While reading WWD the other day, I couldn’t help but notice a blurb on Miss Piggy. Our favorite muppet drama queen is fashion’s it-girl. We all know Disney is dropping a new “Muppets” movie (Nov. 23) and Piggy is playing the editor of French Vogue, but her glam is going ham.

Catch her in November’s InStyle, rocking couture made specifically for her by the likes of Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Opening Ceremony, Suno, Brian Atwood and Giles & Brother. She has some striking colors in the OPI Muppets polish collection and she is the prima pig for MAC makeup collection, also in stores in November. Did I mention she’ll join the elite judges of “Project Runway All Stars” too? Piggy makes it work. Kermit better let her upgrade him.

Steve Jobs and friends are pushing more of that iCrack again. Sure, the iPad didn’t get a better screen, memory boost or even stereo speakers, but what did you expect? Tiger blood?

The new iPad is still every bit of awesome – front and rear cameras, a smart cover, HDMI! It’s thinner, lighter, faster, stronger. Watch the video and get to know your new favorite gadget a little better.

Delivery Status Widget.

If you think that Apple has a lot of Apps, you should check out their Widget library.¬† With it being Xmas season, our online shopping has increased – so I went hunting for a UPS/USPS tracking app.¬† I haven’t had much luck with them in the past, but I came across Delivery Status and decided to give it a shot.

About Delivery Status
Can’ wait for your packages to arrive? Don’t waste your time checking the site constantly, just open this all-in-one delivery tracker and enter your order number or tracking number. The status will update automatically for you, and even count down the days! It also works with Growl to give you pop-up message, email notifications, and more, whenever your package status changes.

If you have more than one order, just open another copy of the widget so you can keep an eye on them all at once! Click the question mark on the back of the widget for more tips, or just hold your mouse over an item in the widget for more information!

Highlights

• Notifies you with Growl on package updates.
• Integrates your Amazon and Apple accounts, tracking every purchase made on their sites.
• Ability to track multiple packages.
• Make a list of ‘favorites’ i.e UPS, USPS, DHL, Amazon

Delivery Status Widget.

Download the set via Icon Set.

Check out the latest accessories to hit the market for the trendy device, with everything from neoprene sleeves to desktop chargers.

XtremeMac: Neoprene Sleeve
Ideal lightweight iPad sleeve for traveling

* Form-fitting sleeve integrated with pockets for such items as cables and earphones
* Velcro seal ensures iPad and other accessories are safely secured at all times
* Hex design gives it a sleek and modern aesthetic

Available at: XtremeMac.com
Price: $39.99
Website: www.XtremeMac.com

XtremeMac: Nylon Sleeve
Durable sleeve provides maximum protection for iPad

* Form-fitting exterior protects and secures iPad
* Soft plush lining cushions iPad and protects from scratches
* Clean design and zipper at the top of the sleeve provides easy insertion and removal of iPad
* Hex design gives it a sleek and modern aesthetic

Available at: XtremeMac.com
Price: $49.99
Website: www.XtremeMac.com

IDAPT i4 Universal Desktop Charger
Simultaneously charge four different devices and clear cord clutter with one system

* Features 3 tip ports and one USB port and LED light indicating charge status
* Interchangeable “quick release” tip system allows for easy, customizable charging system
* Compatible with over 3,500 brands of mobile devices, including Apple, Nintendo, PSP, Blackberry, Garmin, and more
* Package includes six of the most popularly used interchangeable tips
* Available in black and white

Available at: IDAPTweb.com
Price: $59.99 MSRP
Website: www.idaptweb.com

We drink a lot of the Apple kool-aid around here, so it is good to see some of the Office for 2011 features pop up around the interwebs. In the embedded teaser video, we see glimpses of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and even Outlook. Yes. We finally get Outlook.

Besides that, it look to be pretty standard and now includes a full screen view for Word. As a writer, this is something I really appreciate. [BGR]

On a side note, I really like the song. LOL

For those of us Mac owners who have had a Blackberry since the beginning have unfortunately had no way to sync.¬† There was good ol’ PocketMac, but that wasn’t always such a great and thorough option.¬† Well, now a link has been leaked to save us all!

To download the Desktop Manager for Mac, click this link here.

Personally, I don’t know what took them so freakin long. My goodness. but I digress. Blackberry has finally announced that they are working on a client for Mac OSX and it will be available in September. Here are the initial features:

• Sync your iTunes playlists, calendars, contacts, notes and tasks [if Apple doesn't find a way to kill it, of course]
• Add/Remove applications
• Update your device when new software becomes available
• Backup and restore your device data with such features like automatically scheduled backups and optional encryption (security is #1 as always‚Ķ)
• Manage multiple devices

For some reason, I don’t think it will be as robust as the Windows version, but hey you have to take what you can get.

I’m an Apple head. I rock a MacBook, the Nano and an iPhone. But I must admit, PCs are getting smarter. Between the HP’s Digital Clutch and the Dell
Inspiron Mini 10, I am intrigued.

They are portable (2.5 lbs) and seem perfect for the writer on the go. The Dell starts at a bite size $349 and offers models that benefit both Product (Red) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. What do you think of the new, small models?

As if the last updated didn’t make the unibody Macbook more like the Pro, this last updated definitely did it. The 13-inch MBP gets the backlit keyboard, SD card slot and an option for up to 8GB of RAM.

In addition, the MacBook Air’s price just got dropped down to $1,499. Still cost about $1799 with a 256GB SSD, but thats at least $700 cheaper than before.

Here is the press release:

Apple Updates MacBook Pro Family with New Models & Innovative Built-in Battery for Up to 40 Percent Longer Battery Life

SAN FRANCISCO, June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ ‚Äî Apple¬Æ today updated the aluminum unibody MacBook¬Æ Pro line to include 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch models featuring Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to 40 percent longer battery life. Each MacBook Pro includes an LED-backlit display with greater color intensity, the innovative glass Multi-Touch‚Ñ¢ trackpad, an illuminated keyboard, an SD card or ExpressCard slot, a FireWire¬Æ 800 port and state of the art NVIDIA graphics. Starting at just $1,199, the MacBook Pro line is more affordable than ever, with some models up to $300 less than the previous generation. The industry’s greenest notebook lineup, every Mac¬Æ notebook achieves EPEAT* Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.

“Across the line, all of our new MacBook Pro models now include Apple’s innovative built-in battery for up to seven hours of battery life, while staying just as thin and light as before,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Starting at just $1,199, the aluminum unibody MacBook Pro is more affordable than ever and sets a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.”

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models include Apple’s innovative built-in notebook battery for up to seven hours of wireless productivity on a single charge without adding thickness, weight or cost. Using Adaptive Charging and advanced chemistry first introduced with the 17-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year, the built-in battery delivers up to 1,000 recharges before it reaches 80 percent of its original capacity-nearly three times the lifespan of conventional batteries.** The longer battery lifespan equals fewer depleted batteries and less waste.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is a significant upgrade at a lower price than the original aluminum MacBook it replaces. With the same sleek and durable design popular with consumers, students and professionals, all 13-inch MacBook Pro models now include a seven hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, a FireWire 800 port, an illuminated keyboard and an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater color gamut. Featuring the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive priced at $1,199, and another with a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive priced at $1,499.

The perfect balance of performance and portability, the 15-inch MacBook Pro now features a seven hour built-in battery, an SD card slot, an improved LED-backlit display with 60 percent greater color gamut and 4GB of RAM across the line at an entry price $300 less than before. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in three models: a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 250GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for a new entry price of $1,699; a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 320GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics for $1,999; and a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 500GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics for $2,299.

The 17-inch MacBook Pro, which includes an eight hour built-in battery, an ExpressCard slot, a brilliant LED-backlit display, 4GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT graphics, has been updated to include a faster 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a larger 500GB hard drive for $2,499, which is $300 less than before.

All MacBook Pro systems feature Apple’s revolutionary aluminum unibody design and for the first time can be upgraded with up to 8GB of RAM, and up to a 500GB hard drive or up to a 256GB solid state drive. The 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models can also be upgraded to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. All MacBook Pro systems include a next generation, industry-standard Mini DisplayPort to connect with the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display.

Apple today also updated the incredibly thin and light MacBook Air®, making it more powerful and more affordable. Measuring just 0.16 to 0.76-inches thin and weighing just three pounds, the MacBook Air is available in two models starting with the new entry price of $1,499 for a 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 120GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics, and a 2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system with a 128GB solid state drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for $1,799.

Every Mac notebook achieves EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebook design. Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. All MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models contain no brominated flame retardants and use internal cables and components that are PVC-free. The built-in battery design results in less waste and depleted batteries can be replaced for $129 or $179, which includes installation and disposal of your old battery in an environmentally responsible manner.

Every MacBook Pro comes with Apple’s innovative iLife¬Æ ’09 featuring iPhoto¬Æ for managing photos, iMovie¬Æ for making movies and GarageBand¬Æ for creating and learning to play music. Every Mac also runs Leopard¬Æ, the world’s most advanced operating system, featuring Time Machine¬Æ, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; Spaces¬Æ, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalized stationery; and iChat¬Æ, the most advanced video chat.

Pricing & Availability

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro, 17-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are now available through the Apple Store¬Æ (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Mac OS¬Æ X Snow Leopard‚Ñ¢ will be shipping in September 2009, and any new Mac system purchased without Snow Leopard from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller between June 8, 2009 and the end of the program on December 26, 2009, is eligible for the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Up-To-Date upgrade package available for a product plus shipping and handling fee of $9.95 (US). Users must request their Up-To-Date upgrade within 90 days of purchase or by December 26, 2009, or whichever comes first. For more information please visit www.apple.com/macosx/uptodate.

The 2.26 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US), includes:

¬? 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

¬? 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

¬? 1066 MHz front-side bus;

¬? 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

¬? NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

¬? 160GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

¬? a slot-load 8X SuperDrive¬Æ with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

¬? Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

¬? built-in AirPort Extreme¬Æ 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

¬? Gigabit Ethernet port;

¬? built-in iSight¬Æ video camera;

¬? two USB 2.0 ports;

¬? one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

¬? SD card slot;

¬? one audio line in/out port, supporting both optical digital and analog;

¬? glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

¬? built-in, 58WHr lithium polymer battery; and

¬? 60 Watt MagSafe¬Æ Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:

¬? 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

¬? 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

¬? 1066 MHz front-side bus;

¬? 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 8GB;

¬? NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

¬? 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

¬? a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

¬? Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

¬? built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

¬? Gigabit Ethernet port;

¬? built-in iSight video camera;

¬? two USB 2.0 ports;

¬? one FireWire 800 port (FireWire 400 compatible);

¬? SD card slot;

¬? one audio line in/out port, supporting both optical digital and analog;

¬? glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard;

¬? built-in, 58WHr lithium polymer battery; and

¬? 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a 250GB 5400 rpm, 320GB 5400 rpm or 500GB 5400 rpm hard drive, a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare® Protection Plan.

Although this seems very odd that they are starting this at the end of the school year, it appears that Apple’s back to school promo is in full swing. It is nothing different from other years, but for those that are not aware, here is the rundown: College students and college/K-12 faculty who purchase a qualifying Mac (excludes refurbished computers and Mac minis) will receive:

• $229 rebate on an iPod touch
• $229 rebate on an iPod classic
• $199 rebate on an iPod nano 16GB
• $149 rebate on an iPod nano 8GB
• $79 rebate on an iPod shuffle

This applies to any Mac they buy. On the lower end, the White Macbook just got a much needed speed bump to a 2.13GHz processor, a 160 GB HD, and faster RAM.

[Apple]