Next-gen S Pen stylus pen already in the works?

One of the famous comments made by the late Steve Jobs in a Q&A session when the first iPad was launched was “[…] if you see a stylus, they blew it.” He was not a fan of stylus use on mobile devices including smartphones and tablets, and therefore you don’t see such accessories coming by default with iOS devices, even though they’re available from third parties, and tend to be quite celebrated and sought after for many diverse reasons.

However, that does not mean other mobile device makers can’t come up with some interesting stylus-based functionalities for smartphones and tablets, and the best example for that is Samsung’s existing Galaxy Note tablet and the upcoming Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet – the HTC Flyer could also be used as an example even though one could argue that HTC’s first tablet did not reach anywhere near the same level of popularity of the 5-inch Note.

Therefore, we’re not surprised to hear that Samsung is already working on its next-gen S-Pen stylus, which could be paired with various Android devices in the future. According toPatentBolt, the new S Pen will feature several new features that the current S Pen versions can’t offer including embedded NFC support and a built-in clip that can handle voice communications.

Most importantly, Samsung may have found a way to do away with the lag that can accompany stylus use. Apparently the new S Pen stylus will fool the smartphone, phablet or tablet into believing the device is one of the user’s fingers by using micro-current from the human body.

While the patent detailing the new features of this next-gen S Pen stylus is available at the Source link below, that doesn’t mean we have any news regarding the availability of this product yet, so in the mean time you’ll just have to make do with the current stylii options available in stores, including the existing S Pen from Samsung.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liked this? Then Please share this page and follow us on Twitter (by clicking on the “Tweet” button) ,Facebook, Google+, and subscribe to get the top stories of the week, plus the most popular reviews delivered straight to your inbox.

And don’t forget to give us your suggestions in the comments!

source

Apple gives Tim Cook $376 million stock award

Even though he's only officially been Apple's chief executive for a few months, Tim Cook received a handsome compensation package for the job he did in 2011.

Apple's Cook.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Cook, who took over the helm at the tech giant when Steve Jobs resigned at the end of August, received $378 million in compensation for the year, according to a proxy statement (PDF) filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition to his 2011 base salary of $900,000, Cook received $376 million in restricted stock and other compensation. The committee also increased Cook's base salary from $900,000 to $1.4 million.

Apple's board of directors said the size of the award was based on "Cook's performance in assuming responsibility for the company's day-to-day operations during Mr. Jobs's prior leaves of absence. The Board also took into account the 10-year vesting period of the award, the importance of retaining Mr. Cook, and the opportunities Mr. Cook would likely have if he were to seek other employment."

Cook, who served as Apple's chief operating officer for seven years before being named CEO, filled in for Jobs during his three medical leaves of absence. Cook was first called on to fill in for Jobs in 2004, running the company's day-to-day operations for a few months while Jobs recovered from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his pancreas and when Jobs had a liver transplant in 2009.

This isn't the first time the board has showed its appreciation to Cook for his performance during Jobs' absence. In August, a few days after Cook assumed the role of CEO full time, the board gave Cook 1 million restricted shares of Apple stock, half of which will be vested in five years time.
After filling in for Jobs from January 2009 to June 2009, Apple's board rewarded Cook with a $5 million bonus, as well as 75,000 restricted stock units as a thank-you for "his outstanding performance."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liked this? Then share this page and subscribe to get the top stories of the week, plus the most popular reviews delivered straight to your inbox.

And don’t forget to give us your suggestions in the comments!

View the original article here