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June 2010

Apple Files Trademark for iPhone 4 Retail Packaging

1 - Apple Inc iPhone 4 retail pkg TM 
On June 29, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application pertaining to the retail packaging for the iPhone 4 under application 85070775. Apple has filed their trademark under International Class 009 covering all aspects of the iPhone's features that are presented in this report. The iPhone 4 has broken another Apple record by selling 1.7 million units of a product in just three days flat.

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Apple Granted Patents for iPhone, Apple TV, Cooling System, More

1b - Apple Inc, Cover, iphone 2, Apple Mail icon 
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of thirteen newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today covering such matters as two design wins for Apple's iPhone 2G, the Apple Mail and garbage can icons, Apple TV, a notebook cooling system using a thermally conductive hinge assembly and more.

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Apple Introduces the Incredible Shape Shifting Device Interface

1 - cover - Apple Inc - the incredible shape shifting 3D Device Ui 
On June 24, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced shape shifting device interface that could transform a flat interface into a physical 3D embodiment. It could create a physical tactile keypad on a future iPhone or iPod Classic interface and technically provide the iPad with a physical-like keyboard. This incredible concept is packed with wild concepts that could transform a device automatically by simply being in a room with a notable temperature change. The concept could alter an iPod Classic to be a TV remote with various buttons in a configurable interface that will blow your mind. This is definitely a candidate for patent of the year and if Apple ever gets this out to market, it's ball game over for the iPhone and iPod wannabe's of this world.

 

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Hot Off the Press: Apple's iPhone 4 Product Guide

1 - cover - FCC APPLE'S IPHONE 4 PRODUCT GUIDE PART 1
In our June 18 report titled "Apple Tells FCC: There's more to the iPhone than the Public Knows," we presented Apple's letter to the FCC concerning product information confidentiality. One of the secrets Apple was holding back was that the iPhone was going to pack 512 MB RAM which was confirmed by iFixit today. In step 8 of their teardown, iFixit states: "Unlike the iPhone 3GS and iPad, who are both equipped with 256 MB, the iPhone 4 has a whopping 512 MB!" Prior to that on June 22, the Los Angeles Times revealed Apple's new privacy policy changes concerning geo-location. The LA Times stated that "Apple Inc. is now collecting the "precise," "real-time geographic location" of its users' iPhones, iPads and computers." This is confirmed in Apple's iPhone 4 Product Guide enclosed in this report – which all about the guide and nothing but the guide so that you could read it for yourself.

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Hot Off the Press: Apple's iPhone 4 Product Guide – Part 2

1 - COVER #2 - FCC APPLE'S IPHONE 4 PRODUCT GUIDE PART 2
In part one of this two part series we covered Apple's iPhone 4 Product Guide from the cover to page 13 while pointing out that Apple's privacy policy concerning geo-location is in fact revealed in Apple's iPhone 4 Product Guide. In part two, we cover pages 14-27 for your convenience. While not having a lot of time to review the guide for secret details, you will indeed find new information about video calls that has never been revealed before. This is likely one of the little details that Apple would have considered a "secret." While not earth shattering, it is an interesting little twist that you may want to know about before you pick up your iPhone 4 tomorrow morning. For those of you who will be picking up your iPhone 4 tomorrow: Cheers!

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Apple Sues HTC and Exedea for Patent Infringement

1 - Cover - APPLE VS HTC 
Apple is suing High Tech Computer Corp a/k/a HTC Corp. for Patent Infringement according to the latest court documents filed in the District of Delaware. The suit also extends to Exedea, which the court documents reveal is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HTC BVI and incorporated in the State of Texas. Exedea imports mobile communication devices produced by HTC Corp into the United States and distributes and sells such mobile devices after their importation. Four distinct Apple patents are listed in the filing and are known as the "Asserted Patents." One of the more recognizable patents in this case concerns the iPhone's "Slide to Unlock" gesturing feature. The law suit focuses like a laser beam on smartphones incorporating the Android Operating System.

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Apple Files Trademark for Giant "Apple Store" App Icon

1 Apple Inc, Apple Store App - Icon - Cover graphic June 2010 
On June 23, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark for their "Apple Store" App icon under application 85064849. Apple has filed their trademark under two distinct International Classes which basically covers computer software and online retail store services. The new Apple Store App was released on June 15, 2010. A few of the Apple Store App screenshots that are presented in this report illustrate the user's ability to easily shop for products and/or access various services such as One-to-One session reservations and so forth – right from your iPhone and/or iPod touch.

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Apple Files Trademark for Giant iPhone "Home Screen" Icon

1 - Apple Inc, Cover Graphic for Home Screen Giant Icon - June 2010 
On June 23, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark for their iPhone 4 "Home Screen" icon under application 85065521. Apple has filed their trademark under the single International Class 009 covering "Handheld mobile digital electronic devices for the sending and receiving of telephone calls, electronic mail, and other digital data, for use as a digital format audio player, and for use as a handheld computer, personal digital assistant, electronic organizer, electronic notepad, and camera," according to their filing. Apple's website states that "The Home Screen is where you'll find your apps and folders."

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Apple Wins Apple TV + Design Patents for iPhone, iMac & More

1b cover, Apple Inc, granted patent for iMac, iPhone, Apple TV, iPod nano & more 
At this year's D8 Conference, Steve Jobs reiterated Apple's position that it's not a technological problem trying to reinvent TV, it's a go-to-market problem. And while Apple's engineers are burning the midnight oil to figure out how to unravel that mystery, the USPTO today revealed that Apple has been granted three key Apple TV related patents. The patents cover Apple TV's interface in respect to navigation, browsing, searching and playback of media including music, TV shows, movies, podcasts and so forth. In addition to those patents, Apple has racked up a number of key industrial design patents today covering the original iPod, the iPod nano, the iMac, the 2G iPhone and more.

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Apple Tells FCC: There's more to the iPhone than the Public Knows

1B - TOP SECRET 
Apple tells the FCC that there's more to the iPhone than the public knows and wants them to commit to a 45 day short term confidentiality that will freeze internal photos of the iPhone 4. What could Apple be holding back? Apple's FCC letter is enclosed in this report for your review.

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Apple Reveals Emoticon Modules for iOS

1 - Apple Inc, Emoticon - Emoji Modules coming to iOS 
A recently published patent application of Apple's reveals that iOS will at some point gain new widget creating modules specifically relating to stock and/or custom Emoji Characters. The architecture reveals that modules will appear around the time that videoconferencing comes to the iPhone. With Apple having just revealed FaceTime, the new emoji character modules should be on their way in the next year or so if all goes well. We know emoji better as simply emoticons, but that limits the technology. Apple will extend emoji to accept custom characters that you simply draw on your touch screen and then record for later use. Emoji will uniquely be able to be used as custom map locator symbols as well. While emoticons are big in North America, they're a craze in other parts of the world. So get ready, the iPhone is about to jump on board this craze and do it in style. 

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The New Mac Mini Utilizes Apple's Patented Sit-and-Spin Door

1 - Cover - Apple Inc's new Mac Mini bottom Panel a patented concept - june 2010 
Not all patents could be about electronic wallets, integrated solar panels in a future iPhone or flying cars – although I wish they were, believe me. No – sometimes patents are simply about the little things that could add a new dimension to an existing product. For instance, Apple has just added a new sit-and-spin door to their latest iteration of the Mac mini. The fact is that Apple's new removable bottom panel was actually conceived back in 2005 for another application all together.

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Apple Wins Patents for Expose, MacBook & iPod Touch Designs

1c - Cover - Apple Inc, Macbook design win - june 2010 
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 13 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. The notables within this group include design wins relating to Apple's entry level MacBook, another for their hot selling iPod touch and lastly one relating to the iPhone's "Notes" application. Additionally, Apple has been granted patents for an improved version of their MagSafe connector and an important OS X feature, Expose.

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Behind Apple's Stunningly Crafted iPhone is a Patent

1 - Cover - Apple Inc, Integrally Trapping a Glass Insert in a Metal Bezel 
Basically, most consumers really don't care about how the sexy new iPhone is made; they just want to be able to enjoy buying this stunningly crafted device called the iPhone 4 and get out there and start flashing it in the face of their friends who are sad owners of the thick-brick Android or even the butt ugly Android. They don't really care about the shape of the iPhone's gasket or that the manufacturing process utilizes liquid metal so as to avoid gaps or spaces between the glass and metal members – or that Apple uses alloys with liquid atomic structures. Yet to future engineers and possibly those that will be the next generation of Crazy Ones in Cupertino, it definitely matters. Today's brief report points you to one of many Patents that are behind the coolest iPhone ever – with a few pointers along the way.

 

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Apple Wastes No Time Filing for "FaceTime" Trademark

1 - Cover - Apple Inc, FaceTime TM 
On June 11, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application for "FaceTime" under application 85056816. Apple has filed their trademark under three distinct International Classes which covers subject matter such as handheld computers, video cameras, telecommunication services and being an Application Service Provider (ASP). Apple's CEO Steve Jobs stated in their June 7, 2010 press release that "FaceTime video calling sets a new standard for mobile communication." Learn more about FaceTime here.

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Apple Files Two "Retina" Trademark Applications

1 Cover - Apple Inc, Retina TM Application June 11, 2010 
On June 11, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application for "Retina" under applications 85056807 and 85056810. Apple has filed their trademark under two distinct International Classes covering such matters as electronic hand-held game units and cell phones. Apple's CEO Steve Jobs stated in their June 7, 2010 press release that "Apple's stunning 3.5 inch Retina display has 960 x 640 pixels—four times as many pixels as the iPhone 3GS and 78 percent of the pixels on an iPad. The resulting 326 pixels per inch is so dense that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels when the phone is held at a normal distance, making text, images and video look sharper, smoother and more realistic than ever before on an electronic display." Learn more about Retina here.

 

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Apple Reveals iPhone Subtitle & Audio Fingerprinting Features

1 - Cover - Closed Captioning, Subtitles on Media Players 
A new Apple patent published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office today reveals that Apple will be adding easy to use subtitle and closed captioning features to their iPhone and other media players such as Apple TV. The system will also provide users with the ability to control the look of on-screen subtitles by choosing font styles, colors, sizes and even the style of box the text will be presented in. Apple's last feature takes advantage of ambient noise technology so that closed captioning could be triggered automatically when a mobile user is watching a movie or TV show in a noisy environment such a subway, bus, park or gym.

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Patents Come to Life: Video Calling, 3-Axis Gyroscope & Video-Cam

1 - COVER 
At yesterday's WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 4. And while the design turned out to offer little in terms of surprise, Jobs was still able to deliver a historical first: Video calling on a cell phone - in North America. What was once only a fantasy of science fiction is now available on the iPhone 4. In a word: Wow! In today's special patent report we'll be briefly covering some of the patents behind the three areas of technology that were introduced with the iPhone 4 which were mainly video calling, the 3-Axis Gyroscope with Pitch, Roll and Yaw and finally video editing. It's also granted patent day, so we've also listed the eight patents and two design wins that Apple gained today.

 

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The Next OS Revolution Countdown Begins

1 - Cover - The Next OS Revolution Countdown Begins 
Anyone who had taken the time to tune into the Steve Jobs interview with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher at this year's D8 Conference, likely walked away with that one special quote that stood out from all the rest. For me it occurred at the 7:05 mark when Mossberg asked Steve Jobs if he thought that the tablet would succeed the laptop. Jobs replied "The transformation of PC to new form factors like the tablet is going to make some people uneasy because the PC has taken us a long ways. The PC is brilliant…and we like to talk about the post-PC era, but it's uncomfortable." Yeeesss, more changes are in the wind and in fact, we're likely on the cusp of the next OS Revolution - and I'm talking about the OS X revolution here! This report will present you with some of the great innovations that are on the drawing board at Apple and elsewhere in the industry. Before Apple's WWDC gets under way next week, why not take a look at what could be coming our way in 2011 - because it's going to be wild!  

 

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FairPlay or Not, Apple is Ready to Gun Down Hackers

1 - Apple Inc, DRM Particle Gun Authentication System , Cover Graphic 
On February 6, 2007, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc., published an open letter entitled "Thoughts on Music" calling on the "big four" music companies to sell their music without DRM. Apple's iTunes Store went DRM Free two years later. Yet DRM is still with us in other media, be it movies, video games and perhaps iBooks for the iPad and beyond. According to Wikipedia, "DRM has never and will never be perfect. Hackers will always find a method to break DRM." Perhaps that's true, but Apple seems to think that they could out-gun hackers with their latest DRM authentication-centric Particle Gun. While only time will tell if this pans out as planned, for now, FairPlay or not, Apple is ready to gun down hackers in an effort to appease content creators.

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Apple Wins Key Patents for iSight Camera, the MacBook's Multi-Touch Trackpad and iPhone Sensors

1 - Apple Inc, Cover Graphic, Granted patents June 1, 2010 - b 
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 33 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today of which 11 were designated Industrial design patents. The notables within the other lot includes three core patents covering Apple's MacBook Multi-Touch Trackpad, Apple's embedded iSight camera with privacy filter and lastly a key patent covering proximity and light sensors used in Apple's iPod touch, iPad and iPhone.

 

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Apple's Vision of a Solar Cell iPhone Supports Prototype in the Wild

1 Cover, Apple Inc, Solar Cell iPhone 
One of Apple's more interesting patents kicking off 2010 revealed their aspirations of engineering solar powered media players. In Apple's second patent on this very subject we get to peek at more of the detailing behind their engineering vision. Yet it boils down to two main points. Firstly we see that Apple envisions utilizing solar cell technology right across the board from iPod to iPad. Secondly and perhaps most intriguingly, we see Apple detailing how they'll be able to integrate cell panels beneath their multi-touch surface as opposed to it being applied to the top surface of their media players as previously thought. This revelation ensures us that Apple won't be sacrificing design for function. The reason that it's intriguing is that it supports the design shift that Apple's iPhone prototype took. By switching the iPhone's backside substrate to a non-metal surface would clearly open the door for Apple to implement a double-sided solar panel design. This would double the amount of power that the cells would be able to draw in order for them to power the media player longer. While this technology won't be ready for primetime in 2010 to be sure, we could seriously see this power assisted technology make its debut sooner than most skeptics think.

 

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Apple Wins Designs for iPod nano/Classic, MacBook Air, Keyboard +

1 - Cover - Apple Industrial Design wins for June 1, 2010 
On date, 2010, the US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 11 newly granted design patents for Apple Inc. today. The notables within this group include the fifth generation iPod nano, the sixth generation iPod Classic, Apple's wired keyboard and most importantly, Apple's sleek MacBook Air.

 

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