Apple patent application describes incredible shape-shifting device interface

21 Comments

1. What was that – oh, that is the sound of a paradigm shift. Apple will own this patent. Hahahahahaha. Even if they don’t develop something – it was their idea, and they can patent troll. Love it!

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2. Sounds good, but I will believe it when I see it. This one sounds like it’s a good 5 years down the road.

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3. wow. can you say paradigm shift? very interesting concept.

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4. The porn industry is going to love this

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5. This is aiming at the heart of Nintendo DS and Sony PSP, since the soul has already been overtaken by iOS 4. Physical disappearing controls.

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6. While this could be a little down the road, it could be a great iPod classic application if they could pull it off. It’s a wild one that’s for sure.

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7. I think the secret here lies in that design that has the iPhone with a keyboard tray attached. I think the key is that tray that will be able to morph into a keyboard if you want, or a game pad if you want and so forth. They don’t show you the iPhone with the tray open. That’s where this could fit and not too far into the future. Maybe 2 – 3 years tops. Sweet.

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8. Good idea Rikki. That actually works for me.

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9. Face Time gives the deaf a new, easy way to communicate. The tactile pad will allow the blind to use an iPhone/iPad. Another huge segment of the human population will instantly become Apple fans/customers.

   Of course if you’re not reading scrolling brail by it, or having the phone *speak* to you, you can always use it as a foot massager.

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10. But I’ve already got a toy that changes shape when I touch it..

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11. One of the keys to this is Apple’s ability to master the implementation of nitonol, a shapeshifting smart metal that the navy invented by accident. If they’ve found a way to master this commercially, then they’ll have a real breakthrough product on thier hands and one that even scientists will applaud.

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12. You can apply for patent on any idea. How about a holographic 3D display? Apple is smart to patent these specific concepts, and wait until actual implementable technology catches up.

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13. I don’t think paradigm shift is a sufficiently accurate term to describe how radical this would be.

    Can you imagine Microsoft trying to copy this? Their Big Ass Table would just do something like flip over the table top and glow a different color or something. Oh, sorry, it would “Snap” over when you touched the side of the table. Now that’s innovation!

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14. So, an iPhone with goosebumps?

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15. Microsoft can’t even get IE 8 working right. How far they have fallen. They’re beyond a Joke. kinnect will be a flop. Don’t get me going on microsoft there bizlaw ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />

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16. TowerTone on a roll today

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17. “But I’ve already got a toy that changes shape when I touch it..”

    Shrinkage? ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />

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18. Hogwarts I say.

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19. @Marcus. You should read the comment by rikki at patently apple. Apple’s patent figure 9 would be the place to apply the nitinol. This is where it makes sense and plausable.

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20. @Sir Gil Bates and TowerTone,
    And TT’s toy is temperature sensitive, too.

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21. @ Cubert,

    It’s been said that it’s Fahrenheit. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />

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