Apple has just updated its internal documentation regarding its water damage policy for iPods according to a screenshot that Boy Genius Report got a hold of.

A source told BGR that Apple has included a number of Liquid Contact Indicators (LCI) into its iPod line that tell Apple whether the device has come into contact with a liquid. In the past the mere indication by a LCI alone was enough for Apple to suspect liquid damage. Now with the new guide lines Apple is requesting its employee’s carry do further checks to confirm the LCI indicator.

We’ve seen more than our share of third-party Bluetooth devices being offered for Apple’s devices, so it would make sense for Apple to make their own. So it is no surprise that Apple might want in on the Bluetooth accessory game business.

Apple has just acquired Wi-Gear, a company that made a stereo headset called iMuffs. One of the company’s co-founders now lists himself as an iOS Bluetooth Engineer at Apple and it looks like Wi-Gear has ceased operations.

Apple has quietly cut the Mac mini price point in international markets. No one is sure why. The change is reflected in all markets which are not priced in US currency. As an example, folks in the UK can now purchase the two Mac mini models for £599 and £879. The old prices were £649 and £929.

In other European countries, the pricing has dropped to 709 Euro and 999 Euro. Nothing new for us in the States, where we have to pay $699 and $999, respectively.

As expected Apple has announced its latest iLife ’11. iMovie, iPhoto and GarageBand have all been updated. iMovie ’11 will introduce audio editing options as well as one step effects. The People Finder function makes it easier to identify individuals in movie clips, and is a good tool for budding movie makers.

Apple has also thrown in FlexTime, Groove Matching, additional guitar and amp effects, new piano and guitar lessons and other improvements to make the software more usable than before.

Back in 2007, many will recall that the batteries in notebooks were seemingly blowing up at random around the world. One guy has a MacBook with a Core 2 Duo inside that blew up and damaged the machine so it wasn’t usable.

The geek decided to use that machine for a DIY tablet project with some cool results. The tablet he turned the MacBook into still needs some more work on it, but it is operational. The guy integrated a touchscreen and was able to use the screen with the bezel turned the correct way.

The HyperMac batteries from Sanho Corporation are a popular external batterie choice for several Apple devices. Problem is, Apple doesn’t really like them. Apple has sued the company over six patents related to MagSafe and the iPod.

The company claims to use original Apple MagSafe connectors to ensure compatibility, and obviously that connector is a proprietary connector. Instead of mimicking Apple’s patented MagSafe connectors, Sanho’s products actually rely on recycled official MagSafe products made by Apple.

I would bet I owned a dozed Etch A Sketches of varying sizes during my youth. My kids have several of them and still play with them each time we check out at the store since they tend to have little versions near the register. I remember the challenge just to make stairs using the white knobs when I was a kid.

Headcase has announced a very cool new case for the iPad that is called the Etch A Sketch iPad case. The case looks exactly like the Etch A Sketch that we are all used to. The thing has a couple white knobs printed on the corners of the case for looks. Those knobs are only images, not the real deal.

Apple never rests and as proof, an SEC filing today revealed that it has struck a “multi-year agreement” with Rovi in what may be a strategy to support the new Apple TV. The terms are secret, but will let Apple license Rovi’s technology over the course of the deal. Neither company has commented yet.

It’s hard to say what Apple would use the tech for. The company makes interactive program guide material that taps into TV channel lineups. It also makes software for set-top boxes to access and share media stored both on the Internet and the local network. So Apple TV is a good guess.

Norwegian Mac Site Mac1 is reporting that Apple has just bought all shares for the Swedish face recognition company Polar Rose. Neither Apple or Polar Rose have commented on the speculation just yet, but Polar Rose did take down its Flickr service late last month.

This is an interesting move for Apple who already have some Face recognition built into iPhoto for its Faces functionality. Polar Rose’s technology can be built into web applications like MobileMe as well. Polar Rose also had an Android version but, well Apple isn’t interested in that.

When it comes to rear seat entertainment there are a lot of vehicles on the road that have TVs and movie players for kids and adults to watch on longer trips. Watching DVDs can be a bit boring after a while though and in most cars, you are out of luck.

BMW has unveiled at the Paris Motor Show new factory iPad docks for the rear seat passengers. The dock is very nice looking and integrated well into the design of the car. Some aftermarket docks just don’t look good.

An update to Apple’s online store a few days ago was all we needed to tip us off to the possible arrival of Apple’s 27-inch LED Cinema Display. Apple is pretty predictable after all. And of course we were right, the display is finally available for purchase on Apple’s online store.

The display delivers a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, LED backlighting, and a 178-degree viewing angle. The 27-inch Cinema Display first announced back in July and it is estimated that it will ship in 1-2 weeks and will cost $999.

I am an unorganized person by nature and don’t care for keyboard trays and other things that some folks use to keep their desk organized and tidy. I prefer to just set my stuff directly on the desk and work with what I have. There are a lot of folks out there though that want a keyboard tray and can’t stand the clutter.

If you are one of these organized sorts and happen to use a Mac, Combine Collective has a cool new keyboard tray made from black walnut wood that may be the best-looking tray ever. The thing is hand-made in Canada with water-based glue and a food safe stain finish.

XtremeMac has all manner of accessories and cases for Apple gear like the iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Over the last few months, the company has been rolling out a lot of new audio docks that have some interesting features. The latest new dock from XtremeMac is the Tango TRX and the Tango TRX D.

Both of the versions have the same basic features. The both have a dock built into the main section of the device that charges while music plays. Both have Bluetooth and use 2.1 speakers inside. The speakers include a pair of tweeter, a pair of mid-range drivers, and a single downward firing subwoofer.

I am not the sort of person to pack a wallet with a bunch of photos, business cards, and general junk until it’s so swollen you can’t even sit on it. I like thin wallets that go in the front pocket and the only things I take with me are a single car key, my iPhone, and my wallet when I leave the house.

An awesome new iPhone 4 case has turned up that will let me ditch the wallet and only carry the iPhone and my car key when I go out. The case is called the Minimalist 4 and is made by Trtl Bot. It does all the normal stuff you expect a case to do like protect your phone if you drop it. The thing is made from recycled plastic right here in the USA.

Remember when “antennagate” turned into a big deal and Steve Jobs went out on stage and offered everyone a free case, as well as extending the normal 14-day return policy to 30-days? Good times. But, now it’s September 12th today, and the program is closing in 18 days.

While Apple is ending the overall program, which meant that owners of the iPhone 4 could get a free case, it also meant that Apple’s return policy was “upgraded” from 14-days to 30, and the traditional restocking fee of 10% was waived. But, those two features are going back to their old ways.