I’ve got tons of retail management experience.  I was managing computer retail stores between the ages of 16 – 18. I’ve been a gadget geek all my life.

One of the things that I usually advise people against when purchasing electronics, though is purchasing an extended warranty.  Unless you are going to be taking said electronics into a somewhat less than hospitable environment (like my family room, with my boys and most of their toys), the only thing that purchasing an extended warranty plan does is increase margin dollars for the store.  Most products, if they fail, usually fail during the warranty period, and the manufacturer’s warranty is usually sufficient to cover the loss or needed repairs.

Is AppleCare worth the price..?

Today’s the day!  "Our latest creation" is set to be unveiled later this morning/early this afternoon (depending on where you are).  I’ve got a cool little article on iTechGear.org on what to purchase immediately following the Apple Press Event today; and no, I’m not talking about the rumored tablet…at least not exactly.  If the graphic didn’t give it away (too obvious??), then just hang out for a sec and think about it.  AppleCare is NOT just about the extended warranty, kids. Its a lot more. A LOT more…

Why don’t you take a quick jaunt there, check it out and then COME BACK to JAMM, as a couple of us are going to be commenting on what happens and will have some cool commentary on the event this afternoon!

Stay tuned, kids, just we’re gonna JAMM this event!

Archos announced yesterday the upcoming arrival of their latest MID device, the Archos 9.  Sporting an 8.9 inch screen, the new arrival significantly expands upon the Archos line of media players.  In fact, it would be inaccurate to call this device, which runs the Windows 7 Operating System, a portable media player at all.  Archos really seems to have taken its devices to a whole new level with this one.  

Now, I am not sure how this will all work with no keyboard.  Archos seems to believe that this is another evolutionary step in its system, stating the virtual keyboard is the next best innovation in Netbooks.  Now,  I am not a fan of soft input panels or virtual keyboards on my mobile devices, so this is something I am eager to put to the test when I hopefully get the opportunity to check this on out in the fall.  Keep reading for some information I stole from the press release.

Technical Specifications:

Included Software:

The Archos 9 is expected to drop in September.  Final pricing has not been set, but expect it to be in the $500 price range.  Check out the Archos website for more information.  And keep watching this space for our review.

Well the iPhone Nano has been the toast of the MacWorld rumours, getting early and lot’s of coverage, thanks to not one, but two case makers, letting the rabid fanboys, get what they think is an early look at the iPhone Nano all be it fleeting.

From the Washington Post
The analysts still say it’s inevitable, the critics still say it’s unlikely, and the fanboys are still panting over mock ups and screaming, “yes!” However, this time there might be a little more to it. Vaja–a company that specializes in protective cases for mobile devices–briefly added an iPhone Nano category to its Web site, where you could pre-order a case for this non-existent Apple toy

Needless to say I’ve been skeptical about the Nano iPhone, for a long time, but the feeling around this  rumour seems to be moving from “glass half empty” to “glass half full” on this one. In a rather strange twist today, we’ve gone from minimise to supersize in one foul swoop.

How would you like a netbook sized iPod touch, what about a 7 to 9 inch screen? Well a little tweet from TechCrunch I saw this morning is pointing in that direction!

Read More …

Just as I am getting ready to wrap up my multi-part overview of the iPod Touch, Archos drops a bombshell with their new seventh generation media players, which they refer to as, “Internet Media Tablets.”  As you can see in the image above, these are aimed straight at the iPod Touch, and I have to say they look like they could give the iPod some serious competition.  The new Archos comes in three models, the Archos 7, Archos 5, and Archos 5g. 

According to SlashGear, the differences between the three are pretty obvious:

The Archos 5 is available in 60GB, 120GB and 250GB capacities, with a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen and 0.5-inch thickness, while somewhat curiously the Archos 5g only comes in one 30GB variety.  The bigger Archos 7, meanwhile, has a 7-inch touchscreen (still at 800 x 480), either 160GB or 320GB capacity and is 0.63-inches thick.

All three offer Wifi connectivity.  The 5g also offers HSDPA cellular broadband.

I have reviewed the previous two generations of Archos media players, and have always been extremely impressed by their offerings.  I can’t wait to check these out and watch video or read an ebook on that gorgeous seven inch high resolution screen.

The Archos store currently has a big “Coming Soon…” sign on it, but rumor is that these new players should be available in September, with prices starting at $350.

[via Archos and SlashGear]

I believe I have found nirvana.  Amtek has designed a pocket sized UMPC that looks like the Sidekick.  Their prototype is making an appearance at Computex and it’s hot!

It contains a Qwerty keyboard under the closed screen, an Intel proc with 600MHz/800MHz depending on the version you buy, a 1.3 megapixel camera, a 3600mAh battery and Windows Vista.

This is not a production model and it is not know if it will become one.  But I want one anyway.  I think they hit the sweet spot with a pocket sized UMPC.

Read more at Gizmodo