Hasta La Gadget!

So we’ve all seen various concept videos of what Apple’s next-gen iPhone should (realistically or not) look like with features such as a laser keyboard being suggested. It seemed a little far-fetched, or is it? Well according to the folks at Patently Apple, they have discovered an Apple patent which was revealed Apple’s plans for a future iPad which could come with a section where a laser keyboard would be projected out, allowing users to type out documents, emails and etc. on any flat surface! While we’re not sure how much better this would compare to the virtual keyboard, having a laser keyboard would most definitely free up some screen real estate, allowing you to type out emails and documents more comfortably.

Of course this being a patent, there is no indication if Apple would ever go for such an idea. It could merely be a concept that Apple toyed around with, or it could be an option that they are seriously considering. Either way don’t get your hopes up just yet, but for those rooting for the laser keyboard, take some comfort that the Cupertino has at the very least thought about it. What do you think? Yay or nay on the laser keyboard?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: 128GB iPad 4 With Retina Display Now Available In The Apple Store, Radio Buttons Found On Jailbroken iPad Corroborates iTunes Streaming Service Rumor,

In the book entitled “The Art of War,” Chinese military strategist, Sun Tzu, said that the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting, and that supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. South Korean chaebols LG and Samsung seems to be learning some of its business strategies from the good book. According to Yonhap News, executives from both companies met on Monday this week to resolve a patent dispute involving their display business. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: R2-D2 Heels Are The Geek Shoes You’ve Been Looking For, Best Buy Stores Are Closing In Canada, Employees Were Not Informed,

OK, so basically, self-replicating robots are a no-no when it comes to robotics, because you don’t want them to start taking over the planet and exterminating humans. I for one, don’t welcome our robotic overlords.  iRobot and Raytheon recently filed a patent which could be the source of something scarily robotic. Thankfully, this isn’t exactly what they’re after, but it wouldn’t take much to make so-called “von Neumann machines” a reality with this device in hand.

The patent for the Robot Fabricator is for a machine that would allow products of all sorts to be autonomously constructed. Its capabilites would range from the creation of seed components to the assembly of finished products without any direct human involvement.

While we’re still quite far from the scenario of what happened in the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, in which machines enslaved humanity, things could still go very wrong very quickly. If such a device got into the wrong hands grippers, robots could be popping up everywhere. Scary, huh?

[via 3Ders via DVice]

If you were planning on opening a store selling your brand new computer brand with a setup that’s not unlike the Apple Store, you’ll probably want to re-think your strategy starting this week. Apple has officially been granted a trademark protecting their retail store design and layout by the US Patent & Trademark Office this week. The original trademark request application was made all the way back in May of 2010, so whatever you remember about the store design back then that’s survived until now you’ll want to avoid when knocking out your own store in the future.

This fully granted trademark listing includes items such as “oblong table and stools [that are] set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall.” That’s essentially describing the sections many Apple Stores had where people were invited to classes on what their Apple product was capable of and what they could do with it in the future. You won’t see that feature in too many Apple Stores these days as the back is mostly reserved for the Genius Bar or sales counters (where applicable.)

Another feature listed in the trademark is “a clear glass storefront surrounded by a panelled facade.” This joins several other patents and trademarks surrounding the stores interiors that’ve been granted in the past, one of which is a design patent for a floating glass staircase granted back in 2003. You can find the full trademark listing at the USPTO right this minute complete with registration granted date set for January 22nd, 2013.

The original drawing of the store (which you see above) includes a note about what the store is put in place to show: “retail store services featuring computers, computer software, computer peripherals.” This listing goes on to note “mobile phones, consumer electronics, and related accessories, and demonstration of products relating thereto.” This should ring a bell as the patent was first applied for in 2010 and lists mobile phones but not specifically tablet computers – they must simply be included in the overall computer listing in the first place.

Have a peek at the patent and let us know if you find anything else that rings your bells on what Apple now has the rights to. Were you planning on opening your own store soon with an Apple look? Let us know what you plan to do now!

[via Reuters]

Apple Store design and layout granted official US trademark is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Smartphone cameras have come a long way in a relatively short period of time, progressing from sub-1-megapixel sensors incapable of taking images in anything but the brightest locations to modern sensors that are challenging the point-and-shoot camera market. Earlier today, a patent filing from Google cropped up showing a multi-flash camera model for smartphones, an intriguing idea that may never see the light of day.

Despite the improvements in mobile phone cameras, inadequate lighting is still a common issue and one of the reasons photographs end up dim and grainy. Google’s patent filing would seem to be a partial solution to that issue with multiple flash lights on a phone. Depending on the external lighting situation, one flash or multiple flashes would be utilized by the phone.

One of the sketches gives us a good idea of what Google is up to, showing multiple flash bulbs that can be re-positioned via tracking in the back of the phone. Another image shows a different design with the flashes stationary. The flashes that are mobile are nestled in different designs, with one being circular in nature and the other resembling the π symbol.

Not only would multiple flashes increase the overall lighting, but it would also provide better lighting in individual environments and help eliminate shadows by adjusting which lights go off. Another use indicated for the multi-flashes is HDR photography, with the flashes being used to simulate different exposures, which would then be stitched together. Of course, as with all patents, this might never come to fruition, but it is an interesting concept nonetheless.

[via Android Community]

Google patent filing shows off multi-flash smartphone camera is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.