SPECIALS | 01/08/10 – 01/15/10

_Happy New Year, All!_

Well, we’re about a week into 2010 and I am in the midst of some serious new year organization. There’s a lot to do here now that the holidays have wound down, and we have an eye to the future–2010 is certainly going to keep us busy.

First up: “CES.”:http://www.cesweb.org/ Don is out in Las Vegas right now with some of our crew for the Consumer Electronics Show representing for Chill Pill Audio. This is the first time we’ve been to CES, which is __the__ largest consumer technology tradeshow (or as it’s been described, “geek heaven on Earth”:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/08/ces.explainer/).

“Check out some photos of our booth and the event so far here.”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/chillpillaudio/

The end of January will bring some exciting events as well. Chill Pill Audio will again be showcasing at a trade show, this time at the “New York International Gift Fair”:http://www.nyigf.com/ from January 30 – February 4.

Plus, the rumor mills have started churning with the announcement of an Apple product event scheduled to take place on Wednesday, January 27. Will there be a tablet? iPhone updates? Who knows–as we all know, Apple will keep as much under wraps as they can until the 27th.

Details are sketchy, but “read more about Apple’s upcoming event here.”:http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100104/major-apple-product-announcement/

In this issue, we’ve got some tips for your Mac’s Dictionary, things to look for when you’re comparing Macs, a review of the Quiver, an iPod shoulder strap for people on the go, another contest for our newsletter readers, Twitter followers and Facebook fans and more!

__This issue of Kibbles and Bytes is dedicated to our friend and talented artist Stephen Huneck.__

You might know that there are multiple ways to access the Dictionary application in OS 10.5 and 10.6. You can launch the application from your Mac’s Application folder, or you can Command-Click on a word in a document, and choose “Look Up in Dictionary” in the contextual menu that pops up. If you’re in a native Mac application (Safari, Mail, etc), you can launch a mini-Dictionary when you position your cursor over a word (or highlight a word) and hold down Control-Command-D. Clicking “More” at the bottom of this tiny window launches the full Dictionary application.

From here it’s evident that you can look up words, correct spelling mistakes, and research synonyms. You can also research Wikipedia entries related to words in the Dictionary app. OK, great, that’s all well and good. But did you know that there’s another whole level to the Dictionary app? When you click on “Go” in menu at the top of the menu bar, you’ll see a link that says “Front/Back Matter.” Open this and you’ll discover a hidden new universe in your Mac’s dictionary. These are many classic Oxford reference materials here, such as “Rules of English: Understanding Grammar,” “Constitution of the United States of America,” and, perhaps most interestingly, “Clichés.”

I let the cat out of the bag, and the ball is now in your court. I know you’re busy as a bee but it’s time to bury the hatchet, pay the piper, and check out Dictionary’s hidden reference materials. It’s a no-brainer. Practice makes perfect. This might be a quick and dirty Mac Treat, but I’m not pulling any punches; I’m putting my money where my mouth is. And last but not least, wonders never cease.

If you enjoy running, biking, or snowboarding, you’ve probably brought along your iPod to keep the energy flowing and have realized that reaching into your pockets to fumble with your iPod to change songs can be tricky (not to mention dangerous).

The Quiver aims to eliminate this hassle, sporting a simple yet ingenious design that allows you full control of your iPod or iPhone while keeping the headphone wires under control and your iPod safely tucked away. The design is reminiscent of an arrow quiver used by archers (hence the name) and is worn across the torso, similar to how you would wear a messenger bag. The material is stretchable and
water-repellent, so it remains comfortable and will get you through virtually anything Mother Nature can throw your way.

Right on the front and in easy access in a line of five buttons that make up the Quiver’s “inSound” control system—allowing you to play and pause your music, answer a call on your iPhone, skip tracks, and raise/lower the volume. These controls are enabled by plugging your device into the dock connector in the Quiver’s main pocket.

Headphone management is the other area where the Quiver shines. No one likes to deal with tangled, dangling wires, especially in the middle of activity. The Quiver allows you to feed your headphone cord through the fabric and to the pocket where your iPod sits. This allows enough cord to comfortably and safely wear your favorite headphones without getting them tangled in a tree branch or other obstacle.

Once you have your headphones and iPod in place, adjust the Quiver to fit against your body snugly, and you’re off! Perfect to make the most of a long winter or to motivate you to keep that new year’s resolution to stay active!

Kibbles & Bytes Exclusive
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Hope everyone had a safe and happy new year’s eve, and a great start to the new year. Ed and I, along with…

How about a contest for the new year? We will be randomly selecting three winners of a Mac/iPod gift pack from our “Facebook fans,”:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Small-Dog-Electronics/18904017006 and “Twitter followers”:http://twitter.com/hellosmalldog and newsletter subscribers.

If you’re not already in our Facebook group, you can join here:
“Small Dog Electronics on Facebook.”:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Small-Dog-Electronics/18904017006

Not on Facebook? “Sign up here.”:http://www.facebook.com

Do you use Twitter? We post Mac tips, tricks, news, contests and more on our Twitter feed. “Click here to follow us on Twitter.”:http://twitter.com/hellosmalldog

We’ll be announcing the winners in February!

The American Cross estimates that “every two seconds someone in America needs blood.” That’s where you come in! January is National Blood Donor…