Apple received a patent of wireless sensing systems with several provisional applications meant to quantify actions or events that at present are only qualitatively measured. The reason of this filed patent is that nowadays the movement of one object from point A to point B is hardly quantifying, the accent being put mostly on the result of the movement. There are though some steps made in this direction, such as determining the location of different objects in the GPS products, but that’s about all that it is.

The detail of movement is still not determinable. For instance, there are cases when a package is shipped for example, both through FedEx or UPS services and upon its deliverance one notices that is already damaged. So, the question is what happened to the package while being handled in the shipment, how can all the movements it has been subjected to be monitored in a quantitative way? As to the movement of persons we know that it implies human-powered transportation, either it comes to bike or motorized vehicle. In this case the body movement is subjected to many forces, and their quantifying is also unknown. In sports, on the other hand, the precise data one can obtain about the movement can be very efficient and would assist beneficially in many ways.

The patent is equipped with further features such as providing methods and devices to quantify the movement in a set of applications and the possibility to monitor and report meaningful information such as humidity and temperature. The devices comprised are MMD (Movement Monitoring Device) and EMD (Event Monitoring Devices) which are both gauged with wireless sensing systems. In MMD these tiny transmitters (which include a processor, detector, communication port, battery and a real time clock to relate the ‘events’ to time and date information) can be presented in the shape of an adhesive strip resembling a bandage. Further on the MMD would be approached by an Interrogative Device (ID) or communicate to a Remote Receiver (RR) through secure communication protocols. In this way MMD relays a movement metrics by a constant transmission of data from detector to RR.

The second wireless device, the EMD can be used to monitor and report humidity, temperature, chemicals, pulse, pressure, weight, environmental factors and hazardous conditions. It is almost similar in structure, content and operation to MMDs, only this time EMD is meant to monitor the metrics for the events, where information is obtained by the exceeding of some predetermined level or value. In one way, the EMD works as a detector translated as a temperature sensor where the processor coupled to it attempts to determine temperature events that have exceeded a certain level. In another way, EMD works as a humidity sensor monitored for humidity events. There is another aspect comprised in the detecting sensing, that of a chemical detector which together with the processor determine a change of chemical composition of an object that is connected with the EMD over a predetermined period of time.

Apple sees in these devices a way to monitor also activities and live broadcasting of Nascar races, rodeos, extreme sports etc. Another application would be that of a body armor used to monitor the weight. Paraphrasing the matter described above we could not but wonder that one day these devices would turn us into monitored robots allowed moving around only in a predetermined and controlled way.

It is a common knowledge the fact that Apple has a long history in keeping its product plans and other company’s matters under a strict secrecy. This lead in time to the emerge of some sites focused on dedicated rumors, such as MacRumors site; but even so, Apple still has its reserves in sharing to the population every new moves it is into. In fact this devotion for secrecy has gone already too far, not to mention that from its very beginning it started with a limited access of the employees to the projects that were under development.

A lot of measures are taken in order to prevent leaking of information outside the working areas; security doors with code number access, video camera surveillance, devices covered in black cloaks whenever they are not worked on, and so on.

Another strategy of Apple comp to guard their projects is deliberately feeding the reporters with incorrect details, thus aiming to track down possible sources of leaks outside the company. The strategy goes like that: a vice-president is holding internal meetings to discuss over the new products; on these meetings he is displaying false details in order to check who among the employees further uses them to the press or outsiders. This happens normally after the employees have signed a confidentiality contract upon the new projects of the company.

Compared to many companies, Apple prefers not to adopt open communication policies, instead exhibiting its secrecy policy as the main purpose to preserve its products out of reach of the competitors. Firing its employees in case of information leaks, is another drastically ruled method in its effort to keep its projects to itself, and this, we might add is understandable, as long as an employee is supposed to show loyalty to the company that hired him and granted him confidence.

Ex-employees declare that they have never seen such a super paranoia way of imposing a security system; even they were quite often surprised when a new product was released. Five years ago, Apple had made a big case out of their way to guard the secrets, suing several bloggers in their attempt to violate trade-secret laws , thus not being subject to the First Amendment protections. The court ruled in favor of the bloggers and Apple had to pay $700,000 in legal fees.

Regis McKenna, one of the advisers for Apple’s strategy on sharing secrets to mass media, related that the secrecy obsession of the Apple company is due to the times when the first Macintosh was released, and the competitors already knew about the product before it was revealed. The secret aspect is a good thing for the well-running of the company, since the bigger the surprise of the launched product is, the strongest its impact.

Others believe that a transparency won’t hurt, especially in a company that considers itself innovative in the area of technology.

As to private lives of the employees many think that information is not relevant for the company’s projects; the employees have to decide on their own what is there they need to share with the public and what not. So, it is only up to the person in question to deliver information, but as long as that piece of information doesn’t reflect what projects companies are into, then, why bother?

The release on the market of Palm Pre smartphone came without a software development kit and the date of its availability is still unknown. The problem is that the developers have presented applications, but didn’t get information from Palm on where the SDK is going, since they need to know what they have access to on the phone, such as database and GPS capabilities, as Charles Taylor (of Southern California Palm preMongers user group) stated in an interview on SDK issue. Without the kit, he has used HTML 5-compliant browser and early draft of a book on Palm Pre’s Web OS in order to become familiar with the device.

Previously the SDK was available to only a selected group of developers, but later to a broader set of partners where Taylor didn’t have room anymore, and still is not getting any word on when the SDK is going to be available. Taylor is developing an application for Pre in order to use GPS and track parking spaces in LA area.

The company said that the Palm Mojo SDK is brand new, it can be plugged in to the Eclipse platform and also accessible with a simple text editor; a developer who is used to Web development can get them productive in a matter of days.

The company said that the platform Palm web OS will suit mobile app development, even though there is Pandora (the maker of the Pandora Internet radio service used on the Apple iPhone), that has had the Pre SDK since December. Tom Conrad, the CTO at Pandora, declared that Palm Pre is a great phone, since it incorporates data sources from around the Web with web OS, enabling the users to move smoothly between applications.

After the SDK became accessible, Palm has limited its availability, even if the device (Palm Pre)has been already released on the market starting with June 6. The company said that they aim to spread the SDK’s availability later this summer. Chuq Von Rospach, the company’s developer community manager, stated in an article posted on the Palm Developer Network Blog, that the company is anxious to open wider access, but the software and the developer services to support the SDK are not ready yet.

The availability of SDK will be made in three stages that include immediate acceleration growth (from hundreds to thousands of developers) of the early-access program, publish more content outside the latter program and launch confidentiality rules. The company encourages the users to explore other public web OS resources that include the Rough Cuts edition, till they have access to SDK. They strive to build an easy-to-use system for Mojo SDK, and an ecosystem that will be a benefit both foe developers, end users and Palm. The company admits that any popular platform will be experimented by the developers in an unofficial way, but Pam believes that its formal offerings will give the best experience for the web OS developers and users as well.

Last week, Palm has released the 1.0.3 version of webOS, which is present in the Pre, featuring changes to apps such as synchronization abilities for the Google calendar and a faster synchronization for changes made to Google contacts on the phone. Eventually Palm Pre will get its SDK sometime this summer, that is when everybody involved in this matter will be ready to release it.

Nowadays every developer existing on iPhone market struggle to produce the best gameplay with a reality-like graphics, and doing so he succeeds in getting the best results one has ever seen since the times of console and computer games.

“Firemint Real Racing” is the living proof to support the statement mentioned above, and this thanks to the connectivity abilities that exceed anything else that has been seen before. Real Racing is a car that moves really exciting having some of the clearest graphics displayed on an iPhone.

The controls provide more than you expect, having the options to steer the car with one of four configurations (one of them implies tapping the screen or the other one tilting the iPhone in the desired direction); there are motion sensor controls that enables the configuration scheme to turn the iPhone into a steering wheel. The standard cockpit screen you can visualize the number of laps you have left and the position of your car. The camera is able to switch to a third-person view to have a complete perspective over the race.

The game is full of nuances, such as setting the power of breaks during turns, and at what extent you want to control them. Even if you let the computer activate the brakes, you still can perform the same turns your competition’s cars can make. Having the breaks under your control, enables you to take faster turns, thus gaining advantage over your opponents. Though there are present plenty of Modes, such as Quick Race, Time Trial, Career, and Connected Modes, it is more possible that you might handle only the latter two modes. The race can be performed under a wide range of difficulties and next to them you are provided with helping features.

The Connected Mode is the feature that allows you to activate new multiplayer function through which either you create a LAN game or use your Cloudcell account to make links with other opponents worldwide. Firemint uses Cloudcell as a social networking service for its games, a service which in a matter of seconds sets up an account to get synced with other iPhones. The soundtrack matches the atmosphere of the race, an alt-rock is playing and gets you in the action.

The price is pretty high, putting the Real Racing in the very top range of entertainment software for iPhone and iPod touch. Because of the price it can be quite inaccessible for many of the customers. In case of a sequel, Firemint still has a lot of things to improve on, for instance wider courses with more variety to the gameplay through damage impacts, since the cars are quite indestructible; it wouldn’t hurt to see a crashing against a wall. As a conclusion, Real Racing displays great graphics, fun racing experience and multiple functions easy to set up. Real Racing is compatible with any iPhone or iPod touch. If you are looking for a touch of excitement via your iPhone, you can find Real Racing, for a real experience to live.

iPhone 3G S (the S stands for Speed)came as an improvement of the last year’s release iPhone 3G, by adding high-speed networking and GPS, but according to some, it may however have free space for some improvements.

But the improvements combined with the new iPhone OS 3.0 software upgrade, consolidate the position iPhone has at the present: the best smart phone. One may say that iPhone OS 3.0 improvements are enough to please many existing iPhone 3G users, but this is valid till your contract expires. In this case you have the option to purchase the iPhone 3G S, at the price of $199 (16 GB) and $299 (32 GB). Considering first the improvements only, iPhone 3G S displays a 3-megapixel camera that shoots video, has features for auto focus with access to adjust it, and exposure and balance features activated by simply touching the objects in the screen. It exists also a macro mode to ad some functionality.

Another thing that appears to be exciting is the possibility to edit and cut videos, exactly as one does in a movie studio while editing the videos shot. Apple did another cute thing: it has inserted a digital compass to enable the map functions and help find location. The beauty of this is that you can apply the compass to Google Maps, and operate as one does on a PC. Another features worth minding are voice controls for iPhone and iPod. The S feature in the name of the iPhone stands for Sssspeed… it is really faster as the processor is reported to be a 600Mhz CPU, almost double than the one present in 3G (meaning that the applications launch more quickly), double the RAM and better graphics chip.

The battery life is also improved reaching 9 hours of Internet use, 10 hours of video playbacks and 30 hours of audio playbacks, but talk hours remained the same at - 5 hours. The software, which is available for earlier iPhone types, too, includes search features allowing you to access your e-mail, contacts, events, etc. The options of cutting, pasting enable you to snag texts from anywhere and move them around. The touch sensitivity is however too “touchy”.

And the list of improvements keeps going further with: parental control, “Find My iPhone” feature (enables you to track down the iPhone you have misplaced and also, if case, wipe its content), in-aplication payments for developers, push notification, networking through Bluetooth with accessory support that helps you to have quick access into products and apps for consumers, etc.

Other features are added to the above mentioned volume of improvements, so with these richness of options, what is there else to ask for from a tiny iPhone?