I know there are plenty of stereo speaker systems for iPod available, but one more can't harm you, especially if we're talking about a good-looking one like the new Gear4 Duo, "a world’s first – a speaker system that offers a powerful sub-woofer with a detachable portable speaker." I hope this sounds good to you, because I really love the idea!

<-234x60 Half Banner - left->Now, let's cut the introduction and jump right to the features, so here's what the Gear4 Duo has to offer:

- 38W total speaker output
- 18W satellite speaker output
- 20W sub-woofer
- Strong, metal fold-out stand
- Delivers true high-fidelity audio quality
- Bass Unit charges Satellite Speaker
- Retractable iPod dock
- Power or charge Satellite Speaker via AC cable or Bass Unit
- Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
- Unique patented design
- Compartment for 2nd battery (doubles battery life)

While this system is compatible with the iPhone, iPod 4G, iPod Classic, iPod mini, iPod Nano (including the 1st and 2nd Gen), iPod Touch and the iPod Video, it doesn't have the "Works With iPhone" certification yet. Anyway, the DUO will be available in June, so maybe they can solve this "problem" until then.

Pricing and availability? Well, you will probably get the Gear4 DUO for about $230, but best thing to do is to go to the Gear4 Store and place your order as soon as possible. Considering the features and looks of this one, you may have to wait for a while, if you don't decide fast!

Did you buy an expensive mouse or keyboard lately? Good! Take good care of them, because in less than a decade, they may become vintage pieces of hardware! Multi-touch is the way of the future, and today I have to tell you just a few - but very interesting - things about it. Basically, it's about Apple's patent pictured below...

<-234x60 Half Banner - left->...but first, a little bit of history! Back in 1982, the University of Tokyo developed the first finger pressure multi-touch display, and only a few months later, Bell Labs and Murray Hill published a work which is probably the first paper discussing touch-screen based interfaces. Two years later, Bell Labs did it again, by setting up a touch screen able to manipulate images. In the same year, Microsoft began research in that area, but it took 7 years for a significant breakthrough to occur. In 1991, Pierre Wellner published a paper on his multi-touch “Digital Desk”, which supported multi-finger and pinching motions, later to become key elements in products such as the iPhone or the iPod Touch. Finally, in 1998, a Newark-based company called Fingerworks and run by University of Delaware academics John Elias and Wayne Westerman, produced a line of multi-touch products including the iGesture Pad. Now, let's move to 2008, shall we?

Moving to the present, there's nothing more left to say than a question, and its answer, so... who's the owner of the "Multi-Touch" trademark? Answer: Apple!

I hardly wait to see the next-gen Windows operating system, coming with multi-touch support, and nicely having the text "Multi-Touchâ„¢ is a trademark of Apple Inc..." So, what do you think about this? Feel free to unleash your thoughts, no matter how unorthodox they may be!

Did anyone say the iPhone is cannibalizing iPod sales? Yes, a lot of people said it, and even I had to agree with that. Anyway, it seems that didn't stop Apple to increase the number of iPods manufactured, especially now that the next MacBooks are going to be delayed because Intel's upcoming Montevina Centrino 2 chip won't arrive just in time, but that's another story, and I will leave it aside for now. Now, let's see how do the iPod numbers look, shall we?

According to FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger, Apple has boosted its iPod build numbers by almost 15 percent for the June quarter, so the iPod growth quarter-over-quarter may go as high as 35 percent!

"We see greater Shuffle, Classic, and Nano builds slightly offset by fewer Touch builds, with greater Shuffle builds accounting for most of the increased iPod builds," said Berger.

As a personal thought - I don't think the iPod touch is worth its price, and with the arrival of the 3G iPhone, the high-end iPod should be compromised anyway. Why? First, if the 3G iPhone is not extremely expensive, people are going to buy it instead of the iPod touch, and even if the new iPhone will be beyond the buyers' reach, they will surely be able to get an "old" iPhone for a very good price.

At the same time, Mac builds refuse to go up. "For the second quarter, we see total PC build volumes declining about 15 percent sequentially due to Apple's [notebook] inventory build in 1Q," estimated FBR Capital Markets' analyst.

One last question - what do you think about the iPod touch? There's any sense in having it, as long as you have an iPhone, no matter if it's going to be the 3G model, or the old one?

One of the subjects that I wasn't really into these months was the expected update to Mac OS X, and there's one good reason for this - after no less than 8 months since Leopard became available for the masses, Apple finally unleashed version 10.5.3, a 400MB update which seems to improve a lot of things, when compared to the previous version, as well as fixing most issues found in Mac OS X and still to be solved, until now. OK, so let's see what's new in Mac OS X 10.5.3, shall we?

As usual, Apple gives some details about its updates, but doesn't uncover everything you would like to know. Well, some users have better things to do than reading change logs, after all, but I think Apple should come up with two versions, in the future - a brief one, and a detailed version with all the changes and fixes a certain update is bringing.

This time, I will help those of you who don't want to read the entire Knowledge Base document regarding Mac OS X 10.5.3 by quoting only the highlights of the update, so here we go...

- Addresses an issue with stuttering video and audio playback in certain USB devices.
- Includes additional RAW image support for several cameras.
- Addresses an issue in which Finder may not be available if the computer name is blank in Sharing preferences.
- Improves Safari reliability when connecting to the Internet through a Microsoft ISA proxy.
- Improves AirPort reliability when using Time Capsule.
- Fixes reliability issues with iCal syncing.
- Resolves an issue in which Mail may prevent idle sleep when set to automatically check for new messages every minute.
- Resolves an issue in which Parental Controls may prevent forced sleep.
- Includes fixes for Time Machine compatibility with Time Capsule.
- Includes Braille Update 1.0 which enables GW Micro, HandyTech, HIMS, Nippon, and Papenmeier Refreshable Braille displays.

These being said, I will leave you to download and enjoy Mac OS X 10.5.3. Obviously, we won't mind at all if you get back and drop a comment to share with the others your impressions regarding this last update to Mac OS X Leopard!

If you want to simply sit back and enjoy your favorite tunes loaded onto your iPod, without headphones, what can you do? I am not talking about some small, portable speakers! We're thinking big today, and although you won't let all your neighbours know you're still enjoying those Britney Spears tracks, you can surely feel the difference with the latest LG iPod-ready home theater systems!

<-125x125 Button - left->The LFA840, pictured above, is the junior of the series announced by LG, going up to the almighty LHT888, tuned by Mark Levinson and featuring 5.1-channel surround through a 700-watt speaker system with wireless rear channels(ehem, that may even let your neighbours know what you're listening too, so be careful with the volume, all right?).

The LG home theater series, which include the LHT888, the LHT874, LHT854, LFD850 and the LFA840 I already mentioned above, also have the ability to play DVDs as well as media from USB devices, including iPod-specific navigation, as well as more generic mass storage.

If you are wondering about the prices, they are ranging from $230 for the LFA840, up to $650, for the LHT888. Obviously, all these are made for iPod with Direct Dock, so you can easily connect, control and play directly content from your favorite portable media player.

To find out more about all the above, as well as to find other audio systems and accessories from LG, most of them iPod-compatible too, simply visit the Digital Audio page of LG's main site.