News/Rumors

Released Apple patent for “iWatch”

The latest published patent from Apple heightened speculations for the wearable technology currently known as the “iWatch”. The patent shows or pinpoints to flexible glass technology with a strap that can easily fit any wrist. “The wearable accessory device includes a flexible display coupled to a bi-stable spring. Coupling the display to the bi-stable spring allows the accessory device to be easily worn in a number of convenient locations.” filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in August 2011.
The device will be capable to be worn using a strap that overlaps hence giving a tight fit on the user. Several iPhone/iPad features will be included on the device such as inertial orientation sensors like gyroscopes will be use to reorient the interface towards he user. Touch screen capabilities are also added to activate/deactivated the flexible display. Power source of the device need to be recharge as per previous Apple devices but will also contain solar and kinetic recharging capabilities. The device will have Bluetooth capabilities to accept commands and data input via other Apple devices. This indicates that the device can be use as an appendix of certain Apple devices for instances like message or call notifications.

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Some are still skeptical regarding the said “iWatch” but two people familiar with the plan stated that it has passed the experimental stage. Also, Apple has hired wearable technology expert, Richard DevVaul. He is an expert in integrating technology in portable applications. Bloomberg also indicated that Apple’s James Foster and Achim Pantfoerder are parts of the efforts in developing this technology. With these amounting evidences, the “iWatch” would be within reach in the next couple of years.

Apple, News/Rumors

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Grants Apple 36 Patents

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple 36 patents including a proximity sensor of the iPhone and iPad. The proximity sensor was first filed on 2005 which provides detection of one or more touches differentiating that are light or hard. Another patent that was granted was with the shock sensor that allows Apple Store technicians to know if the product device was damaged due to dropping. Some granted patents are for electronic media devices and future active packaging that allows power and data to be supplied to one or more electronic devices housed within the packaging. A notable patent was for a 3D version of OS X.

Other patent that was granted was for reconstruction of list in a document, providing information to a caller based on a called mobile terminal’s temporary directory number and automatic image cropping.

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With the patent war between Apple and Samsung on going, news of this grant is a big plus for Apple. Both companies have sued each other regarding ripping off designs. Last August, Apple won one of the infringement cases and the court orders Samsung to pay Apple $1 Billion. One of the victories of that case was that Samsung was found guilty of infringement on design patents of products, and it upheld certain Apple utility and design. The patent war between these two is not yet over. Several cases are still ongoing and some are still waiting for trial. Now with 36 new patents around its belt, Apple has gained a notch on the patent wars. Nevertheless, Apple is still proving that they are the leading innovation giant.

Apple, News/Rumors

New Apple device: iPen

Is Apple preparing to develop a new and innovative device? The Cupertino Company filled yesterday a patent application for its own future stylus, called iPen.

The iPen will be able to integrate with all Apple devices that feature touch-screen surfaces such as the iPad, the iPhone, the iPod touch and others and to work with programs such as SketchBook, Inspire Pro, Paint or maybe Apple’s own graphics editing program. I would like to see such program as a built-in feature of iOS 6.

The stylus configuration will provide haptic feedback to a user, possible vibrations, or it will integrate a built-in mini speaker to offer audio feedback in various ways. If Apple will add advanced haptics to the stylus, a user will be then able to feel different actions, such as brush strokes or line thickness.

The technological aspect of the iPen is not complicated. It involves a haptic actuator, a transmitter to operate with other devices via WiFi, a receiver to catch signals from a touch-based user interface, and a battery. Also, the stylus may also have a pointed tip clever configured to interact with the touch screen surface. The tip may also be coupled to a receiver via WiFi, Bluetooth and so on.

Source: PatentlyApple

Apple, News/Rumors

New Apple device: Steering Wheel Remote Control

This week, Apple has got the patents for a new device: a wireless remote control for a vehicle’s steering wheel that looks like the iPod’s clickwheel with a new touch-sensitive design.

This in-vehicle system is integrated with a portable media device, such as the iPhone, allowing the driver to control the phone’s media player without removing the hands from the steering wheel.

Apple has thought also of a clamping feet useful for mounting of the wireless remote control to the steering wheel. The remote control features also a rotatable faceplate that can be oriented in any direction, depending on the rotation movement of the steering wheel.

The clamping feet and other components, such as the hinges, can be made of aluminum or also of plastic, fiberglass or others.

Apple didn’t mention when the system will hit the market or if it will be integrated with iOS 6 or the new iPhone.

Source: Patently Apple

Mac, News/Rumors

Apple’s essence: the MacBook Pro fragrance

Each Apple product comes to life when its box is opened and we recall such memories each time the distinctive scent of a newly unwrapped device reaches our senses.

Melbourne artists Gavin Bell, Jarrah de Kuijer and Simon McGlinn sniffed the solution that can bring to us the joy of opening a newly purchased Apple device without buying one. The three artists are members of the Greatest Hits group and with the help of Air Aroma they created Apple’s spirit in a bottle: the MacBook Pro fragrance.

The MacBook Pro fragrance is characterized by the smell of a new aluminum laptop combined with the smell of the paper box, of ink and of plastic. In order to create the accurate scent that will offer the best effects, Air Aroma sent a new unboxed Apple laptop to its fragrance lab in France, where professional perfume makers sourced various aroma samples. Multiple blends were tested in the Air Aroma laboratory until the one that was replicating the smell of the MacBook Pro coming straight from China factories was selected.

The Apple essence will be stored within the Air Aroma Aroslim diffuser and it will be diffused only at the ‘De facto Standard’ artistic exhibition of the group at West Space. Unfortunately for Apple fans, the fragrance is not meant for commercial purposes.

Source: Macworld and Air Aroma

Accessories, iPad, Mac

Recover the look and feel of your Apple gadgets with polished wooden skins

Either your iPhone, iPad or MacBook got scratched or you just want to give them a particular and unique look, + RECOVER is your friend in need.

On the online Get Recover shop one can find front and back skins for his tablet or iPhone or he can create his own custom skin. Either way, the skin will be 100% unique because no wooden skins are alike; each piece of wood is different, thus, the Recover wooden skins may look similar but they are not the same.

The wooden skins collection is various. One can choose between Cherry, Maple, Walnut –Ebony, Walnut, and Cherry – Mahogany skins for his device. All wood skins come with 3M adhesive backing for semi-permanent application and they all have wood grains that run from top to bottom.

Customers should keep sight that the + RECOVER wooden skins are not similar to the cases. Unlike the cases, the wooden skins can protect your device only from scratches and dirt. Depending on the Apple device, skins can be purchased from the online shop as follows:

-          $15.00 for iPhone 3G/3GS (only back skins)

-          $24.00 for iPhone 4/4S

-          $30.00 for any iPad model

-          $35.00 for MacBook

Though different, each Recover wooden skin has a sleek aspect that goes hand in hand with the glossy displays from Apple.

News/Rumors

Colored pencils tribute to the Apple brand

A stop-motion video created by Filipe Marcelo, a talented Brazilian fellow, proves that the Apple Company doesn’t have many consumers but muitos amigos.

Filipe Marcelo, himself an Apple fan, contrived the AppleMOTION video in 48 hours using a good deal of colored pencils and 921 photos. The stop-motion video was first spotted by MacMagazine and pictures significant devices, starting with the iPod and ending with the iPad, a portrait of Steve Jobs, the former Apple logo and an Angry Birds moment.

For those of you who enjoyed the movie and also the idea, Filipe made available also a couple of wallpapers that can be legally downloaded.

And because Filipe Marcelo deserves all the cheers, AppsRumors gosto de AppleMotion.

Source: MacMagazine

Apple

Apple is the most popular star in U.S Box Office films

This year’s most appealing combination from Hollywood is once again the combination cunning actors and Apple devices.

According to expectations, Apple won the Brandcameo 2011 Award for Overall Product Placement after its last success in 2010. Last year Apple products appeared in 17 (42.5%) of the first 40 films of the U.S. box office and it seems that film producers enjoy Apple’s presence more and more and already cast Apple devices in 50% of 2012 #1 movies.

MacBook in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol scene

On the second place came Dell, Chevrolet and Ford each scoring a 22.5% of presence in top films, followed on the third place by Coca-Cola, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz with 17.5%. Grandchannel revealed that

“Apple-branded products have now appeared in more than one-third of all number one films at the US box office between 2001 through 2011 (129 of the 374 #1 films during that period). That is second only to Ford (153 of 374) and well ahead of third place Coca-Cola (103 of 374). In fact, Apple products appeared in more top films in the last decade than McDonald’s and Pepsi and Sony Vaio combined (122).”

Bella using a Mac in Twillight scene

Apple devices appeared also in many movies that didn’t reach the top in U.S. box office, such as Friends with Benefits, The Dilemma, The Muppets, Bridesmaids and many others but the most fruity fact is that Apple insist that the company did not paid for placing its devices in any of this movies.

Maybe Apple did not pay for its devices distribution. Maybe is this distribution that brought to Apple it’s most successful quarter. What we know for sure is that great Hollywood producers prefer the presence of the latest technology in their screen play.

Source: grandchannel

News/Rumors

Cisco Aironet 3600 Series: flexibility and wireless performance delivered

The iPhone, the iPad 2, the MacBook are powerful Apple devices that have heavy processors and long lasting batteries and that are capable of dealing with other powerful devices and accessories. I always had the feeling that the wireless equipment with 2 spatial streams was not that challenging for Apple’s hardware. Cisco released the product that can face the heavy devices and optimize the performance of smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Cisco Aironet 3600 Series is so far the one and only 4×4 MIMO with 3 spatial streams. This wireless equipment is developed to sustain connections at no matter how high speed. Mimo (Multi In/ Multi Out) adds a forth antenna enabling multiple data streams to be sent at the same time. Due to this forth member of the spatial stream the connection is balanced and the communication path is diversified thus, all clients that are using the same wireless device will benefit of enhanced performances.

Cisco Aironet 3600 Series is efficient in a small apartment and as well in an office or an enterprise. The WLAN connection will not slow down or be cut-off and each user will experience the same connection due to the forth antenna which offers a backup in critical connection situations.

Source: Cisco

Accessories, Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod, News/Rumors

Cool Apple gadgets deserve cool USB chargers

You might say that a charger is not an accessory but a necessary part of a device. Dexim changes this idea and turns the charger into a cool and useful accessory for your iPhone, iPad and iPod. Dexim Visible Green Charger’s cable glows when plugged to an electric source or when syncing. The glowing depends on the electrical current that flows through the cable. Once the charger is plugged, the flow expresses itself through a blue and shiny moving color. It would have been cooler if multiple colors were available.

Visible Green Charger is not just a charger. Depending on the battery capacity of your Apple device, the lights can dynamically run, can happily dance, or can just take a walk from the current source all the way through the device. When the lights are fully animated it means that the battery needs more charging and on the contrary, when they are moving slow it indicates that the battery is almost full. Visible Green Charger expresses itself by motion lights.

Some of you might find this charger annoying by night and if you are too sleepy to look at it and imagine that you are starring at northern lights or something else that your imagination coins, then you’ll just have to avoid using it.

Source: MacRumors