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Morning all,

We woke up wondering how January was over already...guess those tablet rumors were so fun time really flew. The first day of this month has been busy already though, and we've got a selection of news for your enjoyment...and a little something completely different.

More iPad
C'mon, the thing hasn't even started shipping yet--you think we're letting up on coverage? Technology pundits across the world have been weighing in on Apple's latest and while it's clear there's a touch of grumpiness about the lack of Flash and multi-tasking applications, we're here to tell you that things aren't always as they seem...

Engadget has reported some interesting features hidden in the new iPhone OS 3.2: "hooks to accept and decline a video conference, flip a video feed and run the video call in either full screen mode or just a portion of the screen."

SO, the joke we made about iPad 2.0 wasn't such a silly one--trust us, we're surprised too. Split screen video suggests multi-tasking capabilities to us, but we guess we'll just have to keep out fingers crossed and wait.

Closed Platforms
Despite the billions of apps available on Apple's devices there are still some people who (for a number of good reasons) hate the idea of the closed platform. Apple has little incentive to change when most of us buy without asking too many questions, but surely the philosophy limits what's available to consumers. Hackers far and wide have already started poking and prodding the iPad simulator to see what's in there and how to exploit it...we'll keep you updated on the latest unlocking and/or jailbreaking developments and how they can help, hurt or otherwise change this landmark release. Plus, the new iPhone refresh is due soon...giving app developers a little bit of a break even if the platform remains closed would be fantastic, wouldn't it?

Whatever else can be said about the company, Apple is making computers and computing more accessible to the general public, and ease of use and a spirit of availability is changing the face of technology.

We Don't Talk Good Cuz...
Really...grammar is hard. We can appreciate that. But new research from Waterloo University in Ontario shows that 30% of students admitted to the school can't pass a basic English language exam and anecdotes from professors across the country are being validated. A Canadian news outlet reported that punctuation errors--especially the use of commas and apostrophes--are becoming abysmal and emoticons are being used in papers.

Yes, when we IM we frequently eschew capital letters and proper punctuation for the sake of time, but texting, IMing and social networking may soon handicap an entire generation...can you imagine receiving a resume peppered with smiley faces? We cannot. There has to be a way to use this technology to improve our speech instead of degrading it!

Hey, iPhone developers...anyone for a basic grammar app?

Feel differently? Convince us on Twitter.

Till tomorrow, Newsies...