Is Apple looking to disrupt the hybrid notebook market?

Is Apple looking to disrupt the hybrid notebook market? - A patent application from Apple published this month details a notebook computer with a detachable tablet touch screen.

Discovered by Patently Apple, application 250673, which was initially filed in September 2011 with the US Patent and Trademark Office, but was only made public on April 4 this year, describes a device very similar to the convertible notebooks and hybrid portable computers that have been launching on the market in recent months, many of which, like the HP Envy X2 and the Dell XPS 12 convertible Ultrabook run Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system. While the ASUS Transformer Prime looks like an ultrabook but runs Android like a traditional tablet.

Illustration of Apple patent Application 250673

The intriguing thing about Apple's approach is that the detachable screen and keyboard base can communicate, pass data and charge wirelessly. The application also details how the detachable screen portion of the device could wirelessly interact with other devices and work as both a remote control as well as a remote input device for the base computer.

However, nothing in the filing is revolutionary, merely innovative -- but therein lies the key to Apple's success: taking an existing idea and making it work better.

The company is reportedly hard at work integrating the best features of its mobile operating system iOS into its desktop OSX operating system. Many believe this will bring the Siri voice-operated virtual assistant to computers as well as tablets and smartphones, but the integration could also include touchscreen commands to complement the smart swipe and gesture-based track pad controls already built into Apple's computer range. ( AFP Relax )

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Email Doesn't Have to Suck

Email Doesn't Have to Suck - There's a better way to manage your inbox--let SaneBox do most of the work for you.

Email is a pain. There are simply too many messages to handle—and I'm not even talking about spam from marketers (I use a separate address to collect those emails). The headache is the increasing number of legitimate business messages—it's a humongous time-suck that only seems to be getting worse.

Two years ago I answered nearly every message. A year ago I downgraded to at least trying to read them all. Last winter I started scanning the sender subject fields concentrating on the ones coming from people I knew or looked like they might contain information I needed. And lately, I've been considering closing my account and starting over with a private address reserved for only work colleagues and select sources.

Until, that is, I tried SaneBox.

It's like Gmail's Priority Inbox feature in that it looks at your messages and prior history engaging with those senders and decides which emails you're likely to deem most important.

When you turn on the Priority Inbox feature in Gmail, Google separates your email into three categories: Important and unread, Starred, and Everything Else; all the mail is still in your inbox, but the important messages are up top.

SaneBox is a bit different in that it removes less important messages from your inbox completely, moving them to an @SaneLater folder that you can peruse whenever you want. If SaneBox puts an important message into that folder you can move it to your inbox and it remembers the action so the next time you receive a message from that person, it will go to your inbox.

Priority Inbox is trainable in this way, as well; the more you move stuff around, the better it gets at categorization. But I prefer SaneBox.

SaneBox vs. Gmail's Priority Inbox

SaneBox gives you a custom dashboard including a timeline that graphs how many important and less important emails you get every day. My current average, according to SaneBox, is 81 a day. If I took a minute to read, digest, and respond to each one of them, that's nearly an hour and a half a day going through email. If you figure there's at least 250 work days in a year, I'm spending 375 hours annually on email. That's not acceptable.

In addition to the @SaneLater folder that stores non-essential messages, you can also enable folders such as @SaneNews for newsletters and @SaneBlackHole for those messages you want to send straight to your Trash. (Ha! Finally I'm getting revenge on a certain five-letter-titled fitness magazine that has not let me unsubscribe to its newsletters for two full years!)

Automated nagging!

And it also has a nifty feature that lets you CC or BCC a message to @SaneBox.com to remind you if someone doesn't respond.

So let's say you need an answer from your boss about a project and you need it no later than two days from now. In the CC field just include the address 2days@SaneBox.com and in two days SaneBox will put the message back in the top of your inbox if she never replied to it. This way you remember to bug her again.

SaneBox also creates an @SaneRemindMe folder that lets you keep track of all the messages to which you still need replies. Use oneweek@SaneBox.com, June5@SaneBox.com or 5minutes@SaneBox.com; it doesn't matter, SaneBox will figure out the time frame you need.

The service is $5 a month and works with email clients such as Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, iPhone, and Android and as well most email services like Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo, AOL, and Gmail. The only service it doesn't currently support is Hotmail. ( inc.com )

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BlackBerry agrees to filter out porn in Indonesia

BlackBerry agrees to filter out porn in Indonesia – The maker of BlackBerry promised Indonesia on Monday it will meet the country's request to filter out pornographic content on its smartphones in the next four days, according to a government spokesman.

Research In Motion Ltd. made a commitment last week to install the filters after Indonesia threatened to revoke BlackBerry's license to operate in the country, the world's most populous Muslim nation. The Canada-based company worked out the details of the deal in a meeting with government officials on Monday.

Indonesian vendors inspect BlackBerry mobile ... Indonesian vendors inspect BlackBerry mobile phones at a cellular shop in a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2011. Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM), the Canadian-based maker of the BlackBerry, has pledged to fulfill Indonesia's demand to filter out pornographic content on its smart phones in the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesian Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring said Monday. Earlier this month, Indonesia threatened to revoke BlackBerry's license to operate in the nation of 237 million unless it filtered out porn and set up a local server

RIM's managing director for Southeast Asia Gregory Wade said the company had discussed the issue with the six operators that support BlackBerry service in Indonesia and "we'll be implementing together."

Ministry of Communication and Information spokesman Gatot Dewabroto said the company promised to do so within 100 hours of the meeting — ahead of the government's deadline on Jan. 21. The government has said it will not extend the deadline.

The government also RIM has also agreed to set up servers in the country, as requested.

A number of countries have expressed national security concerns about encrypted information on users' BlackBerrys if RIM didn't come up with a way for governments to monitor them. They have threatend to shut out RIM, whose competitive edge rests on ensuring security to its global users.

Indonesia says RIM earns about $251 million per year from the country's 3 million BlackBerry users. ( Associated Press )

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SC lifts stay, Ayodhya verdict on Sept 30

SC lifts stay, Ayodhya verdict on Sept 30 - The Allahabad High Court will on Thursday pronounce its verdict on the decades-old title suits seeking ownership of the disputed Ayodhya site, amid signs of an easing of the anxiety about its fallout because of the growing assessment that it may not throw up a clear winner or loser.

This announcement from the HC's Lucknow Bench, which was set to pronounce the judgment in the sensitive case on September 24 but was stopped from doing so by the Supreme Court, came after the apex court dismissed an appeal to defer the verdict in order to explore the possibility for a negotiated resolution of the case which has defied several similar bids.

While it is sure to mark a crucial point in the fight for the site, Thursday's verdict is not going to bring closure to the dispute either.

SC's cryptic "this SLP is dismissed" order without giving any reason came just in time for the Lucknow Bench of Justices S U Khan, Sudhir Agrawal and D V Sharma to fix September 30 as the date for judgment, that is, just a day ahead of Justice Sharma's retirement.

The deferment of verdict beyond Justice Sharma's retirement would have required the long drawn-out case to be heard afresh.

That was the reason why political parties as well as parties to the dispute, including those who said that their claim on the site was a matter of faith and beyond judicial scrutiny, joined hands in welcoming SC's refusal to come in the way of the verdict.

Political parties -- Congress, BJP and the Left -- all welcomed SC's hands-off stance.

The response was goaded by something else as well -- a quiet confidence that the HC on Thursday will not settle the ownership issue decisively in favour of either party. Even as the authorities braced for any eventuality, with Centre flashing the 'red alert' and even keeping the IAF ready to move troops, the growing estimate in political circles was that the parties may be able to live with the verdict.

Home minister P Chidambaram last week tried to calm sentiments by speaking about the possibility of the Lucknow Bench delivering more than one verdict. "It is possible that there will be one or more judgments delivered by the three-judge Bench," Chidambaram said as he cautioned people against rushing to the conclusion that "one side has won or the other side has lost".

Of course, the 'losing side', as Chidambaram pointed out, can appeal to SC immediately, thus ensuring that the status quo at Ayodhya prevails.

On Tuesday, the apex court Bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justices Aftab Alam and K S Radhakrishnan dismissed the plea of Ramesh Chandra Tripathi and Nirmohi Akhara seeking a deferment, with a remarkably cryptic order.

The 38-word order came after hearings stretched over 140 minutes and marked lengthy, heated arguments from parties opposing Tripathi's plea. Attorney general G E Vahanvati clarified the constitutional grey areas and requested the SC to bring down the curtain on the uncertainty.

The Bench gave a two-paragraph order to tell Tripathi that his petition deserved to be dismissed. "Having considered the detailed arguments advanced in these cases, we are of the view that the special leave petitions deserve to be dismissed."

The shortness of the order, shorn of reasoning, did not go down well with many counsel who argued the matter. Former attorney general Soli J Sorabjee said, "The conclusion is absolutely correct. But people of India want to know the reasons or at least some indication as to why the SC dismissed the special leave petition."

Against a host of plaintiffs and defendants represented by Sorabjee, K N Bhat, Anup Chaudhary and Krishnan Venugopal displaying rare unanimity in seeking dismissal of the negotiation plea and lifting of stay on the HC judgment, the two lonely appellants -- Tripathi and Nirmohi Akhara -- through counsel Mukul Rohatgi and Sushil Jain faced an uphill task to convince the Bench to keep the HC judgment deferred given the law and order situation and the Commonwealth Games.

But the AG said it was his view, shared by the Union government, that the prevailing "state of sustained animation" must come to an end as the security forces could not be kept on high alert for a long period of time on the ground of apprehended law and order situation.

He also dispelled arguments proposing exploration of possibility to grant extension to Justice Sharma after retirement by bluntly asking, "Under which provision of Constitution?"

Vahanvati said there was no constitutional provision for appointment of a judge back in his place after retirement and ruled out any government role in getting back Justice Sharma to the HC after his retirement on October 1.

The AG took exception to Rohatgi's argument that the Centre, instead of playing the role of an elder brother and bring parties to the negotiating table for an amicable settlement, just sat meekly and did nothing for the last 15 years.

He said accepting a 1994 constitution Bench judgment of SC asking the Centre to hold on to the acquired land like a receiver till the HC verdict on the title suits was not sitting meekly but respecting rule of law.

"I am here to point out that we welcome a settlement but we do not want a state of sustained uncertainty to continue," the AG said. He was supported by former attorney general Sorabjee, who said asking the SC to stay the HC judgment by arguing communal disturbance was like inducing a threat.

He said, "Giving judgments is a judicial duty of the courts. They are not bothered about the consequences. The government will do its duty by taking care of it. Today, they are citing Commonwealth Games, tomorrow it will be President Obama's visit. Should the courts be bothered about it and not give judgments?"

Senior advocate Ravi Shanker Prasad countered arguments for deferment of judgment by arguing that delay in delivering the verdict could also possibly lead to a law and order situation.

The unanimity among the parties, overcoming their bitterness exhibited during the arguments on the title suits before the HC, to oppose the deferment plea, evoked some surprise. The SC Bench said, "It is very reassuring to see that the parties have sunk their differences and are arguing on the same side at least on the issue of opposing a settlement."

Ramesh Chandra Tripathi may have been successful in stalling the Allahabad HC verdict for at least six days but on Tuesday, the septuagenarian must have been a worried man, thinking how to arrange for Rs 50,000.

If he was a hero on September 23, when the two-judge Bench of the SC not only entertained his plea but stayed pronouncement of the HC verdict, then on Tuesday, he was a loner. No one bothered about him as the other parties went before TV cameras virtually celebrating the dismissal of Tripathi's appeal.

The appeal was filed in the SC after the HC had dismissed his plea for negotiated settlement and saddled him with a cost of Rs 50,000 for bringing in a frivolous request aimed at stalling the verdict.

The apex court's cryptic two-paragraph order only said that his special leave petition was dismissed. This means, the HC order imposing cost on him has been upheld. Now, Tripathi either has to pay up or move another application before the SC seeking condoning of the cost. ( indiatimes.com )

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Some of the most innovative for 2010

Some of the most innovative for 2010. Some of the most innovative, interesting, and, well, strange tech has nothing to do with computing monoliths like Google or Microsoft. And it's just around the corner.

Here's our list of the tech trends, products, and innovations that are available today — or coming online shortly — and how they'll affect your life next year.

Poken.com

1. You'll attend an online funeral

Sites such as Otrib.com and Tributes.com let you leave a memorial to loved ones who have passed on. But some people are holding the funeral itself online, using webcasting services at sites such as Funeralrecording.com and Funeralone.com. This lets anyone attend, from anywhere.

Why the trend is important: Webcasting a funeral might sound morbid, but it means more people can share in the life of someone without the expense of travel.

2. You'll start life-casting

Given the confluence of ubiquitous cell phone use, high-speed 3G service, and a growing desire to connect with people in more tangible ways, life-casting has finally arrived. Services such as Qik.com let you stream a live video from your cell to the world without the usual video hiccups and complex setup.

Why the trend is important: YouTube videos are static. They capture a fleeting moment, but not as it happens in real-time. Life-casting is the true expression of our own self-worth (ahem).

3. Your body will control video games

Microsoft is championing a new Xbox controller: you. The technology, called Project Natal, lets you perform dance movies or kick a ball, while a camera tracks your movements using infrared and shows the results on screen. A microphone can also capture voice commands. Meanwhile, Sony has announced the PlayStation Motion Controller, a wand that helps accomplish the same you-as-the-controller goal.

Why the trend is important: It's about time someone invented a better way to shoot bad guys than the same joysticks and gamepads we've used for the last few decades.

4. You'll leave your tape measure at home

A new service called GeoEstimator uses satellites and aerial photographs to make roof measurements that are just as accurate as making the measurements in person. The service can help contractors, insurance companies, and estimators avoid crawling up on roofs.

Why the trend is important: Virtual measurements save time, sure, but they also pave the way for the further integration of satellite data in our lives, such as determining exact property boundaries.

5. You'll (finally) use a content aggregator

You probably already know about Digg.com and other services that help you find interesting stories and pictures. And plenty of sites — such as YouTube.com — let you share goofy videos. Toobla.com is different: It's an aggregator for videos, photos, documents and Web sites, so you can not only store videos and photos but share them online. It's also more visual than a storage service such as Box.net.

Why the trend is important: We're all inundated with too many digital files, and Toobla does a good job of making the storage more interesting and accessible for your friends and family members.

6. You'll burn your business cards

Salespeople hand them out at trade shows and they might help you win a free lunch. That's right: business cards just won't die. Several iPhone apps – such as Beezcard and SnapDat – allow you to share contact details, but not everyone has an iPhone. A Swiss company has made the PokenZoo, a cute, inexpensive device you touch to another Poken to swap contacts.

Why the trend is important: Saves paper, but also finally alleviates business workers from having to carry these annoying cards around whether they go.

7. You'll chat with faceless minions

One new trend regurgitates an age-old concept: On sites such as Omegle.com, you can chat with complete strangers. AOL has provided this capability for eons (isn't that what chat boards are all about?), but Omegle.com puts a random spin on it, pairing you safely and anonymously with an arbitrary total stranger. You can chat with some dude in Norway or Japan in less than 5 seconds.

Why the trend is important: Other than the fun factor, Omegle indicates the final piece in the globalization puzzle.

8. Your gadgets will have gadgets

Cell-phone boosters have become popular in the past few years, purporting to improve coverage and signal quality. Most have added, oh, one bar at most. The zBoost ONE (www.wi-ex.com) can boost your connection up three bars. The device is so innovative, it won a Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) award recently.

Why the trend is important: People in rural areas and deep within office complexes often can't participate in the mobile revolution. A booster makes high-speed access viable for everyone. foxnews.com

READ MORE - Some of the most innovative for 2010