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Apple has been granted nine new patents, and I thought I’d take a look at the claims therein and see whether they match up to the descriptions, and whether they seem (to this humble blogger) like realistic items for which to gain exclusive rights. I’ve included links to all the patents, but the USPTO office is behaving strangely, and often returned an error when I tried to pull up documents. Those guys ought to claim a method to buy some new servers, whereby I don’t have to submit the patent number five times before it comes up.

I’m not going to get in the habit of analyzing in detail every patent that comes our way, but in light of recent lawsuits and all the noise being made about software patents specifically, it seems worthwhile to take a closer peek now and then.

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7,788,582 (filed September 6, 2005): This appears to be a patent for part of the cascading “search assistant” in iTunes, which lets you narrow your search to one of several categories (music, videos, podcasts, and “all” are claimed), and presents dependent parameters like artist, author, etc., to further limit search results. It’s no secret that many popular players have adopted this type of search, but if Apple decides to take them up on it, it may be that trivial changes or improvements will be all that is warranted to make others’ search methods distinct.

7,788,248 (filed March 8, 2005): This patent claims a method for automatically displaying search results when a user is typing into a search box if the user pauses or hits space. There are also claims for UI elements for setting parameters like search delay manually. The claims list is quite long, but much of it is boilerplate pertaining to including the keyboard, computer, and code in the patent. Obviously Google and others have been using this for some time (Apple in fact uses Google as their example in the illustrations); I wouldn’t be surprised if live search results have appeared in other, earlier patents. Apple’s appears to be limited to “an internet search engine,” but does that refer to any search engine accessed through a browser, or what? If this is a piggyback service offered through Safari, it would make more sense (i.e. automatically submitting search queries multiple times client-side instead of server-side displaying results for partial input).

7,788,656 (filed December 15, 2005): A technical patent for reducing GPU or CPU load when performing transformations on an image. Essentially combines two filters or other operations, eliminating redundant calculations and storage. It appears to combine to produce a third program program procedurally. This would accelerate color corrections in video and photo editing. Pretty cut and dry.

7,786,975 (filed December 23, 2005): The patent for the iPhone’s inertial scrolling system. The claim is essentially for simulating accelerative and decelerative friction on an object based on input from a touch-sensitive display, plus some parameters for allowing it to handle this or that type of non-ideal gesture. Obviously inertial scrolling is in use in many other applications now. I think it may be easy to get around Apple’s implementation: acceleration of scrolling through lists or windows has been in place for quite a long time, and passing user input from a touch-sensitive device to this other inertial scrolling method seems to me a distinct method based on what is claimed (again, not a lawyer).

7,788,605 (filed May 22, 2003): Claims a method relating to iMovie’s clip-based display, where the playhead determines what is displayed in the thumbnail and also indicates where in the clip that thumbnail image is taken from — or something like that, anyway. Pretty straightforward.

7,788,585: More editing-related claims, this time for a user-friendly way to do split editing — i.e. separately editing video and audio from adjacent or overlapping clips. Nothing too interesting here.

7,788,594: This is actually a great idea, which I haven’t seen implemented anywhere. The idea is a search box which, depending on where you click within the box, it searches different things. It basically just skips using a pulldown menu to search something specific; imagine if you clicked on the right side of the Google search box to make your search be an image search, and on the left side to make a regular search. I’m actually surprised not to have seen this around at all.

7,788,599 (filed July 28, 2006): This one is ridiculous. They appear to have been granted a patent for an unbelievably simple and fundamental way of displaying data. Cell-based menus for navigating a hierarchy. Isn’t this essentially a patent for a menu bar? They’re claiming something that’s been in constant use since the early 80s.

7,788,604 (filed November 3, 2004): Not quite as dodgy as the last one, but still questionable, if you ask me (though why would you?). This is a patent on an icon changing to a new state on mouseover, and not being clickable until it has fully changed to that second state — and upon being clicked, it goes to a third state. This kind of thing has also been a staple of graphical menus for a long, long time. In fact, I believe I programmed something like this into a Hypercard stack when I was 10 or 11. If I find that stack — prior art!

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I’m guessing these are only a few of hundreds of similar patents Apple has regarding UI items for OS X and iOS. It’s probably not an unreasonable assumption to consider this group a representative sample: the rest probably shares a similar proportion of well-deserved, questionable, and absurd claims. Of course, what matters is whether Apple will be satisfied to let these lie as protective against exact duplication, or whether they will start suing people for using rollover graphics in their icons.

Again, I am not a lawyer, and these are just my impressions on looking at the claims and illustrations provided. I didn’t look into the referenced patents and whatnot, but I felt my summary of the claims might actually be more informative than the baked-in descriptions.

SD Card Association: flash card speeds to triple by 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a while since we sashayed through Klipsch's world headquarters back in December of last year, but the company certainly hasn't let off of the pedal. This day at IFA, it managed to introduce no fewer than three new headphones, including the outfit's very first on-ear set. The Image One was built to bring Klipsch's signature sound to folks who'd like cans over 'buds, and it's also amongst the first to have an Apple-centric mic and three-button remote for controlling music playback on iPods, iPads and iPhones. Travelers will be pleased to hear that the ear cups fold flat for portability, but you'll need $149.99 to call 'em yours when they ship this November. Moving on, there is the Image S5i Rugged (shown above) -- essentially, you're looking at the same sound quality we lauded last year, but with a rugged slant. These feature the aforesaid three-button remote / mic as well as a "safety case" that touts a built-in flashlight. We are anticipating a demonstration of their toughness at IFA tomorrow, but in the meanwhile you can start sacking away $129.99 for their November debut. Finally, the October-bound Image S3 is the company's new low-end set, priced at just $49.99 but still shipping with a trio of oval ear tips, a carrying case and a choice of gray, red, pink or green hues. The full presser is after the break, if you are into that type of thing.

Continue reading Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds

Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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StealthArmor, the fancy skin for your iPhone or iPad, is now available in red, pink, blue, yellow, orange, purple and green. I know you’ve been itching for a green iPad. If you want the boring carbon fiber look, you can have it, but that’s pretty old fashioned. We’ve got three to give away to lucky readers!

How do you win? Simply leave a comment on this post telling us what clever nickname you’ll now use for your colored device. That green iPad is clearly a lilly pad, right? Be creative, gang. Be sure to use your real email address when you comment, so that we can send you an email to let you know you’ve won. The winner gets to pick the color of their choice, for the product of their choice (iPhone or iPad). We’ll pick three random winners on Monday afternoon.

Here’s the full press release:

Why Should New Colorful iPod Nano Have All the Fun?

Brighten up your iPod Touch, iPhone 4, iPad or other Apple product with new protective StealthArmor COLOR Series from Fusion of Ideas

09.03.2010 – Word on the street is that StealthArmor by Fusion of Ideas is stylish and sleek, rugged and unobtrusive. Yet, as a company based in Orange County, Calif., home to some of the most exciting beach cities in America (Newport, Laguna, Huntington, to name a few), Fusion of Ideas decided it was about time to incorporate a bit more flavor into its product line-up. Today, Fusion of Ideas introduces its most brilliant line of StealthArmor yet, the COLOR Series.

COLOR Series comes on the heels of Apple’s revamped iPod line-up announcement, which includes the latest versions of iPod Nano and iPod Touch. Both devices are beautifully designed with smooth, clean surface areas. To keep these products scratch and ding free, StealthArmor offers full-body protection in a wide variety of finishes which now include seven COLOR Series additions: red, pink, blue, yellow, orange, purple and green.

“The COLOR Series is our way of infusing fun into the customization process,” says Russ Taylor, Founder and President of Fusion of Ideas. “Our customers are very savvy when it comes to fashion, and they want their Apple devices to stand out from the crowd and make a statement. Our new array of colorful StealthArmor kits allow people to mix and match how they accessorize their device to fit their tastes and style.”

In addition, for a limited time StealthArmor will be available in three beachy shades of scratch-resistant canvas, part of a new Island-style finish under the CLASSIC Series developed by a Fusion of Ideas retail employee. Cory Stanford, 18, was inspired by the hemp fabric on his flip flops and thought it would make a “cool” StealthArmor cover. He impressed Taylor with the idea, and a new StealthArmor product was born.

“These beach-inspired covers are indeed cool and a great example of how we’re always being innovative, with ideas coming together organically to bring the best of customization to our customers,” says Taylor.

All StealthArmor finishes come with a lifetime warranty. Built to protect, StealthArmor was initially designed for the automotive racing industry to keep car exteriors safe from flying asphalt and rocks.

StealthArmor is quick and easy to install and may require the use of a heat source (such as from a hairdryer) to activate its adhesive technology which, when applied properly, will result in a perfectly smooth finish, even around curves and corners. The end result is a completely natural fit, never bulky. Tips and tricks to install StealthArmor can be found here. StealthArmor can also be easily removed leaving behind zero residue for those who enjoy customizing their device frequently.

StealthArmor is available for purchase online at www.fusionofideas.com/stealtharmor. When ordering online, affordable flat-rate shipping of $6 per order is available to all U.S. residents. Customers in Southern California are welcome to visit the Fusion of Ideas retail store located at Orange County’s premier shopping destination, The Irvine Spectrum Center.

About Fusion of Ideas
Fusion of Ideas is an innovative technology company with an online and retail presence that caters to consumers and businesses to customize and protect their digital world. With DigitalTechToo, a laser engraving service that customizes any device with any design, and StealthArmor, the industry’s premium choice for protective films, Fusion of Ideas takes device customization and the user experience to the next level. Visit Fusion of Ideas at www.fusionofideas.com and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fusionofideastw.

Not content to stick to the cheap imitation of tablets and other computers, the clever copiers at Abiko have produced a “homage” model of the Dyson bladeless fan. Keep in mind that the knock off isn’t of the newest models, but rather the 10-inch desk fan that we reviewed last year.

So they changed the color, removed that pesky logo, and now you too can have a desk fan that doesn’t use blades. The buttons are in the same place, and the fan will probably work the same way as the Dyson. It’s still expensive though – the real version is $300, the knockoff is still a wallet draining $223. For $75, you can have the real thing. I’m guessing you won’t find this fan in any US retail outlets, though I’m sure you can find it for sale on the internet if you look hard enough.

[via Crave]

What does it take to make an addictive game? Not much -- just throw in some super simple controls, cute graphics, and basic physics. Rovio Mobile's Angry Birds is one such game that includes all these elements, and today the studio's just released a public Android beta to cater those without an iOS, webOS or Ovi-enabled device. In case you're not already familiar with the popular title, the backstory is that a gang of hungry pigs snatched away some eggs from the birds, forcing the feathered creatures to embark on a rescue mission for the sake of their survival. The gameplay on the Android version is just as simple as before: in each level you use a fixed slingshot to fling the birds -- one at a time -- into the forts, in order to kill all the pigs inside. As a secondary challenge, you must also attempt to get a three-star rating depending on the amount of structural material you destroy, so the key is to perfect your shooting angle.

At the beginning you're only given one type of bird that does nothing more than just headbutting, but throughout the game you'll come across six more birds, each possessing one special power: multiply, explode, accelerate, dropping egg bombs, boomerang, and extra strength. Don't worry, the instructions are pretty clear when you first meet these enhanced kamikaze birds -- most involve just a single tap anywhere to trigger their special abilities mid-flight. Once you get the hang of it, you'll soon be wanting to try out all sorts of trajectories to take vengeance on those cheeky green hogs. Seriously, the pigs really do laugh at you when your birds miss them.

While we're not familiar with the Ovi Store and webOS versions of Angry Birds, we've definitely spent a fair amount of time on the iOS flavor. Sadly, since the latter's still running on a low 480 x 320 resolution, the blurred graphics on the notoriously sharp retina display does no justice to the game. On the other hand, the Android version looks a lot prettier on our Nexus One, Dell Streak and HTC Desire, as it runs on their native resolution of 800 x 480. That said, overall the Android beta didn't feel as well-oiled as its iOS counterpart -- we've noticed the occasional light hiccups while panning across the scene, so here's hoping that this will be fixed in the final release. Regardless of this minor flaw, we'd still highly recommend Android users to check out this free Angry Birds beta in the market -- go grab it while it's hot!

Continue reading App Review: Angry Birds (Android)

App Review: Angry Birds (Android) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft worked with Vodafone late last year to deploy Surfaces to a few dozen stores in several European countries (much as AT&T has done in the US), and one of those units happens to be set up at the carrier's IFA booth this week. The basic idea here is that each available model appears as a card that can be twirled, resized, and flung around the screen. When the software first starts, the cards start in a deck from which you can "deal" onto the table -- but when we first approached it, the Surface had obviously already been played with because the cards were in complete disarray. Not too helpful when you're a befuddled buyer trying to browse models and make a choice from a dizzying selection of handsets, but that doesn't mean it's not cool -- if nothing else, parents, it's something to babysit the kiddies for a few minutes while you go about your business in the store. Follow the break for video of the Surface in action.

Continue reading Vodafone's Microsoft Surface: like Go Fish for phones

Vodafone's Microsoft Surface: like Go Fish for phones originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just days ago, Palm revealed a bunch of details surrounding webOS 2.0, which, as the name implies, is an upcoming major update to their webOS platform. Shortly thereafter, they released a big chunk of webOS 2.0 to a small section of their development community as part of a Beta program.

Almost immediately, someone unearthed one little bit that Palm didn’t intend anyone to find: a lingering mention of a virtual keyboard — something which webOS doesn’t have, and that Palm has yet to confirm as a feature.

So, what do you think Palm did? Did they pull the stone-face routine, and say they don’t comment on rumors and speculation? Did they send out an e-mail saying “Hey guys, we gotta be more careful!” and move on? Nope. They freaked the hell out.

That Beta program we mentioned before? It’s now closed until further notice.

Earlier, Palm’s webOS Developer Connection team tweeted out:

Because of the leak, we are freezing new admissions to early access for the time being. If you’re in queue, you’re going to stay in queue

followed by:

for now, if you didn’t get access, you can thank the leaker for causing this delay in us getting you access. sorry about this, folks.

Yep. Because one person had loose lips and decided to share something they were excited about, Palm is keeping a bunch of people who are eager to make crap for their platform from doing so. Palm, who has been having a hard time getting people to make stuff for their platform, is actively turning away (or at least cold-shouldering) people who are interested in making stuff, and pinning the whole thing on one guy. What. The. Hell.

To make things worse, this leak is about as trivial as they come. Palm has a webOS-powered tablet coming. Unless Palm’s expecting everyone to lug around a keyboard or their tablet is going to have some sort of monstrous keyboard built in, webOS will have to have a virtual keyboard.

Look, Palm. I love you. You’re the very bastion of breaking the mold, and I cheer for you to the point that MobileCrunch readers have often accused me of being crazy or on the payroll — but this.. is absolutely, jaw-droppingly stupid.

Leaks happen. Every single day, to every single company who is actively working on anything even remotely interesting. Even if you’ve got the nastiest NDA in the world, it dilutes pretty quickly as thousands upon thousands of people begin to carelessly sign it. If your goods aren’t leaking, it’s for one of three reasons: you’ve got insane security practices, your team is tiny, or because no one cares. The fact that someone was interested enough to tear through your SDK for hidden morsels and that media outlets started picking it up is a compliment. This is akin to that goofy kid in school shouting “NO, I HATE YOU!” and running away the first time they get invited to sit at the cool kid’s table.

Here’s what you do, Palm: Don’t want people knowing about something? Don’t put it in your SDK. If you forget to pull something, as seems to be the case here, just play it cool, remove it from the next build, and ride the hype-wave as people argue about whether such and such feature is actually coming. Don’t let employees comment on it, don’t go bonkers, and most importantly, don’t punish the people who actually seem to love your product.

While it’s confirmed that the @webOSDev account is run by someone at Palm, it’s hard to believe that this is Palm’s official response in the matter. We’ve reached out to Palm for something a bit more.. sane.