We start another week of deals with iPod and iPad bargains in the spotlight. First up is a number of iPod touch units, beginning at $149 for an 8GB model. Next is a lattice back protector for the original iPad. Finally is a 70 percent discount on select iPad 2 cases.

Along the way, we also check out deals on the ModBook, leather cases for the iPad 2, ways to take your iPad in the car, as well as software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

When OS X 10.7 ships later this summer, one of its least used yet most beloved system applications will be getting a gorgeous new facelift.

The placement of the cellular and WiFi antennas between the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 couldn’t be more different, but that’s not stopping a small but vocal minority of iPad 2 owners to cry about an Antennagate of their own.

If you are Apple, you can afford to go head-to-head with patent trolls, such as Lodsys. Not so the little guys. That’s why two app makers are now encouraging developers used to competing against one another to join together to fight off common enemies.

First, Apple takes Acer to the woodshed over netbooks, now the PC maker takes a bruising for demanding a lady-sized 7-inch tablet. They’ve just figured out what Apple has known all along: the iPad’s the perfect size for a tablet.

When isn’t San Francisco the place to be?

OK, maybe New Orleans during Jazz Fest, or St. Barts at your wedding; London for your royal whatsit.

But otherwise — right?

The Geek Universe is set to converge on Cupertino’s northern climes next week and lest anyone fear the festivities might be confined to Moscone Center’s sterile hallways, Party List is on hand to direct interested parties to the hippest, happening off-site and after-hours events during WWDC 2011.

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One of the best things about Apple is how focused they are on allowing their users to bring out their own creativity through the use of their devices. One of our talented readers, George, tweeted us a link to his awesome guitar solo video on YouTube. We’re not a music-centric blog, but we think the composition is pretty neat when you consider that he’s made the entire song on his iPad. If you have something remarkable you’ve created on your iPad and would like to share it with us, get on Twitter and send us a link (@cultofmac). We’d love to show your work off for you.

You’ll find a notebook to suit everyone within Apple’s family of notebooks: the entry-level MacBook is perfect for students and casual computer users, the MacBook Air is a blessing to the travelling businessman, and there’s a MacBook Pro fitting for just about everyone. And I’m not the only one who thinks so – Consumer Reports just dealt Apple’s awesome MacBooks a whole lot of love.

(Update: Looks like we were right to be skeptical. GigaOm has since corrected their post to say they mistakenly published an old press release.)

In what we hope is a return from his medical leave of absence, Apple has apparently just confirmed that Steve Jobs will be the official keynote speaker at this year’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference.

Dell just launched its newest 15-inch notebook named the XPS 15z, which it claims in its advertising material is “the thinnest 15-inch PC on the planet.” However, the fact that it’s still fatter than a 2.5-year-old MacBook Pro is a testament to Apple’s superior design and engineering… as well as Dell’s willingness to use flexible semantics when it comes to trumping Cupertino.