The latest rumor coming out of Redmond, Washington is that Apple rival Microsoft may be heading an iPad team at one of the company’s California offices. iOS app agency iPhoneDevCamp founder Raven Zachery overheard a Microsoft conversation at a Seattle, Washington based Starbucks cafe, and tweeted, “Two Microsoft employees sitting next to me in a Seattle Starbucks talking about things they should not be” and that among those things is that “Microsoft has an iPad group at their CA offices.” Zachery states that he “wasn’t clear if it was competitive intelligence or app dev.” Read on for our take of what Microsoft could possibly be doing with an iPad team.

Permalink: What is Microsoft Conjuring Up With an iPad Team? from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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Redbox, which has operated DVD rental kiosks at convenient shopping centers across the country, has announced that the company will be entering the movie streaming business in 2011. Redbox didn’t name a partner yet to host and manage its streaming business, and the company is uncertain whether it would adopt a subscription plan, like Netflix which offers unlimited streaming for a fixed monthly price, or an a la carte model similar to iTunes and Blockbuster. Speculation of the company entering the streaming arena spurred in April when a survey from the company asked consumers their thoughts for a $3.95 monthly plan that would include unlimited streaming in addition to four free DVD rentals; right now, four DVD rentals would cost $4 alone.

Permalink: Redbox to Go Streaming Next Year from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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Last week the Chinese government had announced that it would “develop indigenous innovation capability to create market leaders and renowned brands.” Based on the announcement, it seems that publishers and digital books distributers in China may have to play by China’s rules, and it could potentially mean a more fragmented e-books market with a new standard. Throughout the rest of the world, however, the e-books market has been gravitating towards Amazon’s format, Sony’s format, PDF formatted e-books, and the EPUB standard which has been adopted by numerous libraries, Barnes & Noble with its nook, and Apple with the iBookstore among others. However, this news isn’t too surprising considering that China has opted for home-grown technologies in the past in lieu of more widely adopted standards–the country has implemented proprietary standards for wireless to help build out its carriers and equipment makers, for example.

Permalink: China Will Create Proprietary E-Books Standard from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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With rumors that U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless will be getting a whole slew of smartphones in November, a new rebate form for the carrier does oust the Droid 2 Global–in two variations, perhaps one without a camera–and some newer Motorola handsets, such as the Droid Pro and the Motorola Citrus.

All three Motorola handsets are slated with a $100 mail-in rebate from the carrier.

Permalink: Verizon Rebate From Shows Motorola Droid 2 Global, Droid Pro, and Citrus from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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If you’re a germaphobe, you may want to consider a $50 investment in the VIOlight UV light sanitizer, a contraption that promises to zap away germs and bacterias. As the description implies, the device uses ultraviolet light to get rid of 99% of germs in less than five minutes. You can use this with smartphones, MP3 players, and other small items. The VIOlight is also battery powered so you can take it with you while out on the field.

Permalink: UV Light Sanitizer Promises to Zap Germs Off Your Phone from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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Acer has gone ahead and announced its Liquid Metal Android 2.2 smartphone following an earlier leak that we had reported. The phone will carry 3.6-inch display, be wrapped in metal, and have curved top and bottom edges. It will run Google’s Froyo of Android and will utilize a Qualcomm 800 MHz processor, similar to that found on the HTC Desire Z and the T-Mobile G2 for the U.S. market. Additionally, the Liquid Metal will also have a WiFi b/g/n radio, support for 14 Mbps HSDPA networks, and a 5-megapixel camera with flash and 720p HD video recording. DLNA is also supported and Acer has also included Dolby support, like on the Nokia N8. Tethering is also supported out of the box.

There will be two color variations for the phone. The brown version will ship in November in the UK while a silver version will be coming in December. Both iterations will be priced at £299 and will feature the company’s Breeze user interface.

Permalink: Acer Liquid Metal Android 2.2 Smartphone Gets Official from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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If you’ve purchased one of Monsoon’s latest Vulkano media streaming boxes that allow you to placeshift your TV to anywhere with an Internet connection, you’ll be happy to know that the company has just released an Android streaming app. Essentially the Vulkano boxes serve as a place-shifter device, much like the Slingbox, and will allow users to stream whatever is playing on their home TV over an Internet connection to another device–mobile phone, laptop, or computer. That means you can watch whatever you want as if you were at home and not pay for any additional fees outside your normal cable and Internet bills.

The app itself is free from Android Market, but you do need a Vulkano box for it to work.

Permalink: Monsoon Releases Vulkano Streaming App for Android from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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While we’ve already heard of mobile hotspot mobile broadband services, such as those employed by the MiFi and the Sprint Overdrive, German manufacturer equinux is going a step further by introducing a small portable box that will broadcast television signals rather than broadband access. Called Tizi, the box will initially arrive in Europe to deliver digital signals–DVB-T/DTT/TNT–to iPhone and iPad users. Users will need to connect to the box by joining Tizi’s pre-configured WiFi network.

Permalink: Tizi Brings TV to iPhones, iPads Via Mobile Hotspot from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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In a report by investment firm Detweiler Fenton, OmniVision is said to be providing Apple with CMOS image sensors for the next generation iPad, which is slated for the first quarter of 2011. Detweiler Fenton says that the next generation iPad will have two cameras–a VGA front-facing camera for FaceTime video calls and also a rear 5-megapixel camera, similar to the iPhone 4. With Apple’s combined iPhone and iPad sensor demands, the company is expected to account for about a third of OmniVision’s sensor demands.

Permalink: Omnivision Said to Supply iPad Front and Rear Cameras from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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Today, Jawbone announced the expansion of its stylish ICON product line with the EarWear Collection. The four new designs inspired by fashion textiles - Cashmere, Denim, Mesh, and Suede - feature more subtle textures than the headsets launched in January; I saw them and I could compare. It is not easy to create textured plastic-based materials that does not look cheap and can be worn as jewelry. Designer Yves Behar and the JawBone team delivered top-notch quality here.

All Jawbone ICON headsets, including the EarWear Collection, can be updated via the MyTalk online platform, just go to mytalk.jawbone.com, plug the headset via USB in your computer, download firmware updates, new apps and customize the headset. With MyTalk DialApps, users will be able to get an easy access button for posting on Facebook and Twitter using voice commands and for direct access to services such as 411. Additionally, ICON’s technology allows users can to stream music from smartphones, iPod or any other A2DP-enabled Bluetooth device.

Other cool features include 6 different voices (3 women, 3 men) that informs you about battery life and Caller ID. In addition to English, Jawbone ICON is now available in six languages: French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Cantonese and Mandarin.

The new EarWear Collection is available today for pre-order online at www.jawbone.com for $99.99 and it will be available in November.

Permalink: JawBone ICON: New EarWear Collection from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,
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