Roundup of Apple Patents Hints at an Apple Origami UMPC

"UMPC" is a USN - Ultra Stupid Name - Please don't ever use it again, especially in reference to anything that comes from Apple.

im guessing it will utilize this technology...

http://mrl.nyu.edu/~jhan/ftirtouch/

...damn its tasty!

So it's not just me having strange dreams about B&W G3 towers set up as a home media server, then... It's a good idea, though, must look for one on eBay one of these days.

Aren't the control-by-gestures components part of the semi-mythical all-screen iPod that everyone keeps theorising?

The 'keyboard' could be too - with the screen that size, you could conceivably pull it up to have a more complete interface (getting to a song by name, entering meta-data, entering a password for a WiFi network...)

Applying these to a new iPod seems much more likely than an origami-style device from Apple.

I seriously have no use for a computer w/o a keyboard.
I can surf interweb tidbits on my cell phone and watch movies on my iPod if I want.

Origami refers ONLY to the Windows version Microsoft developed for UMPC.

eMate 3000 every day!

this will happen. its all a matter of "when"

It's also quite possible these patents are "defensive." Meaning that Apple has no current plans to develop something like this, but if they ever do, they don't want to be stuck paying royalties to someone else.

Sure, I think a handheld would be neat, but the existence of patents does always not imply the existence of plans to capitalize on them.

I like how the hand is labeled, its placement must be patented.