The sales of new devices with integrated mobile broadband connectivity, together with external USB modems, will top 100 million in 2010, as mobile broadband makes major inroads into the mass market, stimulated by new devices such as the Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad and more aggressive tariffs from mobile operators, according to Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytics.com).
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Future iPhones, iPod touches and iPads could serve up advertisements or discount coupons to users based on their current location or activity, per a new Apple patent (number 20100125492) at the US Patent & Trademark Office.
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An Apple patent (number 20100123785) involving a graphic control for directional audio input has appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. The invention relates to invention relate to the field of audio beamforming, and more specifically, to the aiming of audio beamforming.
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For those hoping for a long-overdue update/overhaul to the Apple TV, two new Apple patents at the US Patent & Trademark Office offer hope. They hint at future Apple TVs that can be controlled by HDTVs and DVRs, as well as some iPhone/iPad-ish features.
Patent 20100123834 is for a system and method for capturing remote control device signals. The invention relates to media processing devices, and to systems and methods for capturing by a media processing device remote control device command signals, such as navigation and playback commands, from a plurality of remote control devices.
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Apple’s upcoming iPhone could be a blockbuster hit, according to RBC analyst Mike Abramsky. (One caveat: Apple hasn’t officially announced such a device yet.)
Still, citing a survey of 1,000 people, Abramsky says 20% of the respondents intend to buy the fourth version of the iPhone, which is expected to debut at next month’s Apple Worldwide Developer Conference. This is more than twice the number of eager buyers surveyed prior to the original iPhone three years ago, notes “TheStreet” (http://www.thestreet.com/story/10762460/1/apples-hd-iphone-reloads-demand.html).
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