iLounge

Gear Live has reportedly received a pre-release build of iPhone firmware version 1.1.3. The new firmware features the ability to reorganize home screen icons, the ability to add web links to the home screen, home screen pagination, the ability to send SMS messages to multiple recipients, the new “Locate Me” Google Maps feature which uses cellular triangulation to provide a rough estimate of the user’s current location, and Hybrid view in Google Maps. It is unknown when/if Apple plans to release this version of the iPhone’s firmware; a video walkthrough and image gallery are also available.

The developers of the SIP VoIP application for the iPod touch have released a video of the first VoIP call made from the touch, as well as a second video with instructions on how to use the software. The SIP VoIP application for iPod touch will be released tomorrow, January 1.

A young girl received a new iPod as a holiday gift, only to find a strange note and a few books inside the box. The note read: “Reclaim your mind the from the media shackles. Read a book and resurrect yourself. To claim your capitalistic garbage go to your nearest Apple Store.” The girl’s father, who purchased the iPod, returned it to Wal-Mart, which blamed the problem on Apple, while acknowledging that something similar happened to another customer.

A new Variety report claims that Disney and Fox will be announced as partners when Apple unveils its iTunes movie rental service. In addition, the report says that the rentals are “expected to cost between $2 and $5 for a 24-hour period, with the price point ideally motivating consumers in the manner of 99¢ music downloads.”