While Apple's sales in the United States are going higher and higher, despite the global economic cooldown, as well as the drops in computer/electronic sales in the American market, it's no surprise to see new Apple Stores popping up here and there. The interesting part is that, so far, Mississippi had no Apple Store, but this is going to be repaired right away...

...because - obviously - the first Apple computer store in Mississippi is expected to open its gates as soon as possible, joining those over 200 worldwide Apple stores. The location of this upcoming Apple Store is Renaissance, at Colony Park, but there's more than just the above, and I am talking about jobs, fortunately, for those still looking!

OK, so if you think you're capable of working as a retail specialist in Apple's new store at Renaissance at Colony Park, an open-air mall opened near I-55 and Highland Colony Parkway back in March, you should visit Apple's retail jobs page and find out more about this deal.

The good part is that, if you can't get a job at the Apple store, there are also other businesses coming to Renaissance looking for staff, including J.Crew and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

At last, it is worth being mentioned that Apple already has stores in the area - Baton Rouge, Birmingham and Memphis, but none in Mississippi. Good to see things are changing...

The 3G iPhone is going to arrive soon, and most people expect it to drop on the 9th of June, but there's a big question I have to ask: what are you going to do with your old iPhone, if you already have one? Unfortunately, it seems that all the iPhones manufactured so far can't simply become 3G iPhones through a firmware update, so... Anyway, you simply don't have to worry, because it seems the French iPhone distributor, Orange, is going to have a special trade-up deal ready for its customers!

I know, I know - life is cruel, so if you're not currently one of the iPhone owners who got the gadget-phone from Orange, you still have to find a way to get rid of that "oldie" when the 3G version shows up, but there's still some time left until then. Now, let's get back to Orange's trade-up deal, shall we?

Basically, this is the deal - you give your "old" iPhone, and you get a discount of 50 EUR for the 3G version. Just my 5 cents - shouldn't you simply sell it, because you'd surely take more than 50 EUR for it???

Anyway, Orange didn't say anything regarding this rumor, so nothing is official yet, but if this becomes official, I am sure that the discount must be more than just 50 EUR, because otherwise, I can't imagine too many iPhone owners giving them away only for a 50 EUR price drop in acquiring the new 3G one!

I know Steve Jobs pulled out the MacBook Air out of an envelope when showing it to the world for the first time, but I am sure nobody is carrying this precious piece of hardware in an envelope! Obviously, even other laptops need to be properly protected, and today I just found two great solutions for this problem, which I hope you'll like at least as much as I do.

Both products I am going to tell you about come from an online vendor named Koyono, with the first one being a sleeve, and the other, a backpack. Both have only one purpose - to help you carry around and protect your laptop. The sleeve, being sold as BUILT Cargo Laptop Sleeve, can be seen in the picture above, and the details are coming up right over!

Built from a thick neoprene layer able to stretch to accomodate various notebook sizes, the BUILT Cargo Laptop Sleeve has 3 exterior pockets for extras, and can be purchased in one of the S, M or L sizes. The list of available colors is pretty long, and I am sure most people can easily find at least one color to match their taste. Here are the color combinations available: Fiery Orange Exterior / Duffle Green Interior, Black Exterior / Powder Blue Interior, Brown / Mint Green Interior, Olive Green / Evergreen Interior. Pricing? Only $45.00!

Next, we have the BUILT Laptop BackPack, "a slim laptop bag made from lightweight neoprene and breathable air mesh, and sports a anatomically contoured look." What's so cool about it? Well, when I saw it for the first time, it looked like a bulletproof vest to me, and that's pretty cool. Its features include 3 compartments for laptop, power adapters and iPod/iPhone, adjustable sternum strap, but it's only available in M and L sizes, with the list of colors to choose from being Olive Exterior / Evergreen Interior, Black Exterior / Powder Blue Interior. Obviously, this is also manufactured using protective, lightweight neoprene. Its price? For now, $79.99.

These are just my two picks for MacBook protection today, but you can simply go to Koyono.com an pick your favorite. Just remember to get back here and drop a comment, all right? Happy shopping!

Today is a strange day, since all interesting news seem to be related somehow to iPod or iPhone accessories. Well, I guess we have to talk about such things from time to time too, and I am sure you're not going to get angry for that, so let's see what's in store for those millions of iPod users out there from Creative, shall we?

Described as a "Slim, hand-held iPod nano speaker with big sound," the TravelSound from Creative retails for $79.99 on the product page at Creative.com, and has the following features:

- Rechargeable battery for extended music listening
- Sync with iTunes via the USB port
- Bonus USB wall charger
- Sleek speaker stand which allows you to easily view photos and videos
- The great sound offered by this small package has a power output of 700mWatts RMS per channel (2 ch), with a frequency response of 180Hz - 20kHz and a SNR greater than 80dB.

The built-in Lithium Polymer battery allows up to 15 hrs of playback at 10mW total output, and can be recharged in at least 2.5 hrs via the USB cable or a power adapter.

At last, you should know this product has been specifically designed for 3rd generation iPod nano with video, and that Creative offers a twelve (12) month(s) limited hardware warranty.

These being said, I hope your 3rd generation nano will soon enjoy Creative's TravelSound, so you won't have to pass on the iPod to anyone from now on, when it gets to sharing your favorite music while on a train or in any other similar situation.

Griffin is one of those companies leading the way when it comes to iPod and iPhone accessories, so it's not a surprise to see they did it again. According to them, the iTrip AutoPilot is the first solution which allows you to play and control your iPod as it charges...in your car, but this is not something unique. The chapter where the AutoPilot managed to come in first is the iPhone compatibility, being the first iPhone-ready iTrip!

Since I am sure you want to know what's this car kit capable of, let me give you the features, as quoted on the Griffin iTrip AutoPilot product page:

- AutoPilot controls iPod playback from your dash or console's cigarette lighter with the touch of a finger. - Industry-leading SmartScan does all the work -- scans the radio dial for the three best frequencies then saves them automatically to 3 programmable presets for easy recall at the touch of a button.
- New SmartSound™ Plus technology delivers clear sound under real-world conditions.
- New high-contrast display is easy to read.
- Three-stage light ring changes color to indicate the charging status of your iPod battery.
- RDS technology shows song information on your RDS-enabled car radio display.

When it comes to the compatibility part, it's enough to say that most iPods are compatible with the iTrip AutoPilot, including the older iPod nano or the iPod mini.

Unfortunately, there's one more (painful) thing to add: the price. As you can see on the page I quoted above, the product is expected to arrive soon, but pricing has been already announced - no less than $99! Well, that's it...not all good things in life come cheap, or even for free.