Intel's forthcoming Sandybridge microprocessor architecture will introduce us all to on-chip AVX instructions, a technology which will advance things like 3D graphics and broadcasting capabilities on the consumer side while advancing commercial applications that need compute-intensive performance to support timely decisions such as financial services where nano seconds can make a difference. It will advance capabilities for resource and manufacturing industries that construct and model software solutions across multiple dimensions of space and time. Yet the most interesting twist to this technology is that it may in fact, open the door to what Intel calls 3D Internet.
On October 8, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published four iPhone centric patent applications. The applications cover such matters as how the iPhone is certified for use with their carriers like AT&T, how the iPhone controls the execution of software code using cryptography methodologies and finally an application which covers the iPhone's built-in processor for enhancing audio. The patent figure noted above relates to network certification (click to enlarge).
Apple marketing has strategically yet quietly updated and extended their App Store trademark coverage - just as new products for 2010 are being tabled. One such upgrade could translate into seeing an extended line of App Store Specific Gift Cards for this or next Christmas as "prepaid purchase cards and gift cards" are now covered in this upgrade under international class 016. Considering that Apple has surpassed two billion downloads, it would almost seem natural to see App Store specific gift cards roll out in the coming years. The second and perhaps most important classification coverage upgrade that Apple has made in this round, is adding International Class 009 which covers printed material. Under this classification we find "downloadable e-books" that in effect would cover e-versions of "printed publications; periodicals; books; magazines; newsletters; brochures; booklets; pamphlets; manuals; journals; music books; music instruction manuals," and "music magazines." The electronic versions of these materials will play a huge roll in Apple's 2010 Media Pad/Tablet roll out. A new segment supporting e-books is widely expected to be found at the iTunes Store in concert with the new tablet's debut. The added coverage for the App Store trademark at this time is a sure tell-tale sign that Apple's marketing machine is ramping up for this product launch.
First came the news of a future iPhone or perhaps even Apple's mysterious tablet design and now a second very cool patent has surfaced from the US Patent and Trademark Office that tells us that Apple may have presence detection coming to hardware in the not too distant future. The new technology will remotely detect a person's presence without requiring physical input by the user. The technology could be built right into the physical frame of various Mac hardware or set within iSight itself. Apple may employ SONAR as one of the methods of achieving this feat. Apple also makes a side note that that this technology could apply to a future a television – and even gives us a peek at a MacBook with a numeric pad. It sounds like a very cool feature – though beware, it might just freak your cat out.
One of the eight granted patents posted today for Apple Inc. by the US Patent & Trademark Office illustrates a mysterious design for a future iPhone or yes, the long rumored Apple tablet. The design carries absolutely no physical buttons and was only filed for this February. Other notable granted patents include Apple's MacBook Air SuperDrive and Apple TV design patents and an important power switching apparatus and method for portables like the iPhone or iPod touch.
Well before IDF 2009 even began, Intel was on the road selling a new message to selective audiences in front of and behind the cameras. We began hearing about Intel's vision for television at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show during Paul Otellini's keynote, where he discussed topics such as WiMAX, HDTV and their upcoming SoC called Canmore. Fast forwarding to February 2008 and we see that Intel's mission of promoting the next wave of television and entertainment services went into higher gear behind the scenes where they began promoting the notion that they were on the very cusp of a whole new industry. This report takes a quick peek back at that key 2008 event and then flashes forward to cover two current Intel keynotes that take a peek at the future of television. In the end, we go full circle in order to try and give some meaning to what being on the cusp of a whole new industry actually means.
