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Voice recognition is one if the iPhone gaping-est of holes, but it will soon be plugged by none other than Microsoft. But before you look forward to putting your multitouching fingers all over those glorious nine letters on your iPhone screen, know that MS is only indirectly involved via Tellme, a company they acquired in early 2007 which has a similar app for Blackberries already. But it’s a start. And the app looks like it would be pretty useful.

Press a button to start recording and say what you’re searching for—the name of a business, for instance, and Tellme will search and locate matches in your vicinity. Great for when you can’t stop and type in locations manually. Unfortunately the app doesn’t appear to access your contacts for good ol’ standard voice-dialing (at least in the Blackberry version), so that’s something we’ll still have to wait for. Along with mobile MS Office for iPhone [Yahoo News/CNET]

From Meninos, the same designers who brought you the Samuel L. Jackson hard drive cases, these iPhone coasters have harnessed fanboy obsession into practical functionality—to protect your table from dangerous glass condensation. Constructed of thin plywood wrapped in a vinyl decal and bottomed in rubber, the 3.34″ coasters come bundled in a pack of 16 for $60. Sadly, there’s no support for downloadable coaster apps at this time. [Meninos via technabob]

Unlike their usual tack lately, Apple is doing something at the App Store that actually helps developers. Before, you could review—and slam—any app you wanted willy-nilly, even if you didn’t own it. That changed over the weekend—now you have to own an app before you can review it, preventing an onslaught of one-star reviews for Tetris simply because EA is charging eight bucks for it. Now if Apple could apply some of that logic and fairness on their end and stop jerking developers around. [Alley Insider]

Here’s a really cool application for the iPhone: Heart Monitor uses the iPhone microphone—especially the one built into your headphones—to record and track your heartbeat from your chest, wrist or neck. Watching the video, it looks like it will be a perfect application for both sports people and hypochondriacs, even while it comes with a couple of disclaimers:

Before buying Heart Monitor please make sure you can find your own pulse in your neck (directly below your jaw) or wrist, click arrows below the pictures for pulse locations. If you cannot find your pulse you may have difficultly using Heart Monitor.

If you cannot find your pulse, you may also be dead, but that’s another story. It also says that the iPhone Heart Monitor shouldn’t be used for medical applications, but it looks good enough for me. I’m planning to use it for resting, after going to the gym, and drinking five pints of Guinness while eating a greasy burger. OK, maybe just the first and third one there. The application looks like a winner for just $4.99. [Heart Monitor]

Here’s a really cool application for the iPhone: Heart Monitor uses the iPhone microphone—especially the one built into your headphones—to record and track your heartbeat from your chest, wrist or neck. Watching the video, it looks like it will be a perfect application for both sports people and hypochondriacs, even while it comes with a couple of disclaimers:

Before buying Heart Monitor please make sure you can find your own pulse in your neck (directly below your jaw) or wrist, click arrows below the pictures for pulse locations. If you cannot find your pulse you may have difficultly using Heart Monitor.

If you cannot find your pulse, you may also be dead, but that’s another story. It also says that the iPhone Heart Monitor shouldn’t be used for medical applications, but it looks good enough for me. I’m planning to use it for resting, after going to the gym, and drinking five pints of Guinness while eating a greasy burger. OK, maybe just the first and third one there. The application looks like a winner for just $4.99. [Heart Monitor]

Meizu’s iPhone copycatting M8 cellphone is to be vaporware no longer thanks to GeekITstores, who will be launching it in China then India from December onwards. The 8GB model is apparently due to cost somewhere between $380 and $470, and will be launched with “complete fanfare”…presumably because it’s the “iPhone killer,” or so says the press release. In fact, GeekITStores really seem to love the device, saying it was looking for a “better, cheaper alternative” to the iPhone for Indian customers. Read on for the press release.

Mumbai, Maharastra, IND, 2008-09-28 19:28:50 (IndiaPRwire.com)

Geek manufacturer of entertainment electronics, announced channel distribution for Meizu M8 phone, dubbed as “IPhone Killer”, the much awaited M8 will be initially launched with complete fanfare in Chinese markets.

Geek will distribute M8 through its expanding franchise network in India. ” We were looking for a better,cheaper alternative for Iphone to indian customer, since the beta launch of M8 testing is through, we are very confident to make M8 an success” said Mr. Nilesh Patel, Head Sourcing -Indian operations.

Geek already has established a network of 18+ franchisees in tier-2 & tier 3 cities

[Techtickerblog]