Archive for the ‘Research In Motion’ Category.
June 18, 2009, 11:59 pm
Remember all the TV ads introducing the BlackBerry Storm? A touch screen display with a virtual keyboard that also clicks? Could it be? The best of both worlds? Many, including us, would say it was a good first attempt, but far short of the hype and expectation.
Will BlackBerry ever crack the nut and figure out a way to provide us with a full touch screen and a keyboard with the right tactile feedback? We can’t tell you the answer to that question, but we can tell you that they’re diligently working on it. Patent application 11/956,647 filed in Dec 2007 reveals what may be in the pipeline for the 2nd generation of the BlackBerry Storm. The patent application discloses a virtual keypad (on a display of course), where “the display transmits external pressure to the switch assembly” when you press a key within the virtual keypad. Each key within this virtual keypad has “an elastomer located between the display and the switch assembly.” This “feedback system” may be comprised of a “collapsable dome.” The point to be made is that each key has it’s own individual feedback, much like an actual keyboard.
In addition, there may be a “cap” on top of each key. Presumably this is so that you can feel the keypad as your fingers glide over it. The obvious question is, how will this distort the display, even if the caps are translucent.
The patent application also states that “the display may be a cholesteric liquid crystal display.” We’re not sure exactly what that means, but persumably it has to do with the need for a flexible LCD? If somebody knows, please chime in.
May 28, 2009, 10:59 pm
Research in Motion (the maker of Blackberry) filed a patent application titled “PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CAPACITIVE CHARGER PROVIDING DATA TRANSFER AND ASSOCIATED METHODS” - titles with all caps are not uncommon in patent applications, don’t ask us why. What really catches our eye is the “data transfer” part. Imagine being able to not just lay your phone down next to your computer on a pad for charging, but also for syncing with your computer. Now, why doesn’t Touchstone support that for the Palm Pre? Palm, you got $500mm from Elevation Partners and you missed this? If Research In Motion has it their way, this may be a Blackberry exclusive for years to come.
May 7, 2009, 2:26 pm
“Are the odd numbers on the right or left?” “Are the numbers going up or down?” Sound familiar? If you’ve ever sat in the passenger seat of a car, chances are you’ve heard these exact questions. Well, along comes Research In Motion with a navigation related patent application (11/936,455) to destress the front passenger. The patent application can be utilized by your mobile phone to display the street number of the buildings to your left and right. Pretty nifty huh? Cheers to RIM for doing their part in combating unnecessary U-turns.
May 7, 2009, 2:03 pm
Simple idea huh? Then how come no one has done it? That’s exactly what the folks at Research In Motion were probably thinking when they filed patent 11/934,129. Expect to see this feature on Blackberry devices soon, if not already. (Sorry, although I own several Windows Mobile phones and an iPhone, I don’t own a Blackberry.) The patent application describes a method for essentially storing a photo at the highest resolution after you’ve snapped a photo with your camera phone, and adjusting the photo to a different resolution which you are prompted for. This does sound convenient, as I always forget to lower the resolution for photos that I want to email.
