On December 10, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a revolutionary patent application from Apple that reveals an all new Universal Docking station that is designed to be aesthetically pleasing,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“The revolutionary design using a new elastic sponge-like material at the bottom of the universal dock that could basically conform to the shape of any portable device you may have – be it an iPod nano, an iPhone or even a BlackBerry or other non-Apple device,” Purcher reports.
“If the user only has one device, the device will conform to it alone,” Purcher reports. “If the user has multiple devices, then the device is designed to decompress by hitting a reset or eject button which returns the revolutionary support layer to its original flat surface to accept the next device’s form. The new dock will also come with a remote control.”
Full article, with much more info plus more and larger images here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
WTF is it made out of “flubber”?!
Very strange.
This should have came out years ago when people more frequently carried more than one device.
Maybe it uses memory foam or something similar!?
Good. I had to take a Dremel to my 1G iPhone/Bluetooth dock to get my 3GS to fit in it.
Just in time and way ahead of everyone else to fulfil the EEC’s single universal charging unit. They may just sweep the entire charging market with this one!
Next question, Is it green? How recyclable is it if it breaks down and you get a new one? This and a million unasked questions by the likes of Greenpeace hopefully will be addressed before release.
Imagine, Apple designing something that isn’t exclusive to the iPhone.
What’s next, iPhones on Verizon and Sprint?
If Apple begins negotitions with them, I’ll leave the country!
It’s a cybernetic organism. Living tissue over a metal endoskeleton.
OK, now we are going to star watching “new revolutionary” docks and connectors for Nokia and motorola.
Every time an Apple patent goes public, other companies start producing what they “think” that device will do.
Don’t it Apple! This could be the technology that leads to the
T-1000!
Don’t give the machines this edge!
Think Mac tablet dock. It is nice to stand the screen up while using a keyboard and mouse. (Was I not suppose to state the obvious use of a Mac tablet that runs OS X applications!)
wow, finally a self-transformed dock to replace a bunch of my iPod & iPhone docks, hmm gotta wonder… what side is it with, Autobot or Decepticon, or something new …
Fascinating, I can’t wait to see what this will be made of and how they do it.
Just realized this is another tip from Fred Mertz; that dude is a serious newshound.
I constructed my own “revolutionary” universal iPhone/iPod Dock with and iPod USB charging cable, three metal binder clips (two large and one small), and an old-style Post-it™ Pop-up Note Pad #R330 (Black). The iPod connecter, held in place by two of the clips, rests just above the slot in my homemade “dock.” The great thing about this Rube Goldberg docking cradle is that my iPhone can be charged without removing it from a Griffin Elan Form (or other) hard shell case.
1. Insert the dock-end of Apple’s white USB-iPod charging cable into the small binder clip with the connection pins rising above the top of the clip. You’ll have to carefully center and position the dock-end so that it protrudes just past the top of the binder clip and then remove the clip’s two, wire-frame ‘pincher’ handles.
2. This small binder clip with dock cable then must be inserted into the larger binder clip, which forms an outer shell that will lock into place on the Note Pad base. The USB cable is routed out the sides of the two-clip “assembly.” Afterward connecting third component, the larger clip’s wire-frame handles also must be removed.
3. Together, the two “assembled” clips and dock now can be forced through the bottom of the slotted opening in the weighted top-shell of the Post-it™ Note Pad. The dock/clip-assembly must be forced through the opening. With sufficient pressure, it will lock securely into place in the center of the slot with a very loud snap (this may sound like breaking plastic). The binder clip should now be locked to the Note Pad’s top slot and the charging-cable dock pins should sit just above the top of this base and allow an iPod or iPhone to be inserted.
4. Place this top shell “assembly” into the bottom pan of the Post-it Pad and you’re ready to plug it all in and start making phone calls while on the charger. I added a third binder clip to the back of the old Note Pad base to provide back support for the iPhone and even inserted two, angled furniture clips to gently tip the base backwards for a better view of the screen.
This creates a solid base and charging cradle for the iPhone.
Here’s someone else’s clever iPod/iPhone dock made with binder clips. Mine is a variation of this idea, with the more stable base.
I made one filled with unicorn tears.
You calling this thing REVOLUTIONARY? while similar product already exists.This is such a waste instead of doing this all companies need to stop the BS and make and standard plug for all phones and hopefully portable devices. That way we can have a dock that I can use on my Zune, BB, or whatever ever I have. All this is doing is making more trash, when you buy a new device most people just trow away the old cables etc.
I know why it’s REVOLUTIONARY. It’s from CRAPPLEand whatever they create it’s REVOLUTIONARY LOL
http://www.bing.com When it comes to decisions that matter, Bing & Decide
It’s just a box of wet sand.