Apple Virtual Input Device on Touch Screen
Details on yet another Apple Touch Screen interface patent application was revealed last week under the title "Virtual input device placement on a touch screen user interface".
What is shown in the application are images of Mac OS X with a pop-up virtual keyboard interface. Apple appears to be experimenting with multiple methods of displaying a virtual keyboard on top of an existing Mac OS X screen. Options include a simple overlay, compressing the Mac screen evenly or compressing the edges more than the center/area of interest or simply a movable pop-up window.
A flurry of Apple Tablet related patent applications have appeared in the US Patent and Trademark office, indicating that Apple is pursing active research into the topic. This most recent application was submitted relatively recently on September 16, 2005.
The display includes an application display, associated with an application executing on the computer, and a virtual input device display for a user to provide input to the application executing on the computer via the touch screen.
What is shown in the application are images of Mac OS X with a pop-up virtual keyboard interface. Apple appears to be experimenting with multiple methods of displaying a virtual keyboard on top of an existing Mac OS X screen. Options include a simple overlay, compressing the Mac screen evenly or compressing the edges more than the center/area of interest or simply a movable pop-up window.
A flurry of Apple Tablet related patent applications have appeared in the US Patent and Trademark office, indicating that Apple is pursing active research into the topic. This most recent application was submitted relatively recently on September 16, 2005.
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78 months ago
All of these patents seem really convincing that Apple has a tablet or PDA up their sleeve.
BTW: I like the "compressing the edges more than the center/area of interest" the most.
BTW: I like the "compressing the edges more than the center/area of interest" the most.
78 months ago
I'd say they point more towards a tablet, or simply a revolutionary new UI, poised to eliminate the mouse and keyboard combination of casual users.
78 months ago
It is the same song & dance with all of there recent patents highlighted on MacRumors - Apple please just show me something that I can touch/own similar to either a PDA or a tablet.
Like Thomas...
I think you can, I think you can...
Like Thomas...
I think you can, I think you can...
78 months ago
I dunno what they've got up their sleeves, but it's going to be bloody coool whatever it is... and i have a feeling it has something to do with April 1st 30th anniversary.
APPLE GIVE ME A PDA!
M
APPLE GIVE ME A PDA!
M
78 months ago
I dunno what they've got up their sleeves, but it's going to be bloody coool whatever it is... and i have a feeling it has something to do with April 1st 30th anniversary.
APPLE GIVE ME A PDA!
M
edit: never mind, just saw the "Sept 2005"
78 months ago
I have to think that Apple is done with the tablet as we know. They did the newton and they moved on.
The only reason they would come back to it is if they had something great to add to the experience. I'm excited, for one.
The only reason they would come back to it is if they had something great to add to the experience. I'm excited, for one.
78 months ago
cutting it close would be putting it mildly! i would love to see an apple PDA as my ipaq recently went beserk on me. however, i don't think we'll see a pda on april first. a mac mini/ibook (macbook) yes, but pda, no. I don't claim to really understand the patenting process that well, but i would assume that apple engineers would want to begin the process of patenting (ie submit application) as soon as something even remotely viable has been created to help forestall any intellectual property disputes (ie whose lab notes were first). For this logical reasoning (albeit possbily misguided reasoning due to my lack of patenting knowledge), i would be extremely surprised to see them putting out a PDA in april and just submitting patent applications now. sure, it could be to maintain secrecy and all that, but they would risk losing the tech to a competitor should the competitor apply for the patent first. Anyways, it seems like apple is headed in the direction of a PDA and that makes me quite happy. but anyways, back to looking at pics of the MBP!
so apprently the patent was filed in sept. 2005. all that speculating for nothing! but it was a darn good theory while it lasted...Maybe april 1st isn't all that impossible
so apprently the patent was filed in sept. 2005. all that speculating for nothing! but it was a darn good theory while it lasted...Maybe april 1st isn't all that impossible
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