zune Social. Consumers can find music they like by seeing what other like-minded individuals are listening to. People can create customizable Zune Cards, which update automatically based on the music they listen to on their Zune and via the Zune software on their PC. See what friends are listening to, play samples of music directly from othersâ€â„¢ Zune Cards, send song recommendations or browse artist pages. When consumers find something they like, they can link directly to Zune Marketplace to buy it.
· Updated Zune Marketplace. The new Zune Marketplace is designed to make it fun to browse. Choose from over 3 million songs and a broad collection of albums, music videos, podcasts, and digital rights management (DRM)-free MP3s to download and sync to a Zune.
· Zune Pass. For about the price of one CD per month ($14.99 per month), consumers can get flat-rate access to millions of available songs. They also have the option to buy songs, albums and music videos individually.
· Recorded television content to go. The Zune software will now import broadcast content recorded on Microsoft Windows Media Center for Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, so consumers can sync it to their Zune.
· FM tuner. Consumers can tune into their favorite FM radio stations on the go. Zune will even display the name of the song and the artist, using Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) information from stations that broadcast it.

New Zune Available With Laser-Engraved Designs is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.