On July 31, 2008, the US Patent & Trademark Office published an Apple patent application that generally relates to receiving broadcasts and in particular to systems and methods for communicating and storing information associated with data within a broadcast. Apple's patent discusses broadcast services that will be made available from iTunes that will work with a new add-on accessory for the iPod and iPhone.  The proposed accessory would also work with Yahoo and Microsoft subscription services - which make you wonder if Apple is contemplating such a service of their own in the not too distant future. This report also introduces another similar iPod accessory that will be available for the iPod later this year from a third party.    

On July 10, 2008, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a major Apple patent application that generally relates to a system and method of managing, manipulating, and editing media objects, such as graphical objects on a display, by using hand gestures on a touch sensitive device. More importantly however, is that Apple's patent presents us with a wide array of illustrations that would definitively confirm that touch technologies are coming to Apple's iMac and a notebook/tablet.  Some of the more interesting touch related illustrations cover such aspects as working with the application dock, unique music and video applications and new ways to work with iPhoto and more.

On July 10, 2008, the US Patent & Trademark Office published three distinct Apple API patent applications pertaining to scrolling, gesturing and Synchronization. Although the patents were interesting unto themselves, the surprise and secret to both lay deep within: Designs for a notebook-tablet. The patent's design of the proposed device confirms Apple's marketing approach. While details are scant at the moment, we're sure to learn more about such a notebook-tablet in future patent filings. Many students in the Mac community have expressed an interest in this type of device over the years. And with Apple's advanced gesture, sensor and multitouch patents being incorporated into such slick products as the iPhone and iPod touch, their leadership in such product design is solid and proven. With Apple having launched their new App Store last week in support of the new 3G iPhone, I'm sure that the next online store in mind for Apple is one that will support electronic books: One that will be a natural fit for the coming notebook-tablet shown in patent FIG. 33C below.