NowInStock.net has just launched their latest in stock alert option by introducing Desktop Alerts. Implemented via the Abode© AIR™ runtime, Desktop Alerts resides on a trusted desktop platform across multiple operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

The Desktop Alerts application allows users more immediate access to near-real-time inventory data which is continuously updated via the proven spiders of NowInStock.net. Desktop Alerts provides users with an alternative in which to bypass email alerts which can have a tendency of being delayed by either ISPs or email services.

At launch, all items tracked by NowInStock.net are able to be tracked via Desktop Alerts. Please provide comments or bug reports during this BETA test via our contact form. For more information on Desktop Alerts and installing the application, please refer to the Desktop Alerts page.

Apparently the 5D Mark II 24-105mm lens kit is discontinued according to B&H. The product page states:

• Important Notice!
• This item has been discontinued and is no longer available. Please call for more information.

Which apparently means there is more than likely going to be a new kit on the horizon real soon. Maybe even one with a lens that is equipped with new Hybrid IS.

If you are still looking for the 5D Mark II 24-105mm lens kit, you may be able to snag one from Adorama if you hurry.

UPDATE: 8/13

Well it appears the 5D came out of Discontinued status a day after my post. The unit is in stock right now:

Is the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens being discontinued? Maybe. With the recent announcement of the new image stabilization from Canon being referred to as Hybrid IS (read more) which now compensates for angle shake along with the traditional shift camera shake (perpendicular), it seems quite likely the 70-200mm 2.8L IS will be upgraded soon.

Being one of, if not the most popular advanced lens of Canon camera line, it makes sense that the 70-200mm 2.8L IS would be one of the first candidates to get the overhaul.

However, if you are still looking for the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens, then head over to our Canon Camera Tracker to see where current stock is available or head to B&H Photo who has stock available as of the writing of this post.

Just launched the brand new Olympus camera tracker yesterday and darned if there isn’t the E-P1 Silver Body with 14-24mm lens in stock already. But don’t think the tracker will be going anywhere anytime soon. The tracker is here to stay. Find your Olympus camera in stock with our free tracker. To get that afformentioned E-P1, head here.

As you can guess, the E-P1 is the hot Olympus product right now, but going forward if there are any other Olympus items you want tracked, feel free to ask.

Natal, the new system being released in the semi-near future for the Xbox 360, is taking the “get off your butt” style of game play taken one step further than what was made famous by the ever popular Nintendo Wii. Natal drops the use of controllers and replaces them with YOU! You are the controller. Your voice is a controller. Your face is a controller.

Sporting a series of cameras and sensors, Natal scans your profile into the system, recognizes your face and voice, and when playing games, tracks your bodies movements to provide full body controller-less interaction with games.

Natal is scheduled to be released sometime in the fall of ’09 through Spring of ’10. Sign up to our FREE preorder alerts to be notified as soon as we find preorders available for Natal. To sign up, visit our Natal Tracker. Or if you prefer, subscribe to our Natal RSS Feed.

After just releasing the recent Swine Flu Tracker and gadgets, I noticed that flu masks were getting much more harder to find. So I did what NowInStock.net does best; I created a flu mask in stock tracker!

In my search for retailers to add to the tracker I found an online retailer that currently has stock available. Metro Medical has a limited supply of the 3M 8210 Series N95 flu masks available. They are only selling them by the box (20/box), not the case, so that more people can get their hands on them. However, if your demands require a case to meet your needs, you can order up to two cases by individually ordering boxes which work out to the same cost as a case.

Over the next few weeks I am sure demand will grow, but lets hope it truly does not. We do not need any more havoc on this nation than we have gone through over the past 8 months. But, if confirmed cases of swine flu continue to climb, I guess it is better to be prepared rather than not. Think of it this way, at least you can use the mask for other tasks if need be (such as repainting your car, or cleaning the entire house with bleach).

N95 is the rating given to a mask that is flu approved. This is by no means a guarantee against flu contraction, but aids in the prevention as does regularly washing hands, not picking your nose or rubbing your eyes after touching the subway rail, or getting your keyboard coughed on by an infected coworker. For more information on keys to preventing infection, visit the CDC.

Taking the knowledge of spidering for your favorite hard-to-find products, NowInStock.net releases their first public service tracker. The US Swine Flu Tracker reports on the number of “confirmed” cases of Swine Flu as reported by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These numbers show the number of confirmed cases as represented by state or city, along with the total number of cases.

Why did we choose the CDC and not news organizations? We feel that news organizations continue to embellish numbers to be the first to report the breaking news. Most of the time these numbers are correct, however this is not always true. So, we went straight to the source where we feel the numbers are to be represented most accurately, the CDC. Our propensity toward accuracy comes from our product trackers where we continually strive for the quickest and most accurate information for our users.

This also marks the first launch of a NowInStock.net gadget. You guessed it, the US Swine Flu Tracker Gadget. You can add our gadget onto your iGoogle homepage or you can even choose to place a remote gadget on your very own blog or web page by copying and pasting a little code on your page!

We are very excited about this new tracker, but remember, use it as a guide to watch the tranistion of the Swine Flu, and as always, remember to protect yourself by taking precautions!

Canon Rebel T1i was just officialy announced yesterday, March 25th, with an expected ship date of sometime in May 2009. I have just added it to the new Digital Rebel In Stock & Preorder Tracker. I have merged the older Rebel XSi tracker into the new Rebel Tracker. This is now the home of all current and future Canon Rebel releases. I am tired of creating new pages for each of the yearly releases. So, anytime in the future you will be able to find all Rebel tracking on this URL:

http://www.nowinstock.net/digitalcameras/canon/rebel/

About the NEW Canon Rebel T1i

The latest release is quite the upgrade with the standout feature being the Full HD video recording feature. A very nice touch with which I am sure is to compete with the Nikon D90. Along with the video, the megapixels have been bumped from 12 to 15 as well as a 3.0 inch, scratch resistant LCD with LIVE Clear View technology. Under the hood is the DIGIC 4 image processor letting the Rebel share some of technology that is in the high-demand prosumer Canon 5D Mark II release.

If your last DSLR purchase was an earlier edition Rebel, this one is sure to generate the question of upgrading!

Its been over a month since I last posted an update, so I have decided to give everyone a little insight into what has been happening with NowInStock.net and the market.

Wii Inventories Stabilized

It appears that Wii inventories have finally stabilized with Wii’s being in stock for some time now at a variety of online stores including Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, and even Radio Shack. The Wii has finally run its high-demand course!

As a result of the steady inventory stream, I have DISCONTINUED all TXT alerts for the Wii via Twitter. I suggest that all users stop “following” NowInStock within Twitter as I will begin using it for future site updates and no longer for Wii stock alerts. To unsubscribe from NowInStock on Twitter, login to your Twitter account and stop “Following” NowInStock.

Google Group NowInStockWiis subscribers will continue to receive Wii alerts, however, I have removed the sign up form from the web site as there is no longer a need to use this group.

Wii Fit Inventories Stabilizing

Just like the Wii, Wii Fit inventories also continue to be steady, but a little less so than the Wii. WiiFit Twitter alerts will continue through the Twitter account NISWiiFit. Also, the WiiFit Google Group will continue to receive email updates, but like the Wii the sign up has been removed from NowInStock. You still sign up for FREE alerts, the alerts will just be distributed via my NowInStock.net alert system.

Video Game Deals Tracker

What has been taking the majority of my time over the past few months is my effort to formulate a price tracker of sorts. The initial focus of these price trackers is to monitor Amazon for price flucutations and determining when “new lowest prices ever” are reached, when “all-time lows” are hit, when “new preorders” are available for preordering, and to “view all preorders” for each specific gaming system. I am tracking a series of video game systems with this new type of price tracker including Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, DS, PSP, PS2, PC, and Mac games. Also, I have a main video games deals page where one can see the deals found each day. As you will see on the this page there is also an RSS feed for each specific system so that you can use your RSS readers and have the deals delivered autmatically daily.

I will be working on add more features as time progresses, however right now I think this service is providing very valuable information. On each specific game system page you will find a complete list of all games I could find for each respective system along with price indicators and price details by clicking the icons in the info column for each game.

Please send over your thoughts or wishes for this deal tracker. I would love to hear your input. Also, rest assured that price alerts and inventory alerts are going to be included once I flush out the system to handle these.

That is all for now. I will continue to update every month with new developments.

~ Justin

I have just set up the Nintendo DSi preorder tracker. Sign up for the free alerts and as soon as my spiders find preorders available NowInStock.net will alert you. This is the first time I am trying to find preorders without product specific URLs so please understand it may be open to errors.

While the DSi is not expected to release until Summer or Fall of 2009 in the USA and Spring 2009 for UK & Europe, there is no reason why we can’t get a step up. If you would like to sign up for DSi preorder alerts, visit the Nintendo DSi Tracker or if you are in Europe & the UK, check out the UK Europe DSi Tracker.