Cooling, iPhone patents

Apple has been newly granted two different US patents, both relating to mobile technology. The first, Portable electronic device with interface reconfiguration mode, essentially describes the method used to rearrange icons on the iPhone and iPod touch. To begin with users hold their finger on an icon, at which point all icons start "floating" free and can be repositioned. Users hold again to fix icons in place.

The second patent is listed as Handle arrangement with integrated heat pipe, and as implied suggests using a pipe built into a handle as a means of passive computer cooling. A supplied diagram depicts a pivoting handle attached to a notebook; the technology is unlikely to make it into a commercial Apple product however, as the company has long since abandoned the concept of handles on its machines. Notable Macs to use handles include the original iBook and the G3 iMac.

by MacNN Staff