Native instant messaging is a much sought after feature for iPhone owners. There are already a number of third party applications that bring instant messaging to the iPhone, some of them even do a really good job of it. With the SDK on it's way there will be even more, and of them, a lot more clients that perform well. ... continued »

Is there such a thing as too big a cellphone display?  Obviously yes, otherwise it might be too massive for your pocket; thing is, users are getting all too accustomed to the luxury of browsing the full internet on their iPhone, and soon you know they're going to be clamouring for more.  Perhaps that's why Apple has developed a new ... continued »

A patent application filed by Apple was recently outed detailing Apple's plans to set up a virtual network using iTunes. This was to be a precaution, in case AT&T and Apple could not reach a deal. The application details how the network would have worked. continued »

In other patent news, Apple has further fuelled expectations for an ultraportable MacBook with the filing of an application that details an iMac-like base station into which a laptop-sized device can be slotted so as to take advantage of full-sized keyboard, mouse and screen.  Gizmodo, who unearthed the patent, threw together this mockup of how the system could work, with ... continued »

Analysis of what's in and what's missing from the leaked iPhone v1.1.3 firmware continues in earnest, with the current state of thought being that while the software Gear Live have acquired is seemingly legitimate, it may not in fact be in its final form.  Authenticity for the as-yet-unannounced v1.1.3 gained support from some patent-digging over at hrmpf.com, who managed to ... continued »

"Build it and they will come" they said, but perhaps if Apple had known "they" meant patent lawyers they might've been less impressed.  Klausner Technologies Inc. has filed a $360m suit against the makers of the iPhone regarding its Visual Voicemail interface, claiming that it impinges on US patent 5,572,576 granted in 1996, which documents a system of displaying messages ... continued »

Could it be that the mark of a true business mastermind is identifying the oddest source of extraneous cost and ruthlessly scything it out?  If so, Apple iPod chief Tony Fadell might just be a genius: the latest patent application to go public from the company, bearing his name, is for a collapsible CD or DVD adaptor that snaps around ... continued »

A London-based analyst is predicting tension between the Apple and Nokia camps come 2008, as the Finnish company develops the latest, touchscreen-focused upgrade to its S60 cellphone OS.  Already seen in promotional films, the Nokia Touch appears to use a capacitative touch-sensitive panel called Haptikos that adds haptic feedback to an OS that appears - in pre-release videos at least - ... continued »

We're big fans of MultiTouch here at MY iTablet, and it looks like Apple feels the same way.  Three patents first filed shortly after the iPhone's US launch indicate that the technology is developing from the small-scale screens of their cellphone and its iPod Touch cousin into something more suitable for larger displays.  Unlike the current touchscreen, which can recognise ... continued »

Solid-state flash memory has had a much-raised profile since Apple first adopted the skip-free format for their iPod range, and ever since new announcements in NAND development have often been followed-up with refreshes of the PMP line that take advantage of increased capacity.  Similarly, demand for Apple's products has often seen NAND availability hit, and prices pushed up.  It looks ... continued »

Attempts to change the venerable keyboard are usually met with failure - despite promising claims of productivity benefits, there's often too great a pay-off for users used to the traditional QWERTY 'board - but if anyone can encourage us to upgrade, perhaps it's Apple.  Their latest patent describes a MultiTouch surface particularly suitable for a MacBook (or a Mac Tablet, maybe?) ... continued »

While the focus here at MY iTablet has so far been primarily the glorious iPhone, our remit of course covers everything ultra-mobile produced by our Apple overlords.  One of the most persistent rumours in Mac-land has been the idea of a sub-notebook or even an Apple Tablet; yes, the ModBook promised the latter, but production delays and communication breakdowns have ... continued »