Gizmodo has just posted up some candids of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and Google CEO Eric Schmidt taking tasty beverages together and talking shop at the Calafia in the Town and Country, Pal Alto, which is owned by former Google chef Charlie Ayers. Reportedly Jobs was overheard saying:

• “They’re going to see it all eventually so who cares how they get it.”
• “Let’s go discuss this somewhere more private.”

What the “it” and the “this” are precisely, we don’t know. Could this be the first tender, fragile steps towards reconciliation? Was the public setting intentional?

And what were they discussing? Search in Safari? Google Voice? The HTC lawsuit? Random Android ballon assault? How much Ballmer sweats? What?!

Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt Take Coffee, Talk Shop is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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According to Mac Rumors, Best Buy is gearing up for Apple’s iPad launch on April 3rd. The retail chain is providing its employees with details leading up to launch day and stores are expecting display materials early next week. Not every Best Buy will carry the device, however. Only the stores with Apple shop sections will be lucky enough to sell iPads at launch. If you do plan on making a purchase at Best Buy on April 3rd be aware none of their stores will be opening early.

In other iPad sales news, 9to5Mac points out Amazon.com also seems to be prepping for iPad sales as well by setting up a placeholder for all three WiFi versions on their site. So while you will not see it on Amazon for sale on day one, it should not be long after.

More choices are better for the consumer, but which choice is best for you? Where will you be picking up your iPad? Let us know in the comments below!

Best Buy and Amazon Gearing Up for iPad Launch. Where Are You Shopping? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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In Stock: Marware C.E.O. Premiere+ for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G

The Marware C.E.O. Premiere+ for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G [$37.95 - TiPb Store link] is an executive style, premium hip case for your iPhone 3G/3GS with a bonus hard shell included. Made from high quality eco-leather, the C.E.O. Premiere+ is an environmentally friendly carrying solution.

The durable Velcro flap keeps your iPhone secure and won't cause antenna interference like magnet style cases. The attached belt clip is so low profile and unobtrusive that you can easily slip the case into a pocket, purse, or briefcase.

The included hard shell protects the sides and back of the iPhone for an added layer of coverage. The shell can be used alone or kept on your iPhone inside the hip case for maximum protection.

Check out the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store for complete features and ordering info…

Marware C.E.O. Premiere+ for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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How much will you pay for iPad apps? Steve Jobs said the iPad was a new category between the iPhone and the laptop, so will iPad software be a new category between the two as well?

PC software for Windows or Mac can range from free to well over a thousand dollars for a suite — looking at you Adobe CS5 — or more. iPhone apps on the other hand have raced to the bottom, with free being common and cheap being the biggest alternative. Most apps hover around $0.99. Only a few apps dare go over $5, let along $10 or more.

Apple might have given us some indication with the pricing they announced for their iWork productivity apps for iPad. On the Mac, iWork is bundled at $79 for a single license and $99 for a 5 license family pack [Apple Online Store link]. On the iPad, the apps won’t be bundled. Pages (word processing), Keynote (presentation), and Numbers (spreadsheet), will each be sold separately for $9.99. There’s no single or family license; just like with iPhone apps (or iTunes DRM content) you’ll be able to install them on up to 5 authorized devices.

By contrast, iPhone and iPod touch productivity suites currently cost $14.99 for QuickOffice [iTunes link] or Documents to Go [iTunes link]

So, roughly, $99 gets you 5 Macs with iWork while $30 gets you 5 iPads with iWork, and puts the price scale for iPad apps significantly higher than iPhone apps (200%) but significantly cheaper than Mac apps (30%).

We’ll know more when we start to see what third party developers charge for Mac/Windows apps they bring to the iPad, and for iPhone and iPad touch apps that are ported over as well.

In the meantime, let us know what you think. Edge cases aside, what would you consider a fair price for a quality app on the iPad?

How Much Will You Pay for iPad Apps? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Line2 is new VoIP app for the iPhone and iPod touch that allows you to make calls on your iPhone over your 3G data connection while avoiding using up your ever important voice minutes. The app itself will cost you $1 but unlike Google Voice or Skype there is a $15 per month fee (after the initial free 30 day trial) but most of you will find that you do get your money’s worth with all of the following features.

• A dedicated number that finds you on any phone. Get a local number, an 800 number, or transfer an existing number.
• Powerful office phone features including call waiting, call transfer, caller ID, call forwarding, and more.
• A second number for your cell phone that allows you to place and receive calls on your cell phone from your Toktumi number. Now you can keep your personal cell number private without having to carry two cell phones.
• Auto Attendant (”Press 1 for…”) that’s like a 24/7 receptionist – managing and routing incoming calls to the right person or department automatically. -Instant conference calls for up to 20 people — you can even record your conference calls for future reference (windows only).
• Voicemail by e-mail that simplifies your communications and helps you easily manage your important messages.
• Virtual Assistant that screens and announces calls and provides different greetings for business and personal callers.
• PC-based calling for conducting calls and conferences from your PC anywhere worldwide. You can even dial numbers by name or keyword (windows only).
• Unlimited calling and conferencing to the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as to other Toktumi users worldwide.
• Simultaneous call forwarding to up to six numbers
• Ultra-low rates for international calls, e.g. $.02 per minute for calls to China, Italy, and the U.K. See rates here.

All of the above are great features but not everything is a bed of roses. Two major drawbacks are as follows – until Apple allows for multitasking you must have the app running in order to receive incoming calls and currently you can not receive or send text messages (the latter should be fixed in a future update).

Now before you head into the App Store looking to download Line2 you should be aware it has been pulled by the developer, Toktumi. The blame goes to a DNS attack and not Apple like you may have thought so it will be back once the attack is cleared up.

Once it is up and running and if you decide to give it a try, let us know how it works for you in the comments below!

[Via New York Times, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Line2 iPhone VoIP App Hits App Store — Sort Of is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Chad and Rene discuss Steve Jobs’ customer service, iPad approaching, gifting apps, Android goes 4G, and all the week’s news. Listen in!

Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

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TiPb Live Podcast #91: Gift This! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Well technically Google seems to be sharing revenue generated from services like Search, Gmail, Maps, etc. with their carrier and manufacturing partners to incentivize their “going Android”. If rumors of Apple making a cool $100,000,000 a year from Google for iPhone search are any indicator, the money may be nothing to sneeze at either.

Apple by contrast also gets $400 from AT&T per iPhone customer (the part AT&T subsidizes off full list price so those who sign contracts can get the iPhone 3GS for $199 instead of $599). So Apple is making money, Google is paying money (offsetting manufacturer cost), but the revenue — and the access to Android users’ data — is likely so valuable to Google that they consider it well worth the investment.

Given how many and how fast new uber-Android devices are hitting the market, the carriers likely don’t mind one bit. (Android aficionados who just bought the Nexus One and now want the EVO 4G, on the other hand, might prefer a bit of a breather.)

Either way, both companies are so obscenely profitable that their respective business models must be doing something right. Still, it’s interesting to see the differences in those business models. RIM tries to sell their small network footprint, Apple their brand cache, Google their free OS with revenue sharing services. Which one will prove most successful? We’ll have to wait and see.

[MocoNews via Phone Scoop via Android Central. Photo credit.]

Google Paying Carriers to Go Android, Apple Still Getting Paid for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Live from GDC 2010, Rene talks to Alexandra Peters of Firemint about Flight Control for the iPhone… and Flight Control HD for the iPad!

YouTube link

TiPb Apps 6.4: Flight Control for iPhone… and Flight Control HD for iPad! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Geohot, the original iPhone hacker, has just posted a huge tease for the must-sought-after iPhone 3.0.x untethered Jailbreak:

The jailbreak is all software based, and is as simple to use as blackra1n. It is completely untethered, works on all current tethered models [iPod touch G2, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch G3], and will probably work on iPad too.

Don’t ask when it will be available, however. Just expect it when you see it.

Video after the break!

YouTube link

Geohot Teases Untethered Jailbreak for iPhone, iPod touch… and iPad! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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