Social networking on sites like LinkedIn and Facebook are a huge success with today's in-crowd. Today's social apps typically use matching algorithms to match members with members who are deemed compatible by with their interests and values. As of today, Apple has tippy-toed into this arena with their introductory social network for music called Ping and will be wholly embracing Twitter in their upcoming iOS 5 operating system this fall. But it doesn't look like Apple is satisfied just yet. A new patent application that surfaced today indicates that Apple is working on a new iOS based social networking app that will use a few new methods for matching people up. They include uniquely sharing data from your iOS device as well as sharing location data on several levels. The app could identify where you currently are, like a club, but also inform others where you've been such as Paris, New York or events like Macworld or Apple's WWDC so as to provide potential new friends with an ice-breaker for conversation. Apple's proposed app is an odd entry and one that appears to only represent a single part within a larger app framework for a future more complete social networking app. For now, it's interesting but half baked.
On June 16, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a newly advanced halogen-free flame retardant material that is likely to be integrated into the manufacturing of Apple products like keyboards, mice, iPods, the iPad, cabling and more. Apple's invention provides for a halogen free resin composition that includes at least one thermoplastic polymer, an inorganic filler and a flame retardant additive that is described as being "self-fire extinguishable."
A new patent application from Apple this morning reveals that they began working on new security features for "Find My iPhone" shortly after the first iteration was revealed back in 2009. The next generation security features are noted as being proactive in nature. The user will be able to preselect certain files to be protected in the event their device is lost or stolen and introduces ways of securely scrambling information instead of wiping it out to make retrieval easier. Other interesting features are also being considered and are covered in today's report.
On June 15, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's "iTunes Live" and "FaceTime" trademarks into their Official Gazette. Usually within 30 days of this publication, the trademarks are officially registered. Apple's original video conferencing application called "iChat" was recently reinvented under the branding of "FaceTime" which also covers "FaceTime for Mac." On another trademark front today, we see that Apple has decided to resurrect their "Pod" trademark in Europe which was recently noted as having been abandoned in Canada. Whether the abandonment of the Pod trademark was strategic or a blunder is unknown at this time – but it's clear that the mighty "Pod" is back in play.
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 15 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our third and final granted patent report of the day we cover the technology behind Apple's advanced strobe light system which embeds important information into photos that could later assist users deblur photos when editing. Other patents include the cosmetic switch assemblies for iOS devices like the iPhone and a Japanese acquired patent relating to telephony. Whether the technology is restricted to the Japanese market is unknown at this time. Report Updated
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 15 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In today's second granted patent report we cover Apple's technology that's behind the Nike+iPod sensors and antennas in addition to a patent covering Apple's methods for gift card customization. The patent also covers an iTunes Customized Gift Card Kiosk which has yet to surface in the marketplace.
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 15 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our first report of the day, we cover Apple's patents relating to Light Transmissive & Ambient Light Display technology as well as Apple's latest design patent win for MagSafe.
After a long series of patent infringement lawsuits that began in 2009 and continued with many twists and turns along the way, Nokia has emerged the victor by signing a patent licensing agreement with Apple. The agreement will result in settlement of all patent litigation between the companies, including the withdrawal by Nokia and Apple of their respective complaints to the US International Trade Commission. This will certainly be the tech story of the day.
On June 13, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark applications for "Mission Control" and "Launchpad." Apple's trademarks represent two of the higher profiled features that are coming to "Lion," Apple's upgraded operating system due this fall. Additionally, China's Patent and Trademark Office has published two design patents covering Apple's retail packaging for the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle. Apple has the most elaborate retail packaging for mobile devices in the computer industry.
Being that Steve Jobs is a big Bob Dylan fan, I thought it only appropriate to begin this special report on Apple's iCloud with a lyrical line from a Dylan song that states "It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls - for the times they are a-changin'." While it may be old, it's always true: Change is inevitable. Politicians use this catch phrase every four years and somehow it never gets old with each new generation. When we think of the coming cloud we think that it's new – but it's not. It used to be called Network Computing and thin clients were called NC's. That was a term that drove naysayers crazy. According to them, it was never going to happen. Well, with a fresh coat of paint and new razzle-dazzle marketing lingo, we see that it's back and here to stay. Technology has finally caught up with the vision that Steve Jobs harbored since the mid nineties and today's report will fast track you through some of its history. There's a reason why Apple's iCloud will be fundamentally superior: it's been in the works for well over a decade.
On June 9, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals their intentions of including a new and convenient app Movie app for the iPhone. The new app will include a convenient link to their already established iTunes Music Trailers page so as to help you decide on which movie to see while providing you with a convenient one-click movie ticket purchasing option. It's also tied into the iPhone's calendar so that it could remind you of previous engagements and/or tight schedules. This app is likely to be associated with many next generation apps associated with Apple's forthcoming iWallet. This will definitely be a great little app that all movie goers will appreciate.
On June 9, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the next chapters for playlist creation in iTunes. Instead of playlists being presented in text form, Apple is proposing the organization of your playlists into searchable Mosaic Icons that could be set in various grid arrangements of your choosing. New navigational controls associated with the new iTune playlist icons will allow users to quickly navigate or browse through the items in the list without having to open a new view. To allow for this new form of graphical playlist design, Apple will have to either redesign iTunes or recreate a new Summary iTunes tab within iTunes that could present pages of your new playlists that are in mosaic icon form. Apple's proposed icon system could also be technically applied to folders in a typical computer directory structure containing subfolders.
