I've heard the Microsoft Store pays well and all, but seriously, what a dick move for making employees do this. That's what Disney World, Cruise Lines, and Windows 7 parties are for. [YouTube via Engadget]

What that means, as Apple says, is that it eliminates the need to create "Lite" versions of apps, since devs can sell content, subscriptions, services and upgrades from free apps. The change sounds trivial, but it's actually a fundamental alteration of the App Store economy.

It effectively creates free trial apps, which couldn't be done before. Originally, free apps had to be standalone, fully functional apps, with very limited pestering to buy a premium version. At the point, you would go and purchase a separate, paid application. Now, developers can ship a single app with limited functionality that's completely unlocked when you pay the full purchase price. Or slip subscriptions or other services into free apps.The whole free vs. paid app is a completely different kind of calculus now.

We'll see what ultimately happens with this—especially 'cause we won't know what kind of invisible rules Apple will be enforcing—and whether it's a power that gonna be used mostly for good or for evil, but stuff's gonna start looking a lot different in the App Store.

It also wants to be popular: easy access to Facebook and MySpace are there, as is easy access to the crappy Ovi Store. Yay?

The 5230 also has a 3.2-inch (640 by 480) touchscreen, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD memory card slot, and Symbian S60 operating system. A Comes With Music edition will offer unlimited music downloads, but will bloat out to $370 (again, before carrier discount).

Yeah, I don't know. I'll hold off judgment until I see what prices (and contract lock-ins) the 5230 is pitched with later this year, but I don't think Apple is shaking in its boots. [Nokia]

Looks like a total of 16 positions are open right now and positions range from store managers to retail assistants. We assume job applicants will have to demonstrate that they have the "answers" in order to be positioned at the "Answer Bar."

For now you can only apply for the announced Arizona and California locations. Microsoft says information on the future store locations is forthcoming. Send all thank you notes for U.S. job creation to Steven Ballmer [Microsoft via Ars Technica]

The presentation is by Lippicott, a "design and brand strategy" consultant firm with extensive retail experience that it appears Microsoft has hired to help develop the store's concept, principles, and design. It looks pretty legit to us—if it's a fake, it's fairly elaborate, with detailed graphics, research, plans and even rough store layouts.

Essentially, Microsoft is taking the best elements from the Apple Store, Sony Style and other "flagship" stores. The main focuses are going to be Windows 7, Xbox, PCTV (Windows Media Center) Surface and Windows Mobile, revolving around this concept customer they call "Emily," who's basically a younger version of your mom, since they make all the buying decisions.

Frank Shaw w/ Waggener Edstrom, left a comment below on behalf of Microsoft, implying that many of these concepts are merely that and not final plans:

"As a part of our process in briefing creative agencies, we shared some early prototypes and concepts of our retail store plans. No final decisions have been made. As we previously announced, we are on track to open retail stores this Fall."

That said, it's still probably a pretty good indication of how Microsoft and its consultants are thinking about their store, at least at the beginning of this month, since the presentation is dated July 7.

Here are the highlights of the slides, if you just wanna skip to the meat of the 140 slides we got and the 54 we posted:

• There's going to be a Digital Media Wall—a massive screen—that wraps around the entire store showing various messages, which you can see in some of the slides
• Personalization is something they're stressing big time, with fancy areas devoted to customizing computers and gadgets using an "Xbox style" interface at various kiosks
• Here's a sample store layout
• Lots of Surface demos
• Stage areas for Windows 7, Windows Media Center (PCTV) (it's kinda surprising how much they're pushing PCTV, actually), Windows Mobile and netbooks
• Their take on the Genius Bar is the Answers Bar (or Guru Bar or Windows Bar, depending on which slide you look at, showing it's slightly up in the air, though we prefer Answers Bar since its sounds like slightly less like a Genius Bar ripoff)
• Apple Store-style table layouts
• Some of the stores they profiled for ideas are Nike, Nokia, Sony, Apple and AT&T
• They're already planning out huge demos and events around Project Natal and their secret mobile project Pink
• A fancy Microsoft shopping bag
• You can pay to have your birthday party at the Microsoft Store

In short, if it's anything like what Lippincott is planning, it sounds absolutely amazing, and we'll be lining up the first day it opens.

Much like the offering from DirecTV, U-Verse subscribers can browse through channels and set recordings to their home DVR. You can also search with filters and even look up shows by your favorite actors. Seriously, these apps are great for TV buffs, and since it's free there is no excuse not to check it out. [iTunes]

New iPhone and iPod touch Application From AT&T Lets Customers Schedule U-verse TV DVR Recordings On The Go

DALLAS, June 25, 2009 - AT&T U-verseSM TV customers can now use a free application from the Apple App Store to make scheduling and managing recordings on their DVR even easier when they're away from home. The U-verse TV Mobile Remote Access App for iPhone and iPod touch lets customers record their content from virtually anywhere and is another example of U-verse TV applications and DVR enhancements that have been rolled out to customers at no extra charge.

"This is the perfect example of how AT&T is bringing services together to deliver a better experience for customers," said Jeff Weber, vice president of video services for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "With AT&T U-verse, you get DVR capabilities you can't find from any other provider, and this app gives users the freedom to schedule their DVR from their iPhone or iPod touch."

The app allows users to easily search U-verse TV program listings from the full program guide, view descriptions of selected programs, schedule program or series recordings, manage or edit scheduled recordings, and delete stored DVR content.

The Mobile Remote Access App is available for free from Apple's App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

The launch of the new U-verse TV Mobile Remote Access App follows several DVR enhancements that are currently being rolled out to U-verse TV customers, including an exclusive new Total Home DVR feature that allows customers to schedule and delete recordings from any U-verse receiver in the home - all from a single DVR.

AT&T U-verse was one of the first providers to introduce Web Remote Access to the DVR in November 2006, and it brought three-screen DVR access to all U-verse TV customers with Mobile Remote Access to the DVR in April 2007. In 2008, AT&T launched AT&T U-verse Total Home DVR, allowing all U-verse DVR customers to watch standard and High Definition recorded shows from a single DVR on any connected TV in the home.

U-verse TV customers can also enjoy several other integrated applications, including personalized, on-screen weather, sports, traffic and stock information via AT&T U-bar; local and national weather forecasts with Weather On Demand; the ability to view personal photos on your TV that you have uploaded to flickr.com; and more.

AT&T U-verse customers enjoy quadruple-play integration, enhanced features and greater value, all made possible by IP technology. AT&T U-verse TV ranked "Highest in Residential Television Service Satisfaction in the North Central, South, and West Regions," according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction StudySM.

If you are looking to get a Palm Pre before anyone else, this may be one of the best ways to make sure you won't miss it: Best Buy's stock screens showing how many units are in order at stores throughout the United States.

Unfortunately, not every location is listed in this forum, but apparently you can request the ones you want. [Everything Pre forums]

UPDATE: Official US access looks like it'll be delayed for a while, unfortunately. Boooo.

UPDATE 2: Contrary to the above PC World piece, Ovi is open to the US; it just won't support carrier billing (credit cards are fine) until later this year.

[Ovi—Thanks, Tim]

8Bitone is a combination nonlinear audio editor and chiptunes synthesizer, chiptunes being music synthesized in real time on old computer hardware, i.e. 8-bit game soundtracks. While 8Bittone isn't the first chiptunes synth to hit the App Store, it certainly looks like the best: writing, editing and listening to music is all carried out through a thoughtful, attractive interface, and the end result sounds as vintage-y as it should. Due in the App Store any day now, price TBA. [BBG]

At least, according to AdWhirl, a company that supplies advertising solutions for about 10% of the top 50 apps in the App Store. Of course, breaking into an iTunes "top" list is no small feat, the types of apps that can display advertising are limited, and such ads can alienate users. But with the right product, it looks like you might not even have to bother with Apple's pokey App Store payment scheme.

Depressingly, AdWhirl presents iFart Alert! as one of their great success stories. It makes over $2000 a day, from farting. [Techcrunch]

Amazon now has prices ranging from a low of $0.79 to a high of $1.29, the same as iTunes, and its highest priced tracks now make up ten of its top 100 list. Walmart, for its part, is a little cheaper, from a low of $0.64 to a high of $1.24. It looks like the music labels have finally gotten their way in this battle. [Electronista]

The 70% dev cut is simple enough and has worked well for other stores, but the $99 fee is a slight divergence from the norm. Under this subscription plan, developers can submit up to five apps a year, with an additional $99 fee for every app above that limit. That sounds a little lame, but if you're the kind of person (or outfit, rather) that markets more than five apps a year, a hundred bucks probably won't sting too much, and the fee might even serve as a nice little cr-app filter. There are a few other details, like a fee waiver for student developers, but most of this doesn't really matter much to consumers, and won't surprise developers.

But Microsoft couldn't resist getting a little political here, going out of their way to promise "transparency throughout the certification process"—a not-so-subtle dig at Apple's restrictive and sometimes mysterious vetting process. It's a nice promise, but the Windows Mobile app store is inherently different in this regard already. It may have rules, but developers can still distribute their apps elsewhere, and any user is free to install them. In other words, unlike in the iTunes App Store, a rejected app isn't necessary a dead app. Full press release is below. [Microsoft]

Microsoft Unveils Its Developer Strategy for the Next Generation of Windows® Phones

Familiar tools, large worldwide customer base and transparent policies allow mobile developers to innovate and generate new revenue opportunities with Windows Mobile 6.5 and Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

REDMOND, Wash. - March 11, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced new details about how developers can build and sell applications for Windows® phones through Windows Marketplace for Mobile, the recently announced application marketplace available with the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system. In its commitment to helping developers create new and exciting applications, Microsoft will provide developers with 70 percent of the revenue generated from sales of their application sales from Windows Marketplace for Mobile, transparency throughout the certification process, and guidance and support from the stage of development to the final sale to the consumer. To get the tools to begin developing for Windows® phones, go to http://developer.windowsmobile.com.

"We are empowering the thousands of existing Windows Mobile independent software vendors and prospective developers to grow their business by connecting them to the millions of global Windows® phone customers around the world," said Andy Lees, senior vice president of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft. "Our announcement today demonstrates Microsoft's unwavering commitment to providing developers with the latest tools and technologies to develop compelling applications, as well as the appropriate distribution channels to generate revenue."

Developers who sell applications through Windows Marketplace for Mobile will receive 70 percent of the sale of each application. In addition, they will have the ability to set the price for their applications in each market, maximizing their revenues based on targeted pricing strategies. Developers can also choose to distribute their application at no cost. Up to five application submissions to the Windows Marketplace for Mobile is included in the introductory annual registration of $99 (U.S.). Each additional submission within the annual period will have a cost of $99 (U.S.). The registration fee will be waived for student developers who want to reach Windows® phones customers, through enrollment in the DreamSpark program. Finally, developers will also be eligible for marketing and sales support from the Mobility Solutions Partner Program, allowing developers to focus on their core competency of developing innovative applications.

With Windows Marketplace for Mobile available in 29 countries, developers will be able to tap into a broad international customer base. At the same time, Microsoft will continue working with developers to ensure that their applications run optimally on Windows® phones by running a rigorous certification and testing process before applications go to market. Developers will be able to see detailed feedback during and after the certification process of their application on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile developer portal. Ultimately this enables developers to devote more time to writing innovative applications, and less time trying to navigate the approval process. Developers will have access to all details once the registration doors open in the spring, and will be able to start submitting their applications later this summer.

Developers can utilize familiar tools and technologies to build unique experiences for the Windows Mobile platform through Windows Marketplace for Mobile, including the Windows Mobile 6 SDK, .NET Compact Framework 3.5.

With more than 20,000 applications already in market, Windows Mobile is among the most popular platforms for developers. Windows Mobile 6.5, the next generation of the Windows Mobile operating system, will allow developers to build innovative mobile applications without having to learn new skills or programming languages, by leveraging familiar desktop and server development tools such as Win32, Active Template Library and Microsoft Foundation Classes (Visual C++), Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, ASP.NET and asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX).

Cydia's founder, 27-year-old Californian grad student Jay Freeman, will apparently charge about the same commission as Apple does to developers wanting to list their apps in the new Cydia Applications. A paid app store will not only reward developers for their efforts but possibly lead to a wider variety of non-Apple-approved apps. Apparently, more illicit app stores are in the works, including an adult-themed one, which we will of course examine at great length.

Check out Jesus's great guide to jailbreaking for more info on jailbreaking and free apps. [Macworld]

DVR Remote uses Wi-Fi to connect to TiVos on your network with a one-button command. I've tried out the $3 program, and even though it's $2 more than its competitor (which has recently been renamed RemoteT), it also feels far more polished with nicer graphics, instantaneous TiVo syncing and handy-looking Now Playing list that I couldn't spot in my build.

The iPhone isn't quite our ultimate universal remote, but with enough specific apps it could certainly get us a bit closer to the dream. [DVR Remote (iTunes Link)]

The app, surprisingly called "Will It Blend?", contains 20 of the most popular blending videos, including the iPhone (so meta!), glowsticks, marbles, and Chuck Norris. But here's the twist: the videos are in stellar quality, filmed with a RED camera, which should let you see the resulting dust more clearly than ever before. It's available for only $0.99 until the end of the year, so, um, I guess I should tell you to jump on this quick before the price doubles. You can download it here (link opens iTunes). [TUAW]

Casio Poptone Vibrating Watch

Conof Desk Light

Self Explosion button

Tokyo Street LED Scope

Common Sense Keyboard (Charges by solar panel)

Fuji Film Instax Mini 7S (Like a polaroid!)

Model Camera Kit

[Gizmine]

[Thanks to REED ANNEX and thanks to our benefactor gizmine.com]

Gizmodo Gallery
Reed Annex
151 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002

Gizmodo Gallery Reader Meetup
The reader meetup takes place across the street from the Gallery, at a place called The Annex (not to be confused with REED ANNEX where the gallery is hosted.) The address is 152 Orchard Street and we'll be there at 9 PM SHARP on Friday December 5th.

Gallery Dates:
December 4th-7th

Times:
12/4 Thursday
12-8

12/5 Friday
12-8

12/6 Saturday
11-8

12/7 Sunday
11-4

[Gizmodo Gallery]