“Apple patents all sorts of crazy things, mostly just concepts that never see the light of the day,” Christian Zibreg reports for 9 to 5 Mac. “We would have classed this one under the ‘highly improbable’ drawer had it not been for the company’s past patents which toy with various aspects of laser-based projection systems.”
“It describes a hybrid laser projection technology that’s cheaper than traditional light projectors and without the speckle issue that leads to a grainy image on some laser projectors,” Zibreg reports. “Apple is envisioning various uses of this technology. It could be used on a portable computer (read: a MacBook), but also embedded in portable devices such as iPods and iPhones.”
Zibreg reports, “What caught my attention was the mention of ‘rear projection applications such as televisions.'”
More in the full article, including Apple’s patent application illustration, here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]
Television sets with frickin’ LASER BEAMS!
The laser beam could be the parental control, or spousal control. If she starts to watch a soap opera the laser beam could give her a quick blast until the channel changes.
I think you are thinking of a Taser. :-). Less permanent damage. ‘Course I could be wrong.
I remember the old touch interface patents and we couldn’t make sense of them at the time. Eventually they became the iOS devices.
Rear projection is long dead. There’s no way to do it on today’s thin sets. This patent will never see the light of day. It does indicate that Apple is toying with making TVs though, and one that would play nice with all my Mac content (Logic Studio too, please) would definitely be on my shopping list.
It may be years before this is applied.
How about if the laser is directed at 5 degrees along the plane of a screen and then reflected at 85 degrees onto the screen to the correct position. If lasers are accurate enough it could work. Then the thickness would not be an issue.
Not rear projection but edge projection. You could have a sheet of glass that is wholly transparent when not in use and LED display bright when working. Imagined exemplars were used in the movie Avatar. A wall-sized sheet, or a handheld sheet. Neither requires the depth a back-projector needs.
Also a bright holographic laser image projected into thin air in front of the viewer – no physical screen involved. This is a technology that has been around for decades. Glasses-free 3D possibilities too.
Apple really does prepare for the future. I, for one, think the idea of displaying my iPhone on the wall is kind of cool. 😛
http://taketotask.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/the-future-of-googles-any-kind-of-app-can-be-installed-is-already-here-its-called-facebook/
What does Apple do?
Take stuff that has not been done right and make it fantastic.
Low priced home laser projectors?
This also could be disinformation for industrial spies, planted to mask whatever cool, stealth HDTV product Apple really is working on.
In the 1980’s many people really marveled at “everything Sony” and companies tried to knock-off Sony’s coolest products. Now, it’s “everything Apple” — only the me-too copycats can’t easily replicate the software interfaces and ease of use that is at the heart of “everything Apple.”
Looks like another plan by Apple to waste shareholder money. And look at their stock value! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. They really need to shut down and give that money back.
On a completely unrelated note, be on the lookout for the Dell Robo5000 line of desktops coming out this fall. They will feature a built in laser pointer that you can maneuver in any direction! And you can customize it into three… count it… three different shapes! Take your fancy laser “projector” and shove it up your rotten core, Apple! Dell is leading the market with pinpoint laser-like precision!