For the next 5 days we're giving away a bunch of stuff from our friends at Dr. Bott. Check back each day for a new chance to win a bundle of goodies, each with a theme.

Today the theme is "the active iPodder," or all those folks you see running with their iPods strapped to their arms. So we're including the Marware Sportsuit for a long-distance runner (holds up to 160 GB of music) and an EcoRunner 4th-gen nano strap for shorter distances. Plus, you'll want to hear your music while you drive around (perhaps to wherever you're going to run), so we're throwing a Griffin iTrip Auto SE in the mix.

I have tried the latest versions of these iTrip devices, and I have to say they are much better than previous models. Provided you have a clear channel, the signal is strong enough to provide a decent FM sound. My wife, a conisseur of nano wrist straps, was duly impressed with the EcoRunner -- it fits on your arm as well and is supposed to be more green by not using neoprene as the primary material. We didn't give it a long test, as giving away sweaty merchandise isn't cool, but our 1st-gen nano fit (thanks to the way the sleeve is made), which was cool.

Win a Marware 4th-gen nano wrist/arm strap, a Griffin iTrip, a Marware Sportsuit Convertible for iPod classic (80 and 160 GB versions) and the very last of our now old-skool TUAW t-shirt (only available in small). To enter, just tell us whether you are a runner, a cyclist or none of the above.

• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
• To enter leave a comment telling us whether you are a runner, a cyclist or none of the above.
  
• The comment must be left before December 31, 11:59PM Eastern Time.
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• Prize: TUAW t-shirt ($5), Marware Sportsuit Convertible for iPod classic ($34.99), Griffin iTrip Auto ($69.99), Marware Eco Runner ($34.99)
  
• Click Here for complete Official Rules.

Since we last wrote about them, motionVFX has expanded their selection of high def templates for Apple's Motion significantly. The website is just as easy to navigate as it was before, but there's a lot more content fit for professional video work or great starting points for custom titles, intros and menus.

As a special Holiday treat, motionVFX is offering a coupon code to TUAW readers, good for a 40% discount on all of their Motion templates. : Enter coupon code X9HQVV at checkout to receive your Holiday savings. A big thanks to motionVFX for the generous gift!

If you're flush enough to give Apple gifts this holiday season, but frugal enough to want to avoid shipping charges and still get your gear in time for Christmas, be mindful: Apple's web store deadline for free express shipping is tonight at midnight Pacific time (3 AM Saturday ET). Most items (including refurb machines) can still be shipped in time if ordered by 12/23 at 10 am PT, for an additional fee; however, tonight is the last chance to put your money down for an engraved iPod.

If you really like the idea of gift shopping at the very last minute and beyond, you do have one option that can take you right into Christmas Day: Apple's flagship 5th Avenue retail store in NYC will be open as usual, 24/7 right through the holiday. My sympathies, in advance, to the retail staffing team that's drawn the short straw and has to work overnight on New Year's Eve... that's going to be messy.

[via Dealnews]

It's late Friday night, you're stepping out of the bar into the cold after a few drinks, and as you head towards the car, you stop, realizing that it might not be the right time to drive. But how can you know for sure? Simple -- you just pull out your iPod. Because the iPod hasn't had enough random things attached to it, there's the iBreath, a breathalyzer that connects to the bottom of your iPod or iPhone and will not only tell you what your BAC is, but transmit your iPod's audio to your FM radio as well.

You've gotta be kidding us. Not only should you never drive after drinking, as even legal levels can be dangerous, but even if you just want to know your BAC you can buy a regular breathalyzer for a lot less than the $80 this one costs, and you don't even need an iPod to connect it to.

But we'll give these guys their credit -- of all the things you can attach to an iPod, this one might be the strangest.

Ahhhh, New Year's resolutions. You promise that you're going to take better care of yourself, improve your life, and then you usually break all of those resolutions by January 2nd. This year's going to be different, right? Here are some gift ideas to help you keep your 2009 New Year's resolutions.

Weight Loss

Unless you're the lean and mean marathon Mac man and real-life action figure Adam Engst, you could probably afford to lose some weight. Resolving to lose a few pounds is a classic New Year's resolution, and one that's very easy to break. Fortunately, there are some Mac and iPhone applications that can help you to stay the course:

CalorieKing Nutrition & Exercise Manager for Mac OS X -- This US$45.00 application has a huge food database and makes it simple to drag-and-drop caloric information into a food diary. Exercise tracking and a weight log are included as well.

BeFit -- TUAW covered the debut of this US$15.95 Mac application earlier this year, and it remains a good program for tracking what you put in your mouth. Remember, you can get BeFit at half-price if you're a current Jon Brown Designs customer.

We all have a friend of family member obsessed with posting videos on YouTube. Their cats, dogs, babies and whatever else are all fodder for two minutes of teh funny. This holiday season, help them improve their craft and produce the next big viral hit with these gift suggestions.

Software
Quality editing software is not cheap. So it's surprising, actually, that Final Cut Express 4 is reasonably priced ($199US) for the amount of power it packs. I recommend this over cheaper options like iMovie for two reasons. First, it's an extremely capable application that isn't missing much from its much pricer big brother. An amateur video producer won't quickly grow bored of its capabilities. Second, and more important, if the person you are giving this to has any ambitions of becoming a professional, familiarity with the Final Cut way of doing things will be a huge advantage in the marketplace.

We are all too aware that the iPhone, in its unjailbroken state, doesn't record video. That doesn't mean it can't be used as a tool in video production. Slate is a simple application that replaces the iconic clapping chalk slate used for years throughout Hollywood. Reviewers in the App Store have some legit complaints about it, but it's still a fun application with a bunch of potential.

Hardware
Let's face it. You're not going to drop almost $5,000US on this badboy. (Note to wife: want!) But how about under $150US for a camera that captures 60 minutes of video, at decent quality, requiring no tapes or memory cards, and fits in your front pocket? Enter the Flip Video family of cameras.

These little machines aren't going to do it for professionals, but for amateurs looking to record precious family moments or spontaneous news events, it'll do the trick nicely. And it's called a Flip for a reason -- it has a USB connector integrated into its design. It flips out and, with a little bit of adjusting (a dozen or so business cards tucked under one side of a MacBook) it connects easily to just about any computer.

Flip Video last month announced a high-def version of the camera called the MinoHD. It sells for about $229US. There's also a competing Kodak camera, the Zi6, that has a fanbase of its own.

One of the best presents you can give an aspiring video producer -- besides a gig at LucasFilm -- is more hard drive space. Digital video consumes sick amounts of storage. Luckily, hard drives in the terabyte range are coming into the realm of affordability. A quick poke around Amazon.com shows a few options for under $150US. Some of these may not cut it for actual production work, as speed is of the essence, but for nearline storage, they'll do the trick quite nicely.

Stocking Stuffers
Last-minute shoppers rejoice. There are many cheap, easy-to-order products out there with which you can fill your aspiring video producer's stocking.

• Mini tripod -- Shaky video is distracting when it's not intentional. A tiny, tabletop tripod is very handy for any videographer to have in his bag of tricks; newer Flip Video cameras have a tripod mount built in.
• Personal telepromter -- I saw this demoed last year at a conference and I was blown away. It works great with any Mac laptop with a built-in iSight camera, it's cheap, and it's very cool.
• Snowball -- No, not the frozen kind. The Blue Snowball mic is one of my favorite pieces of post-production kit. It's great for laying down voiceovers, and works equally well for recording audio for video podcasts. It's a USB mic, so it's not going to hook up to a camcorder, but for studio work it gets the job done in style.

We get a small number of physical products to review around here, and the streets are thick with iPhone cases of every variety -- but Element Case stood out. These aren't generic leather or plastic cases, they are somewhat beefier plastic cases available with metal, carbon or wood accents and sporting magnetic "flip" lids. The added surface area makes it a little easier to play games, especially if you're getting cramps playing Fieldrunner all day. At the end of this review we've got a special-edition TUAW Element Case to give away.

The phone is secure in the case because you have to unscrew the bottom of the case, slide the phone in, and put the screws back in. There are ports along the sides that allow you to access everything you'd normally need: camera, volume, sync cable port. You can't put the phone in the dock, however. The "flip" lid is a piece of plastic with magnets, and those magnets lock onto the screws. The lid attaches to the back of the case when you need access to the screen -- a nice design feature.

I'm not sure all this protection adds any shock absorption, but the phone certainly feels sturdier with a rigid casing on the outside. For games, the added surface area was welcome, even more ergonomic. Speaking of the casing, you can choose a CNC-machined version with a base in aluminum alloy (fits first-gen iPhones), but my model was the "Liquid" edition, which is injection-molded plastic (fits both 1st-gen and 3G iPhones). There's a slightly fancier plastic model with some wood veneer on the back, plus a nickel-plated model and a very limited-run of the "CRG" model. The only problem with all this is that several of the cases are for the 1st-gen iPhone only (like the CRG), so you'll have to peruse the shop and see what's available. Essentially everything is limited-run, which adds to the cache value of your case, if that's your thing. No designer case would be complete without customization, and Element Case will custom-engrave a design on the lid or back of your case.

Well, my earlier prediction turned out right. I said in my last review that more tricks would be on the way, and this afternoon 3 more hit my in box. Maybe there is something to magic after all.

These three apps for the iPhone and iPod touch are from Instant Download Magic and Mentalism in the U.K. I lived in London for 4 years, and I can attest that magic is very hot there. Even some of the pubs have regular magic shows, and one of the oldest magic stores in the world, Davenports, is still in operation serving the magic community.

Here's an overview of the tricks, which are three separate downloads from the App Store;

First, is Magic Match [App Store link}. You show the spectator your iPhone, and there is a match box. You open it (digitally) and show a match inside. You can move the match by dragging it around with your finger. In a flash, the match vanishes from the on screen box and a real match appears in your hand. Doing this involves some help from the iPhone, and a quick sleight of hand move. It's pretty stunning to watch it performed, and full instructions are available from within the app and on the instant download website;

Next up is iThought Receiver. [App Store link] Basically, you ask your assistant to chose a color from 3 shown on screen, and to press a button to reveal the answer. The iPhone gets it right, and your assistant could be amazed. This is another class of trick entirely, and rather than involving any magician moves, it is a clever use of the principle of the magicians 'force' to get the right result.

Finally, ESP Vision, [App Store link] where someone picks a number at random on screen, then uses the number to select an ESP symbol, and when you remove the phone from your hand the symbol they selected actually appears on your hand written in ashes or a marker. It's a bit of a stunner when seen for the first time. This effect too, relies on some well established magic methods, and is not hard to learn.

All the apps are very well rendered, and have some impressive animation. There are further instructions and downloads of PDF files you can print out after you buy these tricks. The tricks are $1.99US except ESP Vision which is $2.99US. You could be the life of the holiday party, but it could be a bummer if someone tries to call your iPhone in the middle of your performance.

We're in the middle of gift guide season right now, but here's a gift that would fit great on any Mac user's list: Throwboy has designed a set of throw pillows after some of the Dock's most famous icons, including iTunes, iPhoto, Dashboard, and the Finder. They're 100% fleece, hand-crafted, and look cuddly as all get out.

Sure, a computer icon might seem like a strange thing to squeeze, but hasn't Finder been there for you in the worst of moments before? No reason that shouldn't remain the case outside the computer as well. You can pick up a pillow (for yourself or anyone else this holiday season) for $29 each, or $149 for the whole set. They ship in about 3-6 weeks, so there's no guarantee you'll get it by Christmas, unfortunately, but as their order page says "handmade takes a while."

Listen up iPod nano (3rd Generation), iPod Classic and 5th Generation iPod owners! Your ability to abstain from buying iPod games could be challenged, for Apple have quietly released Sonic the Hedgehog for your favorite pocket music players. Yes, Sonic the Hedgehog. I can wait here -- you go celebrate this gaming icon making it to Cupertino via the iTunes Store.

You're back? Excellent. Complete with MIDI-esque soundtrack for true 'throw-back-to-Sonic's-golden-era' effect, this new game will cost you $4.99 / £3.99 (yes, almost $8 - pity us Brits) or €4,99 via the iTunes Store and is available now; there's also the usual gifting option, should there be an iPod user in your life you've yet to find gift inspiration for.

[Via CVG / David Chartier] - UK iTS Link - US iTS Link

Still looking for gifts for your friendly neighborhood switcher or new Leopard user? Nothing says "I love you, but I'm sadly incapable of planning ahead and getting organized enough to buy actual, physical presents" like the gift of eBooks. Well, maybe cash says that too. Anyway, if you were in the market for some topnotch Mac guides, you could take advantage of today's 20%-off MacSanta discount on the Take Control line from TidBITS.

Your choices include classics like "Take Control of Thanksgiving Dinner" and "Take Control of Your Domain Names..." not to mention plenty of Mac, iPod and Leopard help. At $8 for most titles with the discount, it's a steal.

I, like Christina, am a bit of a book lover - especially over the festive season. Normally found looking through a formidable library of books, what better way to stave off the pre-Macworld hype (at least for a few hours) than a relevant book. Unlike reader Matt Holland, who chose to use his MacBook as a reader (possibly some sideways-reading with ComicBookLover?), I'm going to be sticking to books of the printed realm. Christina's recommendations for a few books can be found here.

Podcasting news has put together a helpful guide to the most impossibly bad iPod accessories. These include the "Rock My Teeth" tooth whitening appliance shown here as well as the Griffin iBeam--perfect for frying your retinas, and the iFrogz Tadpole case that allows your toddlers to throw their iPods around like frisbees.

Be aware, some of the items listed are not safe for work, and the hilarity of the other items may cause physical injury.

As a recent fully-fledged "switcher" myself, I'd like to think I have some ideas about what to get the recent Mac convert (and no, this is not just my Amazon wish list - though anyone buying me stuff is free to use it as such). If you haven't already purchased the switcher in your life a gift for Christmas or the Birth of Santa (tm. Bart Simpson) or any other winter-themed occasion, here are some items you might want to consider. Please note that the prices in this guide are in USD and current as of this writing, subject to change without notice. Check with the manufacturer's website or your favorite retailer for updated pricing. Now, onto the goodies!

Books:

Maybe I'm just really lame, but I'm always a fan of giving (and receiving) books geared towards a person's interests and sensibilities. Somehow, a book just seems more personal than a gift certificate, and less easy to screw up than a piece of clothing...

The good news: against expectations (well, mine anyway) the MacUpdate Promo bundle has sold well enough to unlock the final application in the ten-pack, the Aquafadas slideshow creator PulpMotion. You now have until shortly after midnight ET to get the full bundle for $49.99; see my earlier post for the full app list.

The bad news: right now it appears that http://mupromo.com is responding only intermittently, perhaps due to heavy volume. If you can't get to the site immediately, wait a few minutes and try again.

Update: The original deadline appears to have applied only to unlocking the full bundle; you now have another eight days to buy, if you choose.