“On Jan. 26, 2006, the US Patent & Trademark Office revealed a patent titled ‘Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer.’ Although no assignee was presented in the patent application’s template, a clear reference found under ‘description’ does in fact provide patent number 6768066, which is an Apple patent published in 2004. Just for the record, this patent presents 13 illustrations of a tablet PC and only 1 of a notebook. So make no mistake about it, this patent’s focus is on an Apple tablet! In Apple’s brief ‘Background of the Invention’ it states that ‘accelerometers are devices widely used for applications as diverse as vibration monitoring, appliance control, joysticks, industrial process control, space launches, satellite control, and many others,'” Neo reports for Macsimum News.
Full article with patent application illustrations here.
“In part 2 of “Buzz: Apple’s new accelerometer patent reveals a tablet PC,” it’s all about a wild new video game application for Apple’s accelerometer technology. It provides specific gaming examples of user as a driver and pilot and even provides a glimpse of how the accelerometer will be used in First Person Shooter games,” Neo reports.
Full article with more illustrations here.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple Computer’s search for ‘Handwriting Recognition Engineer’ revives ‘Tablet Mac’ rumors – August 24, 2005
Emperor Gates’ new clothes: the failed mainstream Tablet PC – August 22, 2005
RUMOR: Apple Tablet exists running ‘reduced version’ of Mac OS X – May 24, 2005
Apple granted U.S. patent for Tablet Mac (with images) – May 10, 2005
Apple looking to add wireless connectivity to iPod, rumored Tablet Mac? – August 25, 2004
Apple hints at ‘handheld tablet computer’ with European design trademark filing – August 13, 2004
The Age ponders video Bluetooth iPod; tablet Mac possibilities – January 22, 2003
Apple readying secret iTablet for Macworld unveiling? – January 03, 2003
Tablet Mac watch begins – November 17, 2002
Yes, but does it provide Smell-O-Vision?
gimme my Apple tablet baby
u only get smell-o-vision if u purchase the optional RDF attachment.
Doesn’t Apple already use an accelorometer for their hard disk crash protection technology in PowerBooks?
Anyways, haven’t looked at the patent or read the original article, but this sounds pretty dumb…
… which doesn’t ship before Q3
Not gonna happen. Apple patents lots of stuff, but they’re just like car companies: too afraid of making money, so they won’t actually produce the coolest of the cool.
Is this the killer ap? I’m going to buy some more shares on Monday, this baby is gonna be the next ipod and drive the mac through the roof. Oh, and don’t forget the mac mini and the plasmas and the stuff we know nothing of.
Apple gets all these patents so they can sue the pants off of future violators.
Supposedly, there’s a “Pillow Biter” clause buried in the fine print…
I have one of the new PowerBooks with the accelerometer thingoid in the hard drive. There are some games available, which I dutifully downloaded, but have never tried. The concept is cool one, I must say.
In spite of this info, it would surprise me if Apple came out with what I envision, but it would be pretty cool if someone came out with a tablet with a substantial handle on each side (like a joystick, but mounted at both top and bottom) with a trigger and buttons. Imagine a mini virtual reality world and the display is the window into it. Turn left, and your view turns left, tip forward slightly and you move forward, etc…
Cool, man.
Looks like I was late submitting this story to the Appel FRIENDS at MDN but I think this thing could be a huge clue as to the future of the iPod.
A Mac tablet with a full range of A/V media support plus a large screen (also giving room for a larger HD and battery) and with the added ability to play games via a built in accelorometer control would make the PSP look like some CompSci Major’s senior project.
I would buy a Mac tablet. I have tons of reading material on my computer and would prefer to get away from my desk, relax on the couch and read it. I would work on my art a lot more, too. I could see a Mac tablet eliminating 50% of my desk time. That would be worth 2K to me. Hurry Apple.
Oh yeah, baby
This is it an iNewton complete with sat-nav that translates direction of tablet to road or street view. + video, music,touch screen, yatter,,yatter,,yatter
Smell-O-Vision? Is that anything like Taste-O-Hearing?
“Apple gets all these patents so they can sue the pants off of future violators.”
In the legally f-up’ed U.S., you don’t need patents to sue anymore. All you have to do is prove “previous work” (i.e. that you had the idea first) and you’ll have a good chance of winning. It’s a matter of good record keeping.
As for any top-secret new tablet from Apple, it ain’t gonna happen. Why file a patent on a hot new idea when it’ll just tip everyone off to what you’re doing? For example, tire companies very rarely file patents for just that reason. Better to keep quiet during R&D, and file for your patents right at rollout.
Nintendo. Revolution.
…
No?
lol RDF attachment..
Remember Jim Carry as the Riddler in Batman?
lol
I wonder if this was the 8 pounder Ipod Steve Jobs was joking about in his Apple Secrets podcast he made during Mac World…
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I guess stranger things have happened, let’s hope it isn’t really 8 pounds.