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Apple Issues Update for Current-Gen iPod Nano...Barnes & Noble Giftcards Won't Buy Ebooks, Screwing Some Nook Pre-Orderers...Dell Mini 3 Officially Launched in China...Palm Stock Skyrockets After Nokia Takeover Rumor...

Apple Issues Update for Current-Gen iPod Nano

Apple quietly issued a firmware update for its newest, video-taking iPod Nano, and it's pretty minor but does fix a few problems. Audio podcasts can now be played back in Normal, Slow or Fast modes, and a few random bugs were patched (Nike+ integration, mono audio, VoiceOver). It's in Remainders because it really is a minor update—we wouldn't even bother with it except the Nano is such a ridiculously huge seller. [TUAW]

Barnes & Noble Giftcards Won't Buy Ebooks, Screwing Some Nook Pre-Orderers

Apparently Barnes & Noble's giftcards will buy you everything B&N sells—except ebooks. It's an inexplicable and irritating omission, but what makes it really rankle is that nobody seems to know about it, even those who work at the stores. Check out this story:

My wife and kids pre-ordered a nook for my birthday at our local B&N. The sales person also sold her a $100 gift card to "get my eBook collection started." When I tried to purchase a few books, I found out that gift cards can't be used on eBooks.

What a dick move! We're going to assume ignorance on B&N's part, but this is sloppy stuff, especially given our proximity to the holidays—their giftcards are incredibly popular and this will not be an isolated incident. Get it together, B&N. [Consumerist]

Dell Mini 3 Officially Launched in China

The Android-running Dell Mini 3 smartphone officially began its launch sequence today. It's been shipped out to sellers in China today, for release later this month, with a Brazil release to follow later this year. In early 2010 it should hit AT&T and Verizon—we'll see if we care by then. It's a noticeably low-key release, considering it's the first handheld in years from Dell, but it ends up in Remainders due to its current China-only status. [Electronista]

Palm Stock Skyrockets After Nokia Takeover Rumor

Palm stock skyrocketed today, with trading over 15 times heavier than normal, due to an odd rumor that Nokia would be buying the company. It doesn't really make any sense to us—Nokia is really unlikely to be purchasing a competitor to its Symbian line, and buying the beleaguered Palm would be a weird way to try to make gains in the US market. This one plops into Remainders because it's both unlikely and mere financial news, which isn't really that exciting. [Electronista]

If technology in development by the likes of Google (Android) and some of the top handset makers(Nokia, Motorola, LG) is any indication, social is about to get a lot more integrated into mobile.  Forget that iPhone Facebook app, I'm talking about full integration of social as if the device were built to serve all of your streams and all apps/networks were able to talk to one another.  As the lines between communication tools blur and we look to aggregation networks to help us distribute and collect all of our communications, these devices and their software are bound for yet another major milestone.  While the iPhone and all of it's apps are a major step forward, the device itself - like many others, evolved from the phone with voice as the focal point.  Fact is - we all talk less - type more.  What if devices (both hardware and software) were designed for and by our new communication tools and networks of choice leaving the remnants of Ma Bell behind us?  Another revolution may be afoot and you can bet it will be an open platform which may level the playing fied between Apple and everyone else.

Take a look at the following for current developments in the marketplace:

The New Faces of Android 

It will be out in January for 49 Euros which is about $70.