Apple Patents Its Own Fancier Version Of Touch-To-Share
July 10, 2011
Apple still has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to integrating all our iDevices with each other. We're hoping iCloud will solve most of that issue, but Palm's metaphor called touch-to-share is still something we'd all enjoy in iOS. The rumor is that Apple is also considering it and if their latest patent is more than just some wild idea, their implementation might be sweet.
The Palm concept is simple. Whenever you're on a website, or handling some documents on WebOS, you can just bump your device against another and you'll see your current work appear on the other device. Just like the bump app shares your contacts with your friend's devices. Apple is apparently thinking of taking this even further. As you can see in their application, detailed by PatentlyApple, their concept would allow you to simply position your iPhone above your iPad to virtually "pour" your documents over to the device underneath. Yes, just like your poor water from one cup to another.
Of course, it's kind of a gimmick, but should be technically feasible with current technology. It has a nice minority report feel to it, and I must admit I'd love to see Apple implement it. The other applications mentioned are for work environments, to enable easier collaboration or even education. The takeaway is that we're still only discovering the potential of our mobile computing platforms and the future looks pretty awesome. Doesn't it?
