Hasta La Gadget!

HyperMac‘s line of external battery packs for iPods, iPhones, iPads, and Mac laptops were impressive when we first saw the new ones at CES in January, and the HyperMac iPad Stand made our list of most ingenious iPad accessories, but the connector that all of those devices use to connect to the Apple products they support are patented by Apple. Now, Apple is weighing in on the matter with a lawsuit against HyperMac’s parent company, Sanho.

The suit accuses Sanho of patent infringement by using the proprietary MagSafe and iPod Dock Connectors on the HyperMac external battery packs without Apple’s explicit approval, and the suit specifically names the new HyperMac products announced at CES earlier this year as infringing on Apple’s patents. Sanho, on the other hand, claims they use original Apple-made and user-recycled MagSafe connectors in their products, not re-manufactured or copied products.

It’s difficult to see whether Apple is out to recover costs or stamp out HyperMac products entirely, but Apple did say in the suit that they notified Sanho of the issue three times earlier this year before filing suit. Now we’ll either have to wait and see what the courts say or wait for Sanho to cut a check to make Apple go away.

[via AppleInsider]

Microsoft‘s co-founder Paul Allen has filed suit against nine companies over patent violations. Through his current firm, Interval Licensing LLC, Allen is suing Apple, Google, AOL, Facebook, ebay, Netflix, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Staples, Yahoo, and YouTube (which is a subsidiary of Google). The claims involve four separate patents, most of which cover integral parts of how the companies named do business. For example, one patent allows site suggestions for consumers based on things they’re currently viewing, while another allows related articles to be delivered while reading news. All in all, it sounds like Allen’s patents — if they’re indeed found to cover these technologies — are seriously vast. The suit, which was filed today, does not name any specific amount of damages he is seeking. Allen, who is one of the richest people in the world with an estimated worth of over $13 billion, recently pledged to donate over half of his wealth to philanthropic causes after Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates called on the world’s billionaires to do so.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sues Apple, Google, Facebook, AOL, eBay, Netflix, Yahoo!, Staples, OfficeMax, Office Depot, and YouTube over patents originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen some extremely DIY auto-lacing sneakers, but it looks like the big boys — Nike — have thought about getting in on the game as well. Patent filings which occurred in early through late 2009 show off an automatic lacing system that is pretty reminiscent of Marty McFly’s invention in Back to the Future, and we can tell you that from the looks of it, it’s a future we’d definitely like to inhabit. The shoes appear to boast a charging system and lights in addition to the lacing component, and while so few patent apps ever lead to a real retail product, we’re really rooting for this one. One more image below.

Continue reading Nike files patent for auto-lacing sneakers, Marty McFly doth protest

Nike files patent for auto-lacing sneakers, Marty McFly doth protest originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your next iPhone might listen to your heartbeat or scan your face to identify its rightful owner — and it could react with anti-theft measures if it ended up in the wrong hands, according to a patent application recently filed by Apple.

Filed in February and made public this month, the patent application describes an invention that uses several methods to detect “unauthorized” usage of a device, such as voice and facial recognition or a heart rate monitor. Possible anti-theft measures include restricting access to some applications, gathering location data about the unauthorized user or shutting down the device remotely.

One method the patent describes for detecting a stolen iPhone is checking whether it’s been hacked (aka “jailbroken”) or its SIM card has been yanked out — things a clever thief would do to override the iPhone’s security.

The up-close-and-personal security patent has some concerned journalists screaming “1984,” interpreting the patent application as a draconian move by Apple to spy on users and punish customers who hack their iPhones.

“The system described in the patent [would] allow Apple to effectively kill jailbroken devices under the guise of protecting customers from theft, since it may not be able to determine whether a device has been stolen or if it is being willingly jailbroken by users,” writes Mashable’s Lauren Indvik.

“Ignoring the possibility that a false positive in Apple’s proposed theft protection might activate the spy cam while the user is in the bath, or in the middle of some other intimate moment, this technology seems Orwellian for another reason: It gives Steve Jobs and Co. the means to retaliate when iPhones aren’t being used in ways Cupertino doesn’t expressly permit,” The Register wrote over the weekend.

A collection of recently published patents and a new hire at Apple suggest that future iPhones may carry built-in features to replace your credit cards.

Apple recently hired Benjamin Vigier as a product manager for mobile commerce. He’s an expert in near field communication (NFC), a technology that enables devices to exchange information wirelessly over very short distances. It’s the kind of technology that credit card companies have been touting (without much success) recently, where instead of swiping a credit card, you just wave a card or key fob in front of a reader. According to his LinkedIn profile, Vigier formerly directed and developed mobile payment solutions for PayPal and Starbucks.

In addition, Apple in recent months published several patent applications that portray NFC-based hardware and software features utilizing mobile payments for concerts, sports venues, airline ticketing and more.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

A growing number of businesses have been eyeing mobile payments as an alternative to credit cards. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile were planning a joint venture to form a mobile payment system competing with Visa and MasterCard. Such a move would presumably reduce costs to merchants, who are typically charged 3 percent of the purchase price when customers pay with a credit card.

However, as Wired.com’s Eliot Van Buskirk earlier reported, a mobile payment system would face difficulty breaking into the mainstream. In order for mobile payments to gain widespread adoption, merchants would have to purchase new readers, estimated at $200 per unit, and they’d have to be convinced that a large number of customers will be using the new payment system.

Also, a new mobile payment system would raise security concerns. A location that frequently performs wireless transactions would become a prime target for hackers and snoopers. One reason credit cards have been so successful is that they rely on leased lines and dedicated networks, which ensure reliability and security, according to Aaron MacPherson, IDC Financial Insights practice director for payments and security.

“Even if you’re using a mobile phone network, you do not want to be in a situation where you can’t pay because there’s no 3G signal … and the internet is susceptible to brownouts and denial-of-service attacks. It’s notoriously insecure,” MacPherson told Wired.com. “I don’t think either of them can substitute for the card networks.”

From Near Field Communications

See Also:

• Showdown: iPhone 4 vs. HTC Evo 4G
• Visa Case Turns iPhone into Credit Card
• The Death of Cash? Square’s Personal iPhone Credit Card Reader …