To be honest, I don't really know what to think about Apple. Don't get me wrong, I love Apple and (most of) its products, but some of the decisions took in the last year made me wonder what's really happening with them. First, Apple skipped the Mac Expo in the UK. That was happening last year. Now, it just became official that the Cupertino-based company won't exhibit this year at the Apple Expo in France, scheduled to take place in Paris, between the 17th and 20th of September. Why?

Well, the plan was to have the biggest booth this year too, just like in previous editions of the French expo, but then Apple changed its mind. The main reason seems to be the fact that Apple has just received the agreement from the authorities to open an Apple Store at Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, so despite the fact they'll miss the 25th birthday of the expo, the parents of the iPod and iPhone will have a two-floor store with a surface of about 7700 square feet!

Unfortunately, the Apple Expo in France had only 54,000 visitors last year, down from a maximum of almost 90,000, reached a few years ago. The exposure Apple will get in the Carrousel du Louvre will be of almost 9,000,000 people per year, of whom 40 percent are tourists. Despite that, I feel this is not the right thing to do - leaving an Apple Expo "Appless..."

There are so many 3G iPhone rumors popping up these days, that I had to take a decision which may seem to be strange for some, but it seems the right thing to me - I'll leave them aside. There is only one week until Steve Jobs' keynote at the WWDC 2008, and we'll talk about the real thing as soon as everything becomes available. Leaving the iPhone behind, there's plenty to do until buying a 3G iPhone, like buying some accessories for your old one, for example. What kind of accessories? Well, I guess Griffin's WindowSeat, the new dock for iPhones and iPod touches may be a good idea for you, and here's why...

<-234x60 Half Banner - left->The Griffin WindowSeat is a windshield mount for iPhone and iPod, so I can easily keep your gadget in sight while driving your car. Here's the feature list:

- High-grip silicone suction pad attaches to your windshield or other nonporous surface easily and stays put.
- Mounting bracket securely holds iPhone with easy access to dock connector and headphone jack.
- Can be used in conjunction with Griffin Technology’s PowerJolt charger for iPhone, or any other in-car iPhone solution.
- Includes an AUX cable for convenient connection to AUX-In-equipped car stereos.
- Good-looking, durable materials complement your vehicle’s interior and withstand the temperature shifts that go with that environment.
- Quick, secure adjustments to viewing angle with swiveling ball-and-socket joint.
- Included adapter accommodates steeply angled windshields.

Considering the fact this handy windshield mount costs only $30, and will surely be able to hold the 3G iPhone too, I guess you could give it a shot and buy it right now... if you have a car to use it with, of course! ;)

Do you remember the SoundSticks? In my opinion, these speakers were one the best matches for a iMac, and not only due to their design. You have to hear them, and then you'll understand! Unfortunately, I can't tell you anything about a new version of this 3-piece speaker system, but I'll remain in the Harman Kardon court, because there's another great device ready for your and your iPod, namely The Bridge II docking station.

Now, let's see what is there to know about this iPod dock from Harman/Kardon, shall we?

The Bridge II works with all iPods that feature a docking connector, being fully compatible with all the current models, except the iPod shuffle. Obviously, the iPhone and iPod touch are both supported. Unfortunately, this docking station doesn't come with speakers and screen, because you have to connect it to any Harman Kardon Bridge-ready audio/video component, so you can enjoy audio/video playback through a home entertainment system, while taking full advantage of the on-screen iPod menu display, remote control operation, and charging features.

Expected to arrive in the next few weeks, The Bridge II will have a MSRP of $130 and will ship with the AVR 354 7.1-channel audio/video receiver. If you don't have any Harman Kardon device in your house yet, I think now's the right time to start buying their products, or at least give them a try. I am sure you won't be disappointed, even though you may not fall in love with their futuristic designs...

I don't know if it snows in your area or you're going to the beach these days, but if I have to speak for myself, things are getting really hot here, regarding the matter from more than just one point of view, if you know what I mean... Anyway, now is the right time to get your sunglasses and your iPod, and go out, in the woods, on the beach, it doesn't really matter where. If you find a nice place to stay, why not have a 7-inch screen and some nice surround sound speakers at your disposal, to fully enjoy your iPod's content? I just found a device able to offer them both in the same package, and some interesting extras, too, so let's check the Goodmans iPod Boombox!

If you like to be the first one in the neighbourhood to have the iPod Boombox, then the good news is that you're not late, because this black beauty is going to arrive later this summer.

The outstanding features of the device are the built-in card reader, the iPod dock and, of course, the excellent 7-inch LCD screen! To allow the ultimate iPod experience, the iPod Boombox has multilanguage support, and even includes earphones, so if you're in the same tight place with another Boombox owner, you won't have to compete for sound volume supremacy...

Compatible with virtually any iPod, the Boombox will be available for around $175, but you can already place your order. If all the above is not enough, then let me add a full function remote control to the equation. Now, is that better, or not?