Weeks are flying by and it’s time for another week in review. Monday we learned that a new hack was available from the iPhone Dev Team that adds MMS to first generation iPhones and tethering to 3.1.2 OS for the later iPhone models. We also found out that Microsoft is set to issue a new update for the Xbox 360 that will break unauthorized storage devices. That means that some gamers will be unable to access the saved game data after applying the new update.
Nokia are tipped to begin using Synaptics touchscreen technology in their upcoming cellphones, with the first models using the presumably capacitive panels to launch in Q3 2009. According to sources at Taiwan IC designers, Nokia is also considering introducing multitouch functionality to their handsets, in a move that could bring them into more direct competition with Apple and Palm.
Apple is being sued by Elan Microelectronics, a Taiwanese chip designer, over alleged infringement of two touchscreen patents by its MacBook, iPhone and iPod touch ranges. According to Elan, the contended IP covers technology used to recognize the position of a finger on a touchscreen or trackpad; they’re now pushing for an injunction against the contentious products, which – if granted – would freeze much of Apple’s range.
Apple’s recent patent award for multitouch and gesture-based interfaces used in its iPhone and iPod touch ranges has flung patent law and prior art contests back into the headlines; now there’s word that a so-called global community working to “legitimize the validity of patents”, Article One Partners, have given a $50,000 prize fund to two researchers that turned up evidence potentially letting Garmin off the hook in a patent dispute of their own. Article One have now launched seven more patent studies, each with cash jackpots, one of which addresses Apple’s touchscreen IP.
Apple exec Tim Cook’s recent posturing over touchscreen and multitouch patents during the company’s financial conference call surprised many by how unexpected and direct it was. Now, it looks like we might know why the COO was quite so forthright: what Cook knew - and at that point most of us didn’t – was that Apple had finally been granted their infamous “Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics” patent, number 7,479,949, which had been languishing in review at the patent office for more than two years.
If Apple expected Palm to blush, make half-hearted excuses and whip the Pre back under the table, they’ve a cold hard shock coming this morning. Delivering the much-anticipated response to Apple COO Tim Cook’s legal warnings over potentially infringed intellectual property, Palm spokesperson Lynn Fox described her company as “confident” that they had the tools, “robust patent portfolio” and “long history of innovation” to defend themselves.
Full Palm legal statement after the cut
Apple’s patents are always very interesting to say the least. Every time we see one we are constantly reminded that Apple not only thinks outside the box, but also manages to stay two steps ahead of everyone else in terms of new ideas and technological innovation.
The urgency to bring out third-party accessories just as soon as a product launches has bitten Apple a few times over the past year or so, with iPods and the iPhone 3G all being tipped via leaked case details. Now we’re supposedly seeing the form factor of the upcoming iPhone nano, courtesy of a silicone skin case from XSKN.
Apple have filed a patent for a system controlled by fingers hovering over a surface, rather than necessarily touching it. One potential application for the technology could see it integrated into the capacitive touchscreen of the iPhone, allowing the handset to recognize non-contact gestures, shut off different parts of the display, or highlight specific touch-controls.
The biggest news this week has been coming out of IFA 2008, with SlashGear’s roving reporter there, Milena Glimbovski, sending back all the details of the hottest new hardware. The netbook train shows no sign of slowing, with LG’s X110 and Fujitsu’s AMILO Mini Ui 3620 finally stepping out of the shadows and getting full announcements. There’s too much good stuff to mention it all individually, so check out the IFA 2008 tag for SlashGear’s full coverage.
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