This may sound unbelievably cool, but according to a recent report by AppleInsider , Apple patent information suggests that future iDevices could recognize their users’ voice, heartbeat, and face – and automatically adjust aspects accordingly (or notify the owner if an unauthorized user is interacting with the device). Apparently, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently unveiled a patent application from Apple called “Systems and Methods for Identifying Unauthorized Users of an Electronic Device.” This form of security involves detecting users based on their face, voice, and heartbeat. The patent reads: The photograph, recording, or heartbeat can be compared, respectively, to a photograph, recording or heartbeat of authorized users of the electronic device to determine whether they match.
After unveiling it last week , Cult of the Mac has been actively digging out everything it can about Apple’s latest technology acquisition; Liquidmetal. This week, they claim that this crazy alloy that came from space to make your next iPhone bendable or god-knows-what (and might or might not help with the Antenna issue) has actually already been used by Apple. Indeed, US iPhones ever since the 3G version apparently ship with what we could call a little Liquidmetal sample, the SIM ejector pin. Surprising right?
It’s the end of the line for Paul Shin Devine, one of Apple’s Global Supply Managers. Silicon Valley’s MercuryNews is reporting today that Devine was arrested yesterday for leaking information he obtained while working at Apple. He leaked the information about the iPhone and iPod in exchange for kickbacks. Unfortunately, the leaks weren’t to us bloggers, Devine’s little business was much more profitable.
As if we haven’t seen enough of these already. Motorola, whose Droid X handset features on Apple’s “Antenna Hall of Shame” page , took out a full-page ad in yesterday’s New York Times , in an attempt to “bite back” at Apple.
Dan Frommer from Businessinsider has discovered quite an interesting little story today. Apparently, Apple tried to buy Palm not that long ago. When Palm went up for sale, there was quite a bit of speculation on who would buy them. Apple was of course believed to be one of the interested parties, but nothing solid leaked to the press and the story died.