Apple Inc. wants to guard its name for the iPhone’s signature interface through a trademark, but has ventured outside American borders as part of the process.On the same day as its first touchscreen devices were rolling into stores, June 29th, Apple was quietly applying for a trademark in a Far East intellectual property office for the term “multi-touch” — a cornerstone of the company’s iPhone marketing efforts in the US. If successful, Apple would have the right to restrict use of the phrase by other companies for more than just cellphones, according to the filing. Most handhelds, including media players and PDAs, would be covered by the trademark. Companies producing electronics outside of Apple’s typical boundaries would also find themselves barred from referring to “multi-touch”
Microsoft’s largest World Partner Conference of the year is being held today through Thursday in Denver.The Denver Post on Monday received an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at pre-opening day events and some hot, new technology Microsoft will be showing off at this year’s conference. Among the new stuff is “Surface,” a table with one smart top that can morph into a gameboard, a restaurant menu, a canvas for virtual painting, a window to the Internet, a shopping guide or a jukebox — all with the touch of a finger. The conference is also a big scene for networking of the face-to-face kind. Colorful, contemporary lounges will be filled with 13,000 attendees from more than 130 countries who are eager to build new partnerships that help them