One-to-One, text-to-voice

The US Patent and Trademark Office has today published two new applications by Apple. The central of the two is "Multimedia data transfer for a personal communication device," which involves sending content to a personal communicator such as a cellphone or walkie-talkie. What is unique is that unlike other such systems, Apple's would allow users to bypass the SMS protocol used in GSM networks, instead converting messages from text into voice. Suggested benefits include messaging for the blind or visually impaired, or simply providing an alternative for cellphones with small screens.

Apple has also filed a trademark for One-to-One, its new series of personal training sessions at Apple Stores. Customers who pay $99 per year have access to individual training on topics such as the basics of digital photography or using an iPhone. Apple is, notably, asserting priority based on a March application in Trinidad and Tobago, rather starting fresh in the United States.

by MacNN Staff