It is getting down to crunch time. We need to get our e-mails, SMS, and MySpace requests to the big guy at the North Pole before it is too late. In a pinch? Don’t know what to get?

Here are a few last minute ideas for the iPhone/iPod Touch owners in your life.

While my new iPod touch is less susceptible to scratches than my old nano (which I believe I once nicked with my fingernail), it’s still something that you want to protect as you stick it in a pocket and travel around. And let’s be honest—while the iPod design has always been one of elegant simplicity, if you’re going to put it in a case, you want it to have a little style. Apple wisely didn’t step on any of the accessory makers’ toes when Apple started shipping some of its iPods with a “case” that was just a cloth sleeve. Accessories are a big part of the iPod experience, and if style is what you’re looking for, Porporta has that in spades.

All four of the cases I tested had a few features in common: they were well-designed and they didn’t block the dock port nor the volume rocker. None of them came with any kind of protection for the touch screen itself. Beyond that, their differences come down to a matter of personal preference; do you want a leather case or silicone? What color, or colors? Do you want to use your iPod case as a wallet, or do you want unfettered access to the touch screen? And how much are you willing to pay?

Okay, so Black Friday is just a couple days way, officially kicking off the holiday shopping season, and you have no idea what to get your music loving family member/friend? First of all, don’t panic. With the sorry state of the economy and the multitude of online stores and retail outlets fighting for your dollar, there are plenty of options available to those looking for Mac/PC, iPhone and iPod accessories. Perhaps even too many options, which is why we’re narrowing this down to just music accessories. After all, everyone loves music, right? Except the Grinch for the first 25 minutes of that cartoon? And you’re not the Grinch for the first 25 minutes, are you?

Of course not! You’re awesome, and you want to buy people awesome gifts. Well, we’ve got some humble suggestions here to help you on your way.

The most amazing thing about the iPod touch is the user interface, because, like all of Apple’s best products, it is both amazing and obvious. Well, obvious now that someone’s done it. Steve Jobs famously hates buttons on a mouse, and now he’s eliminated not only the buttons, but the mouse itself. You touch, you flick, you drag, you pinch, and the iPod doesn’t just obey, it reacts.

You might also be interested to know that it runs programs, too! So, how does the new iPod work as a, you know, iPod?

Not all of us have the iPhone 3G or any of the new iPod designs. And, not all of us can expect to be getting them this holiday season. I mean, come on, there are Blu-ray players to buy. Flash Gordon figures. Games for the Wii (well, not really…the Wii’s holiday line-up is severely lacking this year). Thankfully, people like us haven’t been forgotten by everyone. For proof, turn to Speck, who have announced an amazing 25% to 75% sale on all of their products for the previous-generation iPhone, iPod and MacBook lines.

Starting today and running thru the end of the year, Speck is offering the following deals exclusively at their website:

The Ewoo eFizz speaker system caused some conflicts here at Appletell Towers. About half of us liked the black, curved styling, the other half felt it looked like the midsection of a mannequin that had fallen apart. About half of us felt it was too large, the other half felt it’s not much bigger than your standard desktop stereo system. Most of us felt the price was a bit steep, while others are used to paying more for quality stereo equipment.

What all of us could agree upon, though, is the sound. Ah, that sweet, sweet sound. The Ewoo eFizz is easily the best sounding iPod speaker system I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Full review after the break.

Looking for another good gift idea for the upcoming holiday season? Look no further than iHome’s new iHM77BC Portable Multimedia Speaker system. Currently costing $49.99, these speakers feature a vacuum bass expansion and two amplified speakers with built in rechargeable batteries that can be juiced up via USB. With a 3.5mm audio jack, they can more »

I spend decent money on headphones. I know there are many people out there who are happy with $20 headphones off the rack at the local drugstore, but I’m not one of them. This is mainly because I wear headphones at work, not just on the train, while out for walks or taking flights. I use my headphones every day, so they have to be comfortable, and they have to get good sound.

And yet, this is the first time I’ve tried out noise canceling headphones. I don’t really need noise cancellation in an office setting, so there’s never been a point in paying for technology I’d rarely use. High end active noise canceling headphones can hover around $300 or more, after all. But now, with their $100.00 Clear Harmony Foldable Active Noise Canceling Headphones, however, Able Planet has put this technology with reach.

I recently wrote an article for Appletell in which I wondered if the App Store / iPhone combination would kill iPod gaming. In the article, I opined that it will, and probably should, but that it saddened me to say so. For one reason or another, developers just never figured out how to program games for the click wheelbinterface, or what games to port over to the iPod. A few games stood out, a few were terrible, and the majority were simply mediocre.

Then, suddenly, along comes Square Enix. Square Enix of Final Fantasy fame. Square Enix of Valkyrie Profile fame. Square Enix of Dragon Quest fame. Square Enix has released some of the best and most beloved RPG franchises—be they action, tactical or what have you—on pretty much every platform worth mentioning since the NES. And now, with the release of Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes, they’re on the iPod. Just having this company acknowledging the iPod is big enough, that they’ve also released arguably the best iPod game yet makes it all the more satisfying.

Full review after the break.

Reviewing speaker systems is a bit tricky for me for two reasons. First, I know little about the science of sound. Numbers and fancy symbols and awkward abbreviations mean as much to me now as they did when I wasn’t paying attention in junior high science class. I’ll display all those numbers and abbreviations later in this review, but it’s up to you to decipher them.

Second, although I can tell you whether something sounds good and why, I can’t tell you how good it sounds compared to the competition. At the electronics stores, I can sample four or five systems next to each other, determine what I like best, and make my purchase. Here, I’ve just got one unit standing alone, doing its thing, and I have to judge it on that alone.

Find out how the Mint 220 Digital Wireless Digital Music System does its thing after the break.