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A New Year of Surprises: Editor's Picks
MacTribe's Assistant Editor Lynette Toomey takes us on an exclusive tour of Macworld Expo and CES with a view from the floor and shares the buzz for 2009.
 The Buzz
The start of this New Year has certainly been an interesting one, especially within the Mac community. Huge Mac players like Adobe and Belkin didn’t exhibit at Macworld, but even more surprising Apple announced that this year was the last year for them at the show as well. Steve Jobs passed the keynote down to Philip Schiller, and the speech delivered lacked the usual punch, as nothing too exciting was revealed compared to previous years. The major upgrades unveiled were advancements in iLife ’09 with face recognition, geotagging, and Facebook and Flickr buttons, new editing features in iMovie, and “Learn to Play” in Garage Band. The 17” MacBook Pro was released as being the thinnest and lightest notebook of its kind while having a battery life of up to 8 hours. iTunes ’09 also includes new pricing tiers of songs costing from $0.69 to $1.29. To best describe the overall atmosphere at the show, attendees and exhibitors were somewhat jaded but cautiously upbeat for the coming year.  Most recently since the shows occurred, Tim Cook has been appointed to take things over at Apple while Steve Jobs focuses on his health. Despite these shocking Mac community announcements, Macworld and CES still proved to exhibit the latest and greatest Mac trends around.
We at MacTribe met with many familiar faces and saw up close what these companies have as new releases for 2009. We also came across some companies we were previously unfamiliar with, and now we can’t wait to share what goodies we discovered.
AUDIO
 Parrot
Audio amazement was a huge factor at both CES and Macworld. One of the most amazing things that MacTribe saw at the show was Parrot’s new designer speaker made for the iPod called "Zikmu" and designed by reknowned designer Philippe Starck. Shaped similar to a trumpet, this sleek black speaker wowed everyone at the show with its beautiful design and huge sound. The bell shape on the bottom releases the bass while the front panel balances with the treble. The result is simply phenomenal. Sound and style like this do come at an audiophile's price. This speaker will retail at $1,500 once it is released but for the serious listener, it’s definitely worth it.
VestaLife
 Other iPod speakers at the shows were the ever-popular Vesta-Life Ladybug iPod Player. The Ladybug continues to deliver quality sound in a compact and incredibly cute design. The look has been slightly undated for ’09 in that when the “wings” open up not only are the speakers revealed, but there is also an ornate design that becomes the background of the iPod once it is placed into the device.
S & D-Starking
 S & D-Starking was a new booth that once seeing their product on display, we knew we had to have more information. This iPod player has a typical base with an FM Radio/Alarm/Clock display but emerging from this standard docking station are four flexible speakers that resemble the infamous hair of Medusa. The device is called Dragon-i G-3, it’s black with a red interface and comes with a remote. As best described by the company itself, “audacious design, quality sound”.
iharmonix
 At CES, MacTribe had the pleasure of kicking back while we listened to some tunes at the iharmonix booth. iharmonix earphones are known for producing distinct bass tones without the cost of distorting mid to high tones resulting in listening perfection no matter what volume you have your music turned to. In addition to their great sound quality, these ear buds are priced well below their competitors ranging from the XS e-Series at $14.95 to the Platinum Series at $59.95. MacTribe listened to the Platinum Series in particular. The Platinum i-Series has an inline microphone compatible with the iPhone and iPhone 3G while offering the same superior iharmonix sound quality. The Platinum ev-Series likewise has the great sound components along with allowing the option of volume control.
Harman/JBL
 Harman/JBL, has added a lot of new and exciting audio products to their line. Included in this are Soundsticks II, a 3-piece, multimedia speaker system for optimum music and gaming sound quality at a price point of $169.95. The speakers look somewhat space age with their transparent, curvy, smooth body and would stand out on anyone’s desk. Also added to their line were a wide variety of AKG headphones. Ranging from inexpensive ear buds to high-end over hear DJ style headphones, there are headphones available for every type of listener.
GRANDMAX
 I have a certain place in my heart for anything miniature, therefore I fell in love when I saw Tweakerz, made by GRANDMAX, a completely compact and portable iPod player. Available in red, blue, and black, these speakers come packaged in what appears to be a 4 x 2 inch pocketsize cylinder. This unit is made up of two mini speakers magnetically put together. Once pulling apart the magnetic connection, the speakers can be connected to any media device or laptop using the cords that are actually stored within the tiny speakers themselves! To amplify the base, the speaker’s top twists open to reveal an accordion-looking structure that gives and amazing punch of sound for such a cute and tiny device. At only $39.95, Tweakerz are a must have!
 Cables Unlimited
Another new iPod player spotted at CES was Cables Unlimited’s “PartyPOD”, a speaker and storage system in one. Using NXT flat panel speaker technology, this small black, hard case allows listeners to hear their favorite music while keeping their precious iPod’s safe from the elements. The PartyPOD is extremely practical too with a price point of only $29.99!
Skulllcandy
 One of the most interesting booth setups that we came across at CES was Skullcandy. A favorite headphone company of MacTribe’s we were eager to see the new product line but couldn’t seem to find the booth. It wasn’t until we realized that the coveted booth was roped off inside of another booth did we discover the new headphones available. Just as Skullcandy’s booth was roped off to appear VIP-only, many of their headphones likewise gave off that vibe with their cool colors and great sound quality. In fact, we learned at the show that Snoop Dog is a big fan of the “Skull Crusher” Skullcandy headphones (featured in this month’s issue of MacTribe) and will be further endorsing Skullcandy products in the future. Overall, this headphone line continues to be coveted for its look and sound quality.
Sleek Audio
 In-ear headphones seem to all the rage today. As the front-runners in this category, Sleek Audio showed us at CES that they only continue to succeed in delivering the best high quality earphones around. The SA6 (featured in this month’s issue of MacTribe), continues to be a best-seller for Sleek Audio at $199, and with new KLEER technology, these amazing ear buds allow for wireless use without comprising any of sound quality. Sleek Audio has also tackled the growing desire of customized earphones at a lower price point than competitors. For the competitive price of $249, listeners can get a mold of their ear fitted into an earphone giving a personalized touch to everything you listen to. Formally specializing in hearing aids, it’s no wonder why these guys do so well developing earphones. Wireless and iPhone cord options also available.
Etymotic Research
 At a slightly lower price point than its competitors, Etymotic headphones are another option for buyers seeking high quality sound in an in-ear headphone. Their hf5 High-Fidelity Earphones offered in electric blue, scarlet, and black retail for $149 available exclusively through Amazon.com. These earphones will fit just about anyone as they come with different eartips ranging from silicon to foam making them comfortable while canceling out any external noise. Also new to Etymotic are the hf2 High-Fidelity Hands-Free earphones compatible with iPhone. At $179, these earphones offer the same Etymotic star quality combining with the practical use as a headset.
iPopperz
 There weren’t too many kids at Macworld this year, (I don’t actually think they were allowed in), but the kids that were there were enthralled with iPopperz ear buds, from KoNo Enterprises, LLC. These ear buds will make any child, or adult, stand out because of their unique kid-friendly style. The ear buds are designed with focus on the external part of the ear bud and the clasp that connects the right and left side cords. Offered in Colorz (wacky colors), Buddyz (animals), Jewelz, Sportz, and Graffiti, there is a style for anyone, and ranging from $14.95-$19.95, they are very affordable as well.
iPhone
 True Flirt
It was an overall trend at the show that iPhone applications are becoming a force to reckon with. One really fun and interesting app that we came across was “True Flirt” made by Viximo. We were immediately drawn to their booth with its flowing white canopy and hip music. Once there, we realized what we were in for! “True Flirt” allows iPhone users, for $5.99 to flirt with their romantic interests. Both parties must each purchase the app in order for usage, but once having it, the fun begins. There different categories of flirting such as “romantic” and “naughty”. You can choose what type of flirt you want to send and view the flirt before sending it. All of the “flirts” are interactive, so once receiving the flirt message, the receiver must either blow on their iPhone (something I’ve personally never seen) or shake it. It truly is a testament to how far this Apple craze has come and where it can go from here!
BodyGuardz
 BodyGuardz continues to be a leader in iPhone and iPod Touch protectors. As clear “stickers”, using static cling, the film protects your precious device from scratches and general wear and tear. New at the show were their iPhone/iTouch “tatoos”. These stickers adhere to the back and the rim of the front of the iPhone/iTouch and come in a variety of funky patterns. In this day and age where because unique is a commodity unto itself, these “tatoos” are pretty awesome.
Read Lynette's Roundup Part Two >>
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