keyboard for a blind typist. I'll be rooting for any device that can eliminate the mouse. I like touchpads since I don't need to be grabbing and pulling on a mouse.

The is ridiculous. Apple isn't shipping a keyboard that does any of this. They don't even have plans to. They are just fishing, trying to grab a claim on anyone else's future innovations. This was not the intend of patent law when the founders of this country set it up. They had just thrown off the yoke of special interest government, here in America they certainly didn't intend to establish a system whereby the rich could stake a claim on all future ideas. Apples has not even come up with a way to solve the problem they acknowledge in the patent claim, they just offer a selection of possible ways solutions and make the outlandish claim that they have a claim to the solution because of thought of the problems first. It is outrageous that the patent office is granting such patents. This is government under the Republicans and the Democrats (yes, this out of control patent issuing started under Clinton). It is time for a big, big change in Washington; before they sell off all of our children's future to the children of the rich. Violent revolutions are expensive, in both money and lives. A peaceful revolution at the polls now, could prevent a bloody one in the future.

is this the best use of your time; ie. ranting??

maybe you should have patented the rant first before you give away all your secrets...

You are spot on about the patent thing. The term Corporatist is what we have making laws these days. I believe Apple only started doing these broad patents because they started being sued for everything. (Don't hold me to that position)

But I do believe they have something in the pipeline. I hope. I hate the mouse.

Where did you come up with that nonsense? First of all, you don't know what plans Apple has for future keyboards. (I personally don't like this idea, and prefer the mouse for accuracy and for ergonomics).

Second, Apple has never sued anyone for violating a patent that Apple received but never developed. You're barking up the wrong tree (and you're not only barking, but seem to have rabies as well). Apple has been the victim of many dubious patent suits, not the perpetrator of such suits.

As for the political rant, it's more a product of doing nothing, as the laws have always been what they are. People have found new ways to abuse the system, which needs a major overhaul.

Still, patent law is a minor piece of the "selling off our childrens' future" problem, compared with revolving-door lobbying, defense contracting bribery, selling off our natural resources to high-placed friends, etc.

What an inventive way of turning a discussion about a patent into a vessel for asserting your political stance. Lamentably, nobody gives a toss. And since when do you know Apple's game plan?

I hate when MacNN does this. It is NOT a patent. Apple has filed a patent APPLICATION. There is no guarantee that this will even issue into a patent.

This would be great, better than the Optimus keyboard http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/

Think ultra-thin notebook. Nay-sayers will change their mind once the product is released or demonstrated. I remember the same nay-sayers when Apple bought NeXT, when the iPod was released, and when OSX was announced.

Snark is a Leftist.... I mean Lefty, no need for KB.

I can't find a reference now, but it was my understanding that Apple had bought fingerworks and hired their people to do the iPhone touchscreen, since the Touchstream implemented most of what they were doing.

I have a touchstream, and I have seen people pay as much as $1000 to get replacements because they are so game-changing once you learn them. If anyone can move that to the mainstream it's apple.