From the mailbag: “Is there a way to download YouTube videos so I can access them on my iPod? And is it safe?” We’ve tackled this topic here at Sync in the past, but there’s some new info, so read on, video fans!

We’re in the throes of summer, and so Canadians are rightfully determined to spend as much time outside as humanly possible. But how does one enjoy their tunes while hanging out on a backyard deck, with spatula in hand? Let us count the ways.

If scratching your CD, DVDs, Blu-ray Discs or video games is a concern – and anyone with small kids should be nodding right now – then you might want to consider the clever “d_skin” products that protect these discs like a, er, condom, of sorts.

You probably know the Amazon Kindle e-book reader can download books wirelessly using 3G connectivity, but here I demonstrate how to get the Kindle to read the words back to you.

Last week, the world’s biggest chip maker demonstrated its new “WiDi” (“Wireless Display”) technology, allowing you to stream audio/video from your laptop to your TV over a WiFi connection. In this clip, you’ll see how supported 2010 laptops work with a device (like Netgear’s $99 Push2TV box), which is connected via HDMI to a television.

Create a simple shortcut to gain access to the “Master Control Panel” in Windows Vista & Windows 7, allowing you to tweak hundreds of different settings.

Two Sync readers in the same week asked me how to create a free ringtone for their iPhone — instead of paying a couple of bucks to their cell carrier. No problem. It’s a pretty easy process if you follow the step-by-step instructions.

One of the world’s hottest music producers joins forces with one of the hottest video games companies. The result? A PSP (and soon, iPhone) application called Beaterator that lets you create music with more than 3000 loops and sounds, or your own.

Chances are you’re spending some time on the go this summer — perhaps listening to music or playing on your Nintendo DS/DSi or PSP — but you might consider upgrading the earbuds that shipped with these portable devices.