Thu, Nov 19, 2009 - New patent applications revealed this week show that Apple has investigated technology with advanced physiological sensors for measuring workout activity from inside the user's ear canal. ( 19 comments )
Thu, Nov 12, 2009 - Though Apple has shunned the stylus in favor of multi-touch on the iPhone and iPod touch, a new patent application suggests the company is investigating superior handwriting and input recognition via pen. ( 57 comments )
Thu, Nov 5, 2009 - Apple could make the transferring of files between devices like Macs, iPhones and the Apple TV simpler with a new cross-platform, cloud-integrated sync service. ( 34 comments )
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 - A string of new patent applications have revealed potentially unique products from Apple, including a MP3 playing headset and a sensor that would detect when a shoe needs to be replaced. ( 47 comments )
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 - Apple has investigated a method to make imperfections in compressed video files less visible to the human eye, a new patent application revealed this week shows. ( 50 comments )
Thu, Oct 1, 2009 - In a new patent application revealed this week, Apple has again disclosed plans for a multi-touch surface that could accommodate two full hands and distinguish between palms and individual fingers for typing, gestures and more. ( 83 comments )
Thu, Sep 10, 2009 - A new patent application filed this week by Apple suggests the iPhone maker is looking to use the device's accelerometer to detect possible theft of the hardware. ( 25 comments )
Thu, Aug 27, 2009 - The iPhone could offer an automated home screen providing local weather, time, maps and contacts based on the device's location, according to a new patent application from Apple. ( 29 comments )
Thu, Aug 20, 2009 - Apple has explored the ability to transfer a file from one cell phone to another during a connected call, according to a new patent filing revealed this week. ( 21 comments )
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 - A new patent application revealed this week suggests that Apple could be working on motion compensation features on highly mobile screens like the iPhone. ( 15 comments )
Thu, Aug 6, 2009 - Apple has investigated a system where portable devices like iPods and iPhones would detect and store into memory "consumer abuse events" such as exposure to extreme cold, heat or moisture in void of warranty, a new patent application reveals. ( 61 comments )
Thu, Jul 30, 2009 - A dated patent filing for an iPhone nano concept has again garnered attention and inspired speculation in numerous media outlets, after the concept re-appeared in new Australian documents. ( 23 comments )
Thu, Jul 23, 2009 - Apple is exploring a new system that would automatically allow a portable device such as an iPhone or iPod to be safely disconnected from a host computer with a simple touch, according to a newly revealed patent filing. ( 7 comments )
Mon, Jul 20, 2009 - A new patent application from Apple suggests the company could be working on proprietary global positioning system software that would calculate road trip times and recommend routes, based on real-time data collected from numerous users, and uploaded to a centralized server. ( 31 comments )
Thu, Jul 9, 2009 - Additional filings pouring out of the United States Patent and Trademark Office this week reveal that Apple may be planning face-detection components for its Mac and iPhone operating systems, in addition to working on ways to netter the quality of video conferences conducted via iChat. ( 24 comments )
Thu, Jul 9, 2009 - A half dozen new patent filings published this week from Apple detail various advancements that could find their way into future iPhones, such as a new "ID App" for identifying objects in a user's surroundings, an interface for managing outgoing voicemails, a method by which customers could receive new iPhones and iPod touches pre-populated with apps and media items they select, and more. ( 16 comments )
Thu, Jul 2, 2009 - As reports of battery problems causing discoloration on the white model iPhone 3GS continue to grow, a patent from Apple published for the first this week looks to address both internal and external elements that could have adverse effects on a device's power source. ( 74 comments )
Thu, Jul 2, 2009 - Filings from Apple over the past two years reveal that the company is constantly looking to improve upon the ways in which customers interact with its multi-touch devices, the latest of which proposes methods for controlling iPods and iPhones by detecting and using a user's fingerprints. ( 10 comments )
Thu, Jul 2, 2009 - Known for thinking outside the box, electronics maker Apple Inc. is now apparently working on an in-the-box concept that could provide power to iPods, iPhones and other electronics devices still inside their retail packaging, allowing them to display demo videos and receive firmware updates while hanging unopened on a shelf in a retail store. ( 85 comments )
Wed, Jun 24, 2009 - Apple this week was granted a sprawling patent on a series of wireless sensing systems aimed at quantifying actions or events that can currently be measured only qualitatively, such as the effectiveness of a karate kick or what exactly happened to a package from FedEx that arrived with its contents broken. ( 38 comments )
Thu, Jun 18, 2009 - A bundle of new filings from Apple this week reveal the company's ongoing pursuit to patent a Nintendo Wii-like magic wand remote first detailed by AppleInsider earlier this year, one which could be used to rapidly navigate a 3D movie browser on big-screen living room TVs. ( 11 comments )
Thu, Jun 18, 2009 - Patent filings from Apple continue to explore concepts for new interface designs and techniques that may or may not make turn up in future versions of Mac OS X, such as a new filing that outlines a motion-tracking interface in which body movements alone can be used to select windows and manipulate objects on the screen. ( 25 comments )
Thu, Jun 11, 2009 - Apple appears to be working on an activity sensor similar to the Nike+ iPod sport kit geared towards skiers, snowboarders and mountain bikers that would be capable of determining their "air time," "speed," and the amount of "power" or energy absorbed during those sporting activities. ( 24 comments )
Thu, Jun 4, 2009 - Having pioneered multi-touch for its iPhone and iPod touch handhelds, Apple later extended the technology to trackpads on its Mac notebook line and now appears ripe to introduce the first iPod click-wheels with similar capabilities. ( 34 comments )
Thu, Jun 4, 2009 - Apple has spent some time outlining technology that would add a new level of interaction between iPhone users, such as the ability to share and control playback of digital media files like music tracks and video during a telephone call. ( 22 comments )
Thu, May 7, 2009 - Apple has put some effort into conceptualizing a family of next-generation wireless iTunes kiosks that can be placed just about anywhere, allowing users of its portable products to load their devices with a new full-length movie or audio album during travel, in areas where wireless networks may be unavailable. ( 59 comments )
Thu, Apr 30, 2009 - A new patent filing discovered by AppleInsider provides some of the first public evidence that Apple is indeed exploring carbon fiber-like enclosures for future product designs, corroborating an earlier report on the matter. ( 89 comments )
Thu, Apr 23, 2009 - Apple may be looking to give web surfers using its Safari browser relief from a growing number of social networking and other websites that often thrust undesired audio playback into the browsing experience. ( 80 comments )
Thu, Apr 16, 2009 - Patent requests from Apple continue to provide clues as to where the company may take its iPhone interface in the coming years, such as a new filing which depicts a version of the handset with a front-facing video camera and a software interface capable of adjusting itself for more precise interaction when the user carrying the phone is in motion. ( 14 comments )
Thu, Apr 9, 2009 - Apple's implementation of a digital video answering machine, once destined for inclusion in an earlier version of Mac OS X, has been resurrected in a patent filing, suggesting the company may give the concept a second go in the near future. ( 42 comments )
Wed, Apr 8, 2009 - Often touting web standards itself, Apple is being accused of holding back an important web specification by demanding royalty payments on a patent for updates. ( 124 comments )
Thu, Apr 2, 2009 - In the latest installment of Apple's iPhone security-related patent filings, the Cupertino-based company describes the implementation of loss prevention software that would notify a security agency in the event the handset is lost or stolen, which could in turn lead to a police officer being dispatched to the current location of the device based on GPS coordinates. ( 45 comments )
Thu, Apr 2, 2009 - As rumors swirl over Apple's plans instate changes to the Mac OS X user interface with this year's release of Snow Leopard, a newly discovered filing shows the company has been exploring the use of user interface elements that change their appearance based on movement. ( 20 comments )
Fri, Mar 27, 2009 - Apple has developed a new technique that would hide a biometric reader inside an iPhone or a Mac and let owners lock down their systems with fingerprints or even facial recognition -- all without ever having to break from their usual routine. ( 52 comments )
Thu, Mar 26, 2009 - An interesting but at times erratic patent filing from Apple published for the first time this week describes a proprietary in-car navigation system focused on maintaining driver safety while a vehicle is in motion. ( 24 comments )
Thu, Mar 12, 2009 - Apple is exploring the possibility of including a wireless "remote wand" with future versions of its Apple TV media system that would provide users with precise control over a cursor on the Apple TV screen in very much the same way a conventional mouse controls a cursor on a PC. It would also unlock three-dimensional controls similar to those offered by Nintendo's Wii controller. ( 50 comments )
Wed, Feb 11, 2009 - The president and chief executive of Palm says his company is more focused on finishing the Pre than worrying about any sort of patent battle with iPhone maker Apple. ( 24 comments )
Thu, Feb 5, 2009 - Apple may be working on more effective wireless battery management systems for personal electronic devices, with a Mac serving as the hub, according to newly discovered company filings. ( 44 comments )
Mon, Jan 26, 2009 - Apple last week was awarded a monstrous 358-page patent covering the touch screen, graphical user interface, and methods that combine to define the iPhone user experience. ( 95 comments )
Thu, Jan 22, 2009 - Apple is exploring the possibility of adding an ambient sound sensor to the iPhone that would allow the handset to adjust its ringtone volume to its surrounding audio environment, which would ameliorate potentially-disruptive audio outputs. ( 17 comments )
Thu, Jan 8, 2009 - We've already seen the iSight indicator light "disappear" behind the bezel of Apple's MacBook and iMac computers. A recently published patent application could make the iSight itself not only disappear, but move to the middle of the screen. MacBooks, iMacs, and even iPhones and iPod touches could take advantage of the new technology. ( 33 comments )
Thu, Jan 1, 2009 - Addressing the complaints of nearly every iPhone owner in a northern climate, Apple has filed for a patent that would cover a means of using a multi-touch device with gloves. ( 43 comments )
Thu, Dec 18, 2008 - A company filing published for the first time this week shows Apple to be exploring portable multi-touch skins that can be wrapped around three-dimensional objects such as an iPod or steering wheel to provide addition GUI interfaces for those objects that can be configured via the touch skins themselves. ( 9 comments )
Thu, Dec 11, 2008 - A series of Apple patent filings published this week reveal the Mac maker has spent a considerable amount of time outlining a new multi-dimensional interface for Mac OS X that would make better use of screen real estate by increasing the number of virtual surfaces capable of housing application and interface elements. ( 105 comments )
Tue, Dec 2, 2008 - Apple is looking into the use of liquid coolants to transport heat in its notebook computer designs, a controversial technique it employed briefly on its line of dual processor Power Mac G5s several years ago. ( 40 comments )
Mon, Nov 24, 2008 - Apple is facing a new lawsuit over the iPhone's Safari web browser just as the company's lax policy on employee email retention is brought into question regarding a separate suit. ( 27 comments )
Thu, Nov 20, 2008 - Apple has conceptualized a means of displaying icon-like status indicators on the iPhone's displays even when the handset is locked and the backlight turned off, a new company filing shows. ( 42 comments )
Thu, Nov 13, 2008 - Apple continues to file for patents on a versatile docking station that would be ideal for a tablet computer larger than the iPhone and offer the option of charging the device through either metal contacts or induction. ( 36 comments )
Thu, Nov 6, 2008 - Two new patent filings published this week reveal Apple to be working on digital theater software for handheld devices that would give users the impression that they are attending a sporting or entertainment event, and a new version of the Apple Remote that wouldn't be plagued by interference from stray light sources. ( 26 comments )
Wed, Nov 5, 2008 - Apple in its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday outlined a number of new metrics on the company's business strategy, its retail operations, R&D investment, Snow Leopard-releated expenditures, worldwide operations, and more. ( 21 comments )
Thu, Oct 23, 2008 - With the exception of the iPhone, Apple's products largely lack technology to provide ubiquitous access to the outside world while on the go. However, a new proposal from the company would attempt to solve this problem, and provide ever-present access to the Internet, through a series of tiny RF modules that can be toted or place just about anywhere. ( 47 comments )
Wed, Oct 8, 2008 - It took nearly nine years, but Apple chief executive Steve Jobs and Co. were awarded this week with a patent for their implementation of a software-based computer dock that has since become a trademark of the Mac OS X operating system. ( 25 comments )
Thu, Oct 2, 2008 - Apple is exploring new ways to use the Mac OS cursor to provide users with additional information and usability options for files residing on their hard drive or linked via the internet before they're triggered or activated. ( 24 comments )
Sat, Sep 27, 2008 - A pair of filings for US patents made by Apple would make users' lives easier by letting them pair wireless devices just by bringing them together as well as filling out missing address book data simply by making a request through e-mail. ( 14 comments )
Thu, Sep 25, 2008 - A pair of new patent filings from Apple include suggestions for improving the browsing experience offered through its Safari Web browser, such as a adaptive media support and a visual history tree that more accurately shows users where they've been and how they got there. ( 30 comments )
Thu, Sep 18, 2008 - A new series of iPhone-related patent filings touch on some interface enhancements that could potentially find their way into a future version of the handset's operating system, including more immediate access to application settings and interactive notification panel that presents a list of communications missed while the phone is in a locked state. ( 73 comments )
Thu, Sep 11, 2008 - A new filing from Apple describes a future generation Nike+ system that would be capable of more accurately monitoring athletic performance in real-time, providing feedback on wear of athletic gear, and even conveying advertisements from establishments that an athlete passes during a workout. ( 32 comments )
Thu, Sep 4, 2008 - With its competitors struggling to catch up with multi-touch technology introduced last year as part of the iPhone, Apple is already conceptualizing new versions of the technology that would fuse a variety of secondary inputs with today's touch-based gestures to produce more efficient data input operations. ( 38 comments )
Thu, Aug 28, 2008 - In a revised company filing discovered by AppleInsider, iPhone maker Apple Inc. illustrates a number of techniques that would pave the way for tablet Macs that display a near full-sized multi-touch keyboard and run an undiluted version of the Mac OS X operating system. ( 108 comments )
Thu, Aug 7, 2008 - A new version of Apple's iPhone Software could provide iPhone and iPod touch users with access to their home computer's entire iTunes media library while on the go without having to first download those media items through a traditional sync, a new company filing has revealed. ( 34 comments )
Thu, Jul 17, 2008 - A recently published filing discovered by AppleInsider reveals work by Apple's chief software architect to advance the Podcast beyond its static form and into a live interactive presentation medium suitable for use by educational institutes and businesses for their daily presentations. ( 46 comments )
Thu, Jul 10, 2008 - A new patent filing by Apple illustrates the potential of future multi-touch Macs could allow a whole new suite of creative software, and even a whole desktop operating system, controlled simply through on-screen gestures. ( 38 comments )
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 - In what's considered the definitive overview of Apple's attempts to patent its multi-touch interface, a deluge of newly-public filings show Apple considering technology that hasn't yet been used in the iPhone or the Mac -- including sensing the difference between body parts, explaining gestures through activities, and even responding differently to input from fingernails. ( 18 comments )
Thu, Jun 26, 2008 - Window-based information systems like the Mac OS X Finder face a common problem called "window overlap." Apple in a new patent filing suggests solving this problem through the use of gradual and manipulative window transparency. ( 59 comments )
Thu, May 29, 2008 - With Apple rapidly transitioning its notebooks -- and eventually its desktops -- to flat-panel displays lit by LEDs rather than CCFLs, the Mac maker is simultaneously researching cost-effective solutions that would extend the life of those displays should the LED backlights eventually burn out. ( 44 comments )
Thu, May 29, 2008 - A pair of Apple patent filings discovered by AppleInsider this week show the company is exploring ways to leverage the iPhone's wireless technologies to alert users when they are about to lose a WiFi or cellular signal, and also help them find tiny accessories that may have been misplaced. ( 27 comments )
Thu, May 8, 2008 - Apple in a new patent filing reveals that it is conducting research on a 3D remote control system for its Apple TV set-top box that would mimic the functionality of the Nintendo Wii controller and also deliver some features akin to its multi-touch technology. ( 69 comments )
Mon, Apr 21, 2008 - Apple has set the groundwork for instant messaging on the iPhone and other touchscreen devices with an application for a patent on a universal interface for real-time text chat services. ( 49 comments )
Thu, Apr 17, 2008 - A new series of patent filings by Apple outlines attempts to modernize head-mounted displays (HMDs) that can be plugged into iPods or iPhones by decoupling the image generation components from the headsets themselves, which would pave the way for more lightweight and comfortable designs. ( 42 comments )
Thu, Apr 10, 2008 - Apple in the second of two interesting patent filings revealed this week discusses techniques for improving the iPhone's ability to serve as a multi-party communication environment, in which participants on conference calls can be assigned to virtual position in order to improve clarity. ( 69 comments )
Thu, Apr 10, 2008 - In the years and months leading up to the release of its iPhone handset, Apple Inc. considered forming its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) system which would interface with multiple primary wireless carriers to always provide users with the lowest possible rates depending on their location, a company filing has revealed. ( 40 comments )
Thu, Mar 27, 2008 - Electronics maker Apple Inc. is developing a digital fitness companion system based around its iPhone and iPod touch players aimed a helping americans, and folks in general, live a healthier and more fit lifestyle. ( 62 comments )
Wed, Mar 26, 2008 - As rumors swirl over the possibility of a 3G iPhone with video conferencing capabilities, it may be of some interest to recall an earlier patent filing from Apple for an 'integrated sensing display' capable of serving as both a display screen and a digital camera. ( 53 comments )
Thu, Mar 20, 2008 - Apple has been conducting research on a new breed of display hardware that would employ autostereoscopy to produce three-dimensional images that can be viewed by multiple users without the need for special headgear or glasses, AppleInsider has discovered. ( 43 comments )
Mon, Mar 17, 2008 - Yet another unique patent filing has surface on the part of iPhone maker Apple Inc., this time covering implementations of dual-sided, translucent touch-screens that could serve as the foundation for a flip-screen iPhone or hybrid notebook/tablet device. ( 73 comments )
Fri, Mar 14, 2008 - By integrating digital video recording (DVR) features into Apple TV, Apple stands to transform its niche media hub business into a serious growth driver worth over a billion dollars annually, according to one Wall Street analyst. ( 158 comments )
Thu, Mar 13, 2008 - A series of Apple patent filings published this week reveal a version of the Apple TV media device capable of browsing and recording live television programming in addition to serving up pre-aired content from the company's iTunes Store. ( 114 comments )
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 - Apple appears poised to evolve podcasts into a new form of dynamically generated media, where users would customize the contents of a digital media file prior to downloading it to their iPod, iPhone or Apple TV. ( 10 comments )
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 - The latest patent filing from Apple Inc. hints at a next-generation multi-touch 'surface' that would combine typing, pointing, scrolling, and handwriting capabilities into a single ergonomic design aimed at replacing traditional input devices such as the keyboard, mouse, and drawing tablet. ( 89 comments )
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 - A new and ambitious patent filing from Apple hints that the Mac maker is working to extend an advanced version of its multi-touch technology to future notebook trackpads that would include gesture concepts well beyond what is presently available on its handheld and MacBook Air products. ( 30 comments )
Thu, Feb 14, 2008 - A new software concept proposed by Apple Inc. would merge visual maps and spoken driving directions into an advanced form of on-demand podcast known as a podmap, a recent company filing has revealed. ( 20 comments )
Thu, Jan 3, 2008 - A quick-and-dirty patent filing on the behalf of Apple Inc. proposes a new notebook docking station modeled after its all-in-one iMac desktop computer, where a notebook computer would be inserted into the side of the iMac-like chassis, essentially morphing it into a streamlined desktop system while docked. ( 91 comments )
Thu, Jan 3, 2008 - Apple Inc. in a new patent filing proposes to solve the ages-old problem of having to manufacture distinct keyboards to support the various alphabets and key arrangements of foreign countries by developing an OLED-based model where key arrangements are altered on the fly by software. ( 74 comments )
Thu, Dec 27, 2007 - Newly published filings show Apple attempting to patent two important video decoding techniques as well as a scrolling technique that applies both to iPods and a possible keyboard. ( 21 comments )
Wed, Dec 19, 2007 - Apple Inc. is recruiting testing engineers to help produce multi-touch Macs. Meanwhile, the company is cracking down on complaints of color problems with iMac displays, and Quicken is near completion of a web finance tool for the iPhone. ( 35 comments )
Thu, Feb 15, 2007 - Apple has taken its search for gaming-related talent a step further by seeking interns to fill programming roles. Meanwhile, everyone's favorite Microsoft CEO was caught yapping about Apple and the Mac while attempting to reset Vista sales expectations. And Apple has tightened its grip on interface patents that cover both the iPod and iPhone. ( 54 comments )
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