Microsoft's new "Inside the Apps Lab" video takes the App Store to task for its boatloads of useless apps—a valid point, to be sure, but Microsoft might be living in a glass house here. Or a nonexistent house. Sure, there's tons of bullshit in the app store—there was a legal debate over fart apps, for god's sake—and I like some of the ideas Microsoft's putting forth here. That Virtual Sundial is damnably close to believable, for one thing. But the ad is a plug for Windows Marketplace, which admittedly doesn't have the crap, but only because it also, um, barely exists. Sort of funny, but not enough self-awareness, and so it plops into Remainders. [YouTube]

If you're a big Miles Davis fan, and have somehow missed the news that even when Monster Cable products don't outright suck, they're criminally overpriced, have I got a product for you! The Miles Davis Tribute Set includes Monster Cable's gaudy, gold-plated Miles Davis earbuds, a few accessories, and some kind of deluxe version of Kind of Blue (even though Bitches Brew is better YEAH I SAID IT JAZZ NERDS. DEAL.), all for the outrageously high price of $400! Why's it in Remainders? Screw Monster Cable, that's why. [CrunchGear]

The Street "exclusively" reports what seems to be totally unfounded speculation from an industry analyst: Google is coming out with their own Android smartphone hardware. What evidence is there to back up this theory? Well, um, Google wants lots of people to use Android, and, well...this analyst talked to Google's design partners about it! Design partners who remain anonymous and give absolutely no concrete details to back up a "plan" that runs counter to the overall Android concept! Plus there's this awful, wrong-on-several-levels sentence that acts like a beacon transmitting "WARNING. WARNING. ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER THIS STORY" in Morse Code:

By bypassing the carriers, who keep tight controls over the features and applications that are allowed on phones, Google will presumably offer a device that lets users determine the functions.

Oh right, because somehow a Google-made Android phone would...not need a wireless network? And darn those carriers for crippling Android phones—oh wait that hasn't happened, at all.

In the parlance of our times: Sweet exclusive, bro. [The Street]

The two companies who supply the most vital parts of any ebook reader, Freescale (processor) and E Ink (display) have joined forces in a "development deal" that they say will both lower costs of existing readers and give the option for increased capability in the future. That's pretty sweet and all—it could mean ebook readers finally hit their magic price point, whether it's $200 or $100—but without concrete results, we're keeping this little tidbit in Remainders purgatory. Keep us updated, Free-Ink (get it?). [TechFlash]

The full list: Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments. Google is quick to note that it's a partial list, but we can see a range from primarily small-form computer makers like ASUS to bigger PCs like HP and Lenovo, and the addition of Qualcomm and TI means they've got low-powered chipset makers on board. Adobe is an interesting pull—can we expect heavy use of Flash in the OS's core?

The biggest name that's missing is Dell, although smaller PC makers like Sony and Toshiba are also AWOL. We're not sure what Dell is doing to leave them out of the equation: They make pretty popular netbooks and Chrome OS could be as big a boon for them as anyone else. We'll keep you updated on future Chrome OS developments. [Chrome Blog via Engadget]

The fiend is Freescale's MC13783 PMIC—a chipset used to regulate and control power—which is used in the the Gigabeat S Series. This is the model that Microsoft used as the basis for their Zune.

Whoever is guilty here, don't worry if you are one of the six people who have a Toshiba Gigabeat: According to one user in the same thread, the Zune fix works too. [Anythingbutipod forum thread via Anythingbutipod]

The teensy device is pretty well stripped down, with a 400MHz processor, 256MB of RAM and 4GB of flash memory. Aside from a few standard ports and integrated Wi-Fi, that's about all you get. CherryPal claims that the heavily optimized Debian Linux distro and multi-core capabilities will not only keep that PC from dragging too much ass, but will let it handle moderate multimedia work as well. CherryPal hasn't presented much in the way of supporting evidence for its claims, or mentioned whose "cloud" the box will connect to but with a release date set at August 4th, we'll probably be finding out more info pretty soon. Full specs are below, but no price yet. [CherryPal via The Register]

CherryPal Spec Sheet:

— Freescale's MPC5121e mobileGT processor, 800 MIPS (400 MHz) of
processing
— 256MB of DDR2 DRAM
— 4GB NAND Flash-based solid state drive
— Wi-Fi 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
— Two USB 2.0 ports
— One 10/100 Ethernet with RJ-45 jack
— One VGA DB-15 display out jack
— Headphone level stereo audio out 3.5mm jack
— 9vDC 2.5mm 10 watt AC-DC adapter power supply
— 10.5 ounces
— 1.3" high, 5.8" x 4.2" wide

Now he's shrunk all that down to a single digital signal processor (DSP) and stuffed it into a JVC KD-S100 car stereo, where the technology makes its debut today.

How can this possibly work?

The chip can be specifically tuned with more than 120 points of adjustment for the car in which it resides, teasing studio-quality sound out of small, cheap speakers in a noisy environment. Said Bongiovi, "It's so precise that the hatchback Ford Focus has a different tuning from the regular one."

The chip's algorithms can also be run in software, and the technique works on inexpensive home theater speakers, too. But he said there are no plans to develop the technology beyond the car stereo market. Yet. – Charlie White

New chip provides high-end sound even for low-end speakers [Gulf in the Media]

Belkin CableFree USB Hub Delayed [TechNudge Live]

"We provide the core of the handset so that they can concentrate on design, features and the user interface. We anticipate a more level playing field," Symbian Chief Executive Nigel Clifford said.

Symbian designs 3G phone with Freescale, cuts prices [Reuters]

Press release [Belkin]

Here's one of the most useless products I've seen at CES so far, but hey, it does catch the eye. The Wireless Wheels remote control toy car is controlled by select Motorola iDEN handsets. I love that it's only select handsets. So now, when you buy that car, you also better have the exact phone that will control it—which is SO much better than a normal remote. It's actually a collaboration between Motorola, Nikko and Freescale and is based on the Freescale Semiconductor wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) technology, which uses the IEEE(R) 802.15.4 standard. The phone does simulate the car's movement, however, and vibrates when you start it up and turn the wheel. And the Push-To-Talk (PTT) button serves as a "turbo boost" for a sudden burst of speed. Wheeeeeeeeeee! The car is compatible with the Motorola iDen i265, i275, i560, i730, i760, i830, i850, i860, and i870 phones and runs on 4 AA batteries.

Apple to Intel Switch, Switched Again [MobileMag]