Michael Johnston
May 10th, 2007, 10:19 PM
Settle down folks, we know what you're thinking. "WTF, new iPhone before the iPhone?". Yeah, it's a little ridiculous, but go with it for just a minute here. After all, we've got patents to prove it. Or.. something.
So according to Gizmodo and MacNN and Google and your mother, Apple's newly unearthed patents reveal not only a relatively interesting idea for a double sided screen gadget, but also the potential for small iPhone or touch iPod. The way it works is where you are able to look at the screen elements on one side, you use your finger to manipulate the interface on the back. At first, this sounds difficult to use, but do realize that your mouse is often times nowhere near the computer screen.
Apple seems to think that this solution solves a few of the problems with touch screens, specifically the lack of smudges on the screen without using a stylus.
The patent was filed on the 5th of January, just days before the iPhone launch at Macworld.
<center><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/storyimages/applebacksidepatent.jpg" alt="Patent" /></center>
Image via <a href="http://www.unwiredview.com/2007/05/10/next-gen-ipod-and-iphone-nano-full-screen-with-touchpanel-at-the-bottom/#more-533" target="_blank">Unwired View</a>
<a href="http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220070103454%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20070103454&RS=DN/20070103454" target="_blank">Patent filing</a>
So according to Gizmodo and MacNN and Google and your mother, Apple's newly unearthed patents reveal not only a relatively interesting idea for a double sided screen gadget, but also the potential for small iPhone or touch iPod. The way it works is where you are able to look at the screen elements on one side, you use your finger to manipulate the interface on the back. At first, this sounds difficult to use, but do realize that your mouse is often times nowhere near the computer screen.
Apple seems to think that this solution solves a few of the problems with touch screens, specifically the lack of smudges on the screen without using a stylus.
The patent was filed on the 5th of January, just days before the iPhone launch at Macworld.
<center><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/storyimages/applebacksidepatent.jpg" alt="Patent" /></center>
Image via <a href="http://www.unwiredview.com/2007/05/10/next-gen-ipod-and-iphone-nano-full-screen-with-touchpanel-at-the-bottom/#more-533" target="_blank">Unwired View</a>
<a href="http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220070103454%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20070103454&RS=DN/20070103454" target="_blank">Patent filing</a>