Letter from Steve Jobs

August 24, 2011–To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it.
And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

More info when we get it. NC

Well it’s an inflatable tent called “The Cave”. Duel layer “air beams” are tougher then you’d think (they claim) and they inflate in less then a minute. Alright that’s pretty cool. Lets check it out…

Lightweight breathable water-resistant nylon makes up the inner tent and a tough waterproof polyester footprint (the layer under the tent which keeps your butt dry), they say it’ll fit 2-3 people, so you can count on one with a lot gear or two with light packs, and it has built in lofts and gear pockets.

Alright, now lets take a closer look. This isn’t a backpacking tent of that we’re sure, but it’s not intended to be. It looks like it would be a great car camper, or maybe even for those trips when you’ll be seeking new routes and day adventures from a basecamp. Durability over long term use could be an issue, but the design is much like that of a bicycle tire so patching is possible.

Our biggest issue isn’t the idea, but the price. At over $600 this isn’t something that will replace the expedition tent you already own. This is aimed at gear heads and people who always want the newest and best. Chances are you’ll have to fall in love with this idea and want another tent on your shelf to buy The Cave. It’s very unlikely that this will find a home on the shelves of adventurers pushing the limits of themselves on their way to the next summit. Not when it’s still mostly unproved and it’s in the same price range as proven tents from brands like The North Face, Marmot, Nemo, and others. Still the price could be worse and we’re sure these will find a home with many adventurers.

All the facts can be found here. As far as we’re concerned this is a cool idea and a great start. As long as we continue to see development and innovation such as this in the outdoors industry rather then heaters in boots, well the future of tech and nature together looks good to us. NC

Looking for a camera bag that looks as little like a camera bag as possible? The good folks at Blackstone have got your needs covered. Shaped to fit your needs and your gear, this will hold a few lenses and a body with lens. This isn’t something that’ll hold everything you own, but it’ll hold everything you need. You can also strap a mono/tri-pod on the outside of the bag. $125. NC

With it’s bright vintage theme and the Gulf logo proudly displayed on the side, this is another ride we love from Deus Customs.

The Flug Scorpio 255cc, slick as Texas tea and twice as loud. Full shots after the Hop. NC

Well it’s here, those European techies and music lovers have been ranting about this service for some time, and now that’s it’s here it’s time for the US of A to decide if it was worth the wait. We break down the services and talk a little about the iPhone and Android app’s after the jump.

With about 15 million songs it looks a lot like the anti-iTunes at first glance with a darker appearance and style then the Apple service. This service is being hailed by some as what may do in other services like iTunes or Pandora. While we’re not sure about all that, it doesn’t fail to impress.

Free for up to 10 hours a month, $5 for Premium and $10 for the Unlimited service which is really the one you’ll be wanting. $5 will get you unlimited computer listening, but for mobile services, such as the iPhone or Android app, you’re going to have to spring for that $10 a month plan. Your $10 will also get you temporary downloads for listening offline and higher end sound quality.

Early reports seem to lean in favor of the iPhone app over the Droid app, saying it runs, looks and seems more polished. In any case, if music is your love and you’re not set on owning every album you love, streaming from this digital jukebox may just be the way of the future. NC

Now this is a ride! A raw and rugged style, 542cc air cooled engine, a Keihin FCR39 carburetor, blacked out rims, slick silver with black lettering, splashes  of red and black paint, and of course that one of a kind style. NC

If these look to you like the Apple power button then you need not read on, because that’s exactly what they’re styled after. Machined from 6 series aluminum, these slightly overpriced cufflinks also glow just like the indicator light on your Mac. Geek meets class has arrived readers. $130. NC

Google has formed partnerships with two manufacturers to build the hardware, Acer and Samsung. Each of the companies will produce one Chrome netbook. -Source. NC

From the guys who brought you the incredibly popular iPhone camera app, Hipstamatic, comes this nifty little case that completes the iPhone into a camera trend that’s going on right now. With a small mount for your tripod you can even use this to shoot with your iPhone in low light.

Protection wise there’s not much there however, it consists of not much more then a simple hard plastic backing and some retro style. Plus the tripod mount isn’t anything but a small thin piece of plastic, meaning you’ll be waiting for it to stop wiggling before taking any photos. Great idea Hipstamatic, but it need more work for this price iPhone users can do better. This is about the same as the $10 incase Walmart special, yet it costs 4 times as much. We give it style points, but like we said, you can do better and we expect more from this crew. This ones for hardcore Hipstamatic lovers only. 5/10.  $40. NC

Well it took long enough, but it’s finally here. The long rumored white iPhone has made it’s way to the market and is now available. NC