Curious. Very curious. Eric Schmidt, head Googler, just Tweeted about his excitement for tomorrow's Superbowl. But he's not as pumped for the gridiron action as he is for a mystery commercial running during the third quarter:

Can't wait to watch the Superbowl tomorrow. Be sure to watch the ads in the 3rd quarter (someone said "Hell has indeed frozen over.")

Well, color us intrigued. What exactly will Google be advertising? If it is even a Google advertisement to begin wtih? If you have any guesses, let's hear 'em in the comments. [Eric Schmidt]

Curious. Very curious. Eric Schmidt, head Googler, just Tweeted about his excitement for tomorrow's Superbowl. But he's not nearly as pumped for the gridiron as he is for a commercial running during the third quarter:

Can't wait to watch the Superbowl tomorrow. Be sure to watch the ads in the 3rd quarter (someone said "Hell has indeed frozen over.")

Well, color us intrigued. What exactly will Google be advertising, if it's even a Google advertisement to begin with? A minimalist Nexus One spot? A rehashing of Apple's famous 1984 ad? If you have any guesses, let's hear 'em in the comments. [Eric Schmidt]

Update: BusinessInsider spotted a blog post by search guru John Battelle which suggests tomorrow's ad will be this one, entitled "Parisian Love":

Sure, it's sweet and all, but really? That's it? Not to mention that the idea of running off to France to live a life of truffles and Truffaut and true love might not exactly resonate with the segment of our nation that will be tuned in tomorrow.

With just a roll or two of painters tape, some patience, and a willingness to forfeit their apartments' aesthetic respectability (except from a single perspective), some brave souls have created an impressive collection of tape-based illusions. Let's have a look.

The video above shows a Back to the Future-inspired piece featuring an impressively detailed DeLorean. Kudos to YouTube user Wablamo for immortalizing everyone's favorite time traveling automobile in such an appropriately mind-boggling medium.

But the true hero of the anamorphic painters tape illusion is a YouTube user who goes by the name of BrussPup. I've watched BrussPup evolve over these last few weeks, from his first experiments in the form—he was, indeed, a mere pup—up through the current moment in which BrussPup stands as a luminary of tape-based illusions.

BrussPup's first piece, "X Room Illusion!," was a relatively simple undertaking but it betrayed the artist's natural ability for such work:

A week later, we were treated to "Crazy Cube Illusion!," a more complex, confident effort that garnered a corresponding increase in YouTube views and blog notoriety:

Emboldened, BrussPup quickly offered up his next piece, "Pac-man Illusion!," which was noteworthy for spanning all the way down his hallway and incorporating a piece reflected by a mirror, which just piled extra mind-boggling on top of the regular mind-blogging to which we had grown accustomed:

BrussPup's most recent piece, "Nintendo Illusion!," is his most ambitious and refined effort to date. In this illusion, BrussPup uses blacklights and white paper to create a glowing Nintendo controller:

There's no telling what's next in the world of tape-based anamorphic illusions. Has BrussPup retired his tape roll forever? Will Wablamo usurp his title as preeminent anamoprhic illusionist? Only time will tell. [BrussPup's YouTube Channel>/a> and Boing Boing]

PPCGeeks is offering up a whole bevy of rumors regarding Windows Mobile 7 and what will be revealed at MWC next week. What they're referring to as Windows Phone 7 has a Zune-like interface and Xbox integration but no multitasking.

PPCGeeks and Mobile Tech World claim that Windows Mobile 7 will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress, though it will be announced under the new name Windows Phone 7 and the presentation will focus on the user interface without offering too much detail on specific functionality. Here's a breakdown of what PPCGeeks and Mobile Tech World have heard:

The UI goes by the codename Metro and is heavily influenced by that of the Zune HD. The interface has been described as "clean," "soulful," and "alive," and offers a fully reimagined Start page. Third party UIs like HTC's Sense will no longer be supported. Windows Phone 7 will ditch Windows Mobile Device Center in favor of Zune's syncing software, and will offer integration with social media networks, Zune devices, and Xboxes, including friends, gamer tags, achievements and the like.

Apps will only be able to be installed via the Marketplace, which supports an API as well as a try before you buy system. Flash will not be supported initially. Windows Phone 7 also won't offer multitasking, though apps will be able to receive push notifications while paused in the background. WP7 will also reportedly lack NETCF backwards compatibility.

MobileTechWorld's report includes the tidbit that the browsing experience is faster than that of the iPhone 3G, and that Microsoft believes that Windows Phone 7 devices will roll out by September though they themselves won't manufacture any of them.

With all the rumors surrounding Windows Mobile 7, there's no telling how much these rumors will hold water. But with MWC just around the corner, it's definitely possible this report could contain some nuggets of truth. [PPCGeeks and MobileTechWorld via Engadget]

A few weeks ago Amazon announced they were opening up the Kindle for development, and as of today they are accepting requests for the Kindle Development Kit in limited beta. Head over to Amazon to sign up to be a beta developer and to request the KDK. The site also has updated Kindle Developement Kit FAQs and API information. [Amazon]

Like the Virgin Mary before it, an impression of a Nintendo DSi appeared on this piece of toast. Now it just needs a salami screen protector and a vegetable stylus and this mouthwatering gadget will be complete. [Tiny Cartridge]

It's the "holy crap it's been a while iPad! CES! Christmas!" edition. This month (or so), we've got m-m-m-multitouch maps, good eats, movies and blawgs.

To see everything on one page, click here.

Other Android App News

• An Embryonic Build of Firefox for Android
• Motoblur Makes Its Way to Verizon via Devour
• A Neat Video of 50 Android Games
• How to Overclock the Crap Outta Your Droid
• How to Circumvent Android 2.1's Word Filter
• T-Mobile's Bundling DoubleTwist for Media Syncing with New Android Phones
• A Guide to Tethering Your Android Phone
• HTC's Espresso Sense UI for Droid, If You Can Hack It
• Our Nexus One Review

This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this month, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our previous monthly roundups here. See ya next month.

Thursday night's edition of the Charlie Rose Show brought David Carr, Michael Arrington, and Walt Mossberg together to discuss the iPad. Having used the iPad briefly, all three seem optimistic about what it has to offer.

Though we've already heard Mosspuppet's preemptive review of the iPad, it's interesting to see all three of these influential voices discussing Apple's upcoming device in one forum. And what emerges is that all of them, to varying degrees, are excited about the iPad's promise.

At one point, David Carr says, "I think there's a revolution in the fact that you lean back and read something," and this, the possibility of a more casual version of computing, seems to be the iPad's greatest promise in the minds of all three journalists. And after reading the 1994 Rolling Stone interview with Steve Jobs that recently resurfaced, it's clear that Jobs is at his most passionate when he has locked in on a revolution to champion. [TechCrunch]

I thought Google Map Buddy's ability to generate printable, hi-res versions of Google Maps was pretty neat but figured I'd never find a reason to use it. These Google Maps envelops, however, are definitely worth the ink and the effort.

There's not a whole lot to them, but some of the best ideas are the simplest. Beste Miray Dogan, a graphic designer from Istanbul, showed that with a Google Map print out and a little ingenuity, you can make a custom envelop that pinpoints the exact location from which it was sent. How nice.

There's no template on her site, but with some trial and error I trust you'll be able to master the mapenvelope in no time. [Beste Miray via Nerd Approved]

As Make put it, the atomic clock is old and busted. And the quantum-logic clock from National Institute of Standards and Technology, keeping time 100,000 times more accurately than its predecessor, is definitely the new hotness.

The quantum clock, developed by physicist Chin-wen Chou of the NIST, keeps time by measuring the energy of a single aluminum ion with UV lasers. It loses one second every 3.4 billion years, compared to the cesium fountain clock which loses a second every 100 million years, and upon which the current international standard is based.

In fact, the new quantum-logic clock is so precise that Chou's team can't even measure it, as the current definition of a second is based on the prevailing cesium clock.

Don't get too excited about setting your life to a more precise clock just yet: there are currently no plans to adopt the quantum clock as the international standard. But with potential applications ranging from use in more precise GPS devices to answering questions about the speed of light and Einsteinian relativity, this clock is still a serious tick into the future. [Wired via Make]