The New York Times is reporting that Apple is secretly working in a prototype device that can be worn as a wrist-strap watch. According to sources within the company, the “… new curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist,” will have the built-in functionality of Siri, allowing users to control the device with their voice. The inspiration seems to come from third-party accessories that make wrist watches of the iPod nano.

The New York Times article reveals that Apple may have some of these wearable prototypes already built and going through the experimental stages. These devices will become the “first network-enabled wearable computers,” capable of sharing information to all of our devices via wireless technology. New York Times writer Nick Bilton wasn’t clear in the article on what wireless technology Apple might want use on these devices, but we can presume technology such as Bluetooth.

Google seems to be competing Apple, building their own future wearable devices. Sources claim that Google may be teaming up with Nokia engineers, among others, to create their own wearable watch technology to counteract Apple’s attempt to dominate the market. Such devices from Google will have technology built into them that will enable communication with their line of Android smartphones.

The report from the New York Times envisions a future in which all of our mobile devices are connected, and wearable devices—including spectacles and contact lenses with built-in displays—will have the capability of sharing information with other users.

Via [The New York Times]

Good evening, and welcome to day…12. The final entry in SkinIt’s 12 Days of Deals is upon us, and it seems it was worth waiting for: buy one skin, get one free.

Now, I’ve always had an issue with this wording. If you have to buy one, you’re not really getting that second one free, right? It’s not free if you have to buy something to get it. It’s more of a two for the price of one thing, isn’t it?

Regardless, here’s a great chance to take care of two gifts at once, or reward yourself with a little something while knocking another gift off your list.

The “free” items has to be of equal of lesser value, of course. The offer excludes ear buds, etched metal, custom neoprene sleeves, skincards, ecards and shipping, and cannot be combined with accessory bundles, sale items or other offers.

The sale ends tonight at midnight. Use the code DAY12BOGOALL when checking out at SkinIt.com to take advantage of the offer.

Also be sure to check out their SkinCard Bundle deals.

SkinIt continues their 12 Days of Deals campaign with one of the best offers yet: 50% off custom skins. It’s day 11 in the campaign, after all, and that means it’s December 11th. There’s not a whole lot of time left to complete your Christmas gift shopping, and a custom skin for iPhones, iPad, MacBooks, and dozens of other digital devices is a pretty solid gift idea, don’t you think?

The sale ends tonight at midnight. Use the code DAY11CUSTOM when checking out at SkinIt.com to get the 50% discount.

Also be sure to check out their SkinCard Bundle deals.

SkinIt is getting into the spirit of giving by having you give them money…only a lot less of it. Every day through the beginning of December, they are offering different deals on their plethora of skins for numerous phone, laptop and gaming devices. With today’s deal, buy any large device skin (laptop, iPad, Xbox, Kindle) and you can get two small device (phone, mp3 player) skins for free.

The special ends at midnight, December 4th and excludes shipping prices. Use code DAY4SMLFREE when checking out.

In addition, you can save up to $50 on SkinCard Bundles. “Let your friends and family pick out their personal favorites from thousands of exciting designs—or even create their own. Each SkinCard comes with a unique code redeemable for one skin, including shipping and tax. SkinCards are a perfect fit for anyone!”

For more savings over the next week and a half, be sure to sign up for the SkinIt mailing list to have the deals delivered directly to your in box.

See [SkinIt.com]

We’ve seen a few leaks this week on Apple’s annual one-day-only Black Friday sales event. The savings on Apple products were accurately slight, but as in years past, Apple is offering significant savings on compatible third-party products. Save over $100 on Bowers & Wilkins speaker docks and various laptop bags, and you can get fun accessories like the Parrot AR.Drone for under $250.00.

The biggest savings from Apple come from their biggest products: Saving $101 on the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac. The iPad 2 starts at $458 on Black Friday only, with the lower end iPod touch coming in at $178 and iPad nano at $118. In addition, the Magic Trackpad, Apple Magic Mouse, AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and Apple Wireless Keyboard are all $11.00 off the regular price.

The savings get better on third-party products, which Apple has split the sale into various categories. Some of the highlights follow:

Surround them in sound:

• Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones – $128.00 (save $51.95)
• M-Audio KeyStudio 49 USB MIDI Controller – $68.00 (save $31.95)
• Palo Alto Audio Design Cubik Digital Hi-Fi Multimedia Speakers – $148.00 (save $51.95)
• Philips DC390 Dual Dock Clock Radio with Remote – $98.00 (save $51.95)

Keep their stuff safe, secure, and stylish:

• kate spade new york Janine Notebook Carrying Case – $398.00 (save $101.95)
• Cole Haan 15″ Leather Messenger Bag for MacBook Pro – $298.00 (save $101.95)
• Michael Kors Wallet Clutch for iPhone 4S – $58.00 (save $21.95)
• Incase Terra Campus Backpack for MacBook Pro – $78.00 (save $21.95)

Show them new ways to play:

• Scosche myTREK Wireless Pulse Monitor – $98.00 (save $31.95)
• Silverlit Interactive Bluetooth Remote Control Enzo Ferrari Car – $58.00 (save $21.95)

Help them work wonders:

• G-Technology 750GB G-DRIVE mobile Portable Hard Drive – $98.00 (save $71.95)
• Mobee Magic Charger for Apple Magic Mouse – $38.00 (save $11.95)

Read [One-Day Apple Shopping Event 2011]

Belkin, maker of all types of accessories for laptops, iOS devices, and Android devices, is having a sale until September 30th. Not just any sale, but a 50% off (almost) everything sale with no minimum purchase.

All you have to do is use the coupon code FB50 when you check out on Belkin’s online store.

The only bad news is that Belkin’s web site has been inundated with shoppers, so it may take you a few tries to get in.

Via [Gizmodo]

The Green Bay Packers are your world champions (and by world, we mean American), and SkinIt is helping fans celebrate by offering 15% off their order of Super Bowl XLV Champion merchandise. Unfortunately, because of NFL’s agreement with Sprint, the designs aren’t available for the iPhone. You’re still free to deck out your iPods and Macs, though, as well as just about any other gadget that needs to advertise your favorite team.

We’ve reviewed SkinIt NFL skins before, and have been always been impressed with the designs and quality. They’re likely even more impressive when you’re getting 15% off. To claim your savings, simply enter code CHAMPS15 when placing your order. You can get the savings no matter what skin you order, but I can’t imagine Steelers fans will be all too thrilled about using that code this morning.

Product [SkinIt]

What time is it? Normally, I’d say Tool Time, but if you have an iPod nano on your wrist, apparently it’s TimeToRock! At least, that’s what Speck is suggesting with their wrist watch style case for iPod nano. They certainly aren’t the first company to make this style of case for iPod nano, and they won’t be the last. So, does their TimeToRock case have what it takes to hold your hand and never let go?

The TimeToRock case is pretty basic. It’s a soft and flexible plastic-like material that’s essentially a watch without the functioning parts. Instead, there’s a hole waiting to hold on to your iPod nano and never let go. I mean that. With the TimeToRock case, there is a 0% probability of your iPod nano falling out. It holds on so tightly you might think it’s a little clingy, but I’ll get to that later.

Like any normal wrist watch, TimeToRock is adjustable and should fit nearly every wrist size. I have fairly skinny wrists, but there’s definitely room here to accommodate a much smaller wrist. And just for fun, I tried it on my bicep, and was pleasantly surprised that it couldn’t make it all the way around. I’m not saying there’s a gun show going on anywhere around here or anything, just that this thing has limits. Sorry, Arnold, your wrist probably isn’t going to fit in here. Everyone else should be fine.

All essential controls are easily accessible, save the dock connector. The volume buttons and power button have moldings that cover them, but keep them usable. The headphone port has a cutout, and should fit most skinny headphone cables. And finally, the front is free of any covering, so you can tap and swipe away.

What I really like about this style of case is that it makes your iPod nano very accessible. Changing a playlist or checking the time is very easy. It’s preferable to an armband style case in terms of accessibility.

But this thing isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. While the TimeToRock comes with cable management bands for routing your headphone cable up your arm, they make you feel like “that guy” and don’t particularly help much. They don’t actually grip your headphone cable, so you’ll likely still have pulling problems while running. All they really do is make you look funny and prevent your cable from flapping around as much as it could. I don’t actually blame Speck for this. They tried to fix the problem, but the problem remains. It’s a problem with all wrist style cases, not just this one.

Also, this case does have one major flaw. Unlike Leonardo, it never lets go. Getting your iPod nano out of this thing is a little like opening a can of soup without a can opener. I seriously thought I was going to tweak my iPod nano’s screen in an irreversibly bad way while trying to remove it. I’m not sure how this this has an “easy-to-pop-in and pop-out design” because I can’t figure it out.

Ultimately, I’m just too concerned about removing my iPod nano safely from this case. It’s a nice case in terms of design and accessibility, but my iPod nano gets charged at least weekly, and you can’t charge it in the case. I really wish this case was easier in that one area, because in all other respects, it’s very nice.

Appletell Rating:

Buy TimeToRock

Last week I reviewed Evouni’s Handmade Felt Pouch for iPhone. It’s nothing more than what it says—a pouch for your iPhone—and I really liked it. Now, I’m reviewing Evouni’s Nano Fiber Pouch for iPhone. It’s nothing more than what it says—a pouch for your iPhone—and I just don’t like it nearly as much. Hopefully I can explain why, because I’m not 100% sure myself.

I like the texture of the Nano Fiber Pouch, which is made of Japanese Toray Ecsaine textile. I could look up exactly what that means, but I’ll leave that to you. I’ll just say it’s soft and smooth to the touch, and very comfortable to hold. It comes in five colors: purple, dark gray, pink, orange and light blue. The sturdy, external stitching around the edges matches the color of the case. It’s a very low profile design.

And the design is really all it is. Aside from a lanyard loop (lanyard must be purchases separately), there’s not much to the Nano Fiber Pouch. You slip the iPhone into the top, and that’s it. As with the Handmade Felt Pouch, it’s designed to offer extra protection from scratches and drops when you’re carrying it in your pocket, purse or bag.

But it doesn’t stay in place as well as it does with the Handmade Felt Pouch. After carrying it in my laptop bag, I’d often find the top of the phone sticking out an inch or two.

Perhaps what really knocks it down for me, though, is the lack of character. It doesn’t feel like an iPhone case, it feels like a generic gadget case.

Maybe that’ll be a good thing for some of you, though. You can fit any iPhone here, really. The iPod classic and iPod touch. When Apple changes the form factor of the iPhone again, it’ll still likely fit in the Nano Fiber Pouch.

But between the two, I prefer the better fit of the Handmade Felt Pouch, and I prefer the uniqueness of the wool, even though it’s almost twice as expensive. The Nano Fiber Pouch is a well made, quality product that does exactly what it claims to do, but it doesn’t offer enough in functionality or character to separate it from its competition.

Appletell Rating:

Buy the Nano Fiber Pouch for iPhone

Hopefully, your holiday shopping is finished and you’re all set to relax and enjoy the season. May as well reward yourself, and a good way to do so is with Portable Sound Laboratories’ iMainGo X speaker case for iPhone and iPod touch, which we’re conveniently giving away.

You can put together any combo of cases and speaker systems to get the protection and sound you need, but not many combine them into the convenience of one unit that still delivers “huge sound.”

The iMainGo X protective compartment fits and protects the iPhone, iPod touch, all iPods (except the Shuffle), and most MP3 players. The compartment is large enough to keep your device in its third-party case even when inside the iMainGo X.

The premium, high output stereo speakers are tuned for amazing bass reproduction, and you can play, control and view your device without opening your iMainGo X. More details are available at the Portable Sound Laboratories website.

To enter:

1. Read the iMainGo X giveaway contest rules.
2. Make sure you’re registered with Appletell and logged in (if you’re not registered and logged in, your entry will be void).
3. Leave us a comment below on this page, not on the contest rules page, by midnight, December 24th, 2010. Tell us where you mainly want to go this holiday season.

That’s all there is to it. Have a happy holiday season from Appletell and Portable Sound Laboratories.

Product [iMainGo X]