May not always be the most prudent because industrial metal alloy technology can change rapidly to achieve all sorts of functionality or special uses. The said alloys may be supplanted easily by others in the near future that may even be cheaper or have other more interesting properties. Also as noted, the metal alloys in question are used in various industries. It will distract Apple to become the lincense vendor for the technology.
CGC
Here's an interesting, somewhat related link concerning Gorilla glass. In this case, it was a waiting game:
Samsung Ego. It doesn't exactly look like a iPhone Killer. Samsung has lousy taste.
Ah, I see it now. Ugly looking phone. Based on this article, it looks like Samsung won't be able to use Liquidmetal anymore now that Apple has an exclusive license. I bet Apple paid big bucks to get that exclusivity.
The Cost of it relates to whether it can be mass produced. And Apple may be the only one in the world where they can put up price of their products while still getting demand exceeding their supply.
Since Aluminum is getting more expensive day by day, Zr-alloy may be able to outweight its investment in the future.
I think the reason why Apple didn't buy it would be because Apple has no interest in dealing with NASA and may be Department of Defense.
This will always be more expensive. Aluminum costs what it does because large amounts of electricity needs to be used to refine that metal. But aluminum is the most abundent metal found, so that's not a problem. But this alloy costs more for several reasons, one of which is that the metals involved aren't that plentiful, and will always cost more.
Samsung already has a LiquidMetal Phone. I hope that Apple cancels their product. Only the iPhone should be allowed.
Apple can't cancel any contracts Liquidmetal has with others, as they don't own the company. I would imagine that as that phone goes out of production, no more of those products by anyone other that Apple will be allowed.
I see the Terminator references are already out there, but what about Apple’s move into more and more areas of development, which includes these exclusive contracts. It reminds me a bit of Umbrella Corp from Resident Evil. Apple is setting themselves up for a future that no other CE company can compete with. Sometimes I wonder if it’s too much.
edit: Pipped my Melgross… again. I really should read the entire thread before posting.
The rationale is not merely technological. In Apple products, form follows function like a hand in a glove. That is why Jony gave us the glass back.
I understand the aesthetic effect of the glass casing in the black iPhone 4 -- both front and back have "glassy black" aesthetic form. The aforementioned aesthetic form is not as apparent with the white iPhone 4.
The technological use of glass, as casing in the front is obvious -- trasparency is required to view the contents, as well as the touch technology. Can you cite any techological rationale to have a glass backcasing for the iPhone 4?
In fact, because it is glass. even a gorilla glass, it is more likely to shutter or break -- front and back -- compared to metal alloys. Thus, it is more imperative to have another outer case for the iPhone 4 because there are more areas that could break or shutter. However, having another outer casing to protect the glass -- both front and back -- would conceal the aesthetic form most of the time.
No. The T-1000 and T-X both used mimetic poly-alloy. The T-X used this for its outside coating since it had an internal structure.
Here's what really happened: Skynet sent Marilyn Manson?wait, make that Shirley Manson?back in time to oversee the, ahem, hostile takeover of LiquidMetal Technologies because of their extensive R&D experience in superdurable metal alloys. Once the takeover was finalized, she, um, "terminated" the entire LiquidMetal staff and established herself as CEO. Then, she thought, "Hmmm. LiquidMetal is a cool name and an even cooler idea!" So, mimetic poly-alloy (thanks ghostface!) was developed. And the rest, as they say, is history!
BTW. "unobtanium"?WORST FAKE SUBSTANCE NAME EVER!!
What I'm really hoping is that some smart-ass researcher will develop a NEW alloy or molecular something-or-other, and actually CALL it "unobtanium"! THAT would be awesome!
Actually it's big claim to fame in this area is that it can be injection moulded, like thermoplastics. That means they could ditch the milling entirely. It costs a LOT more money than aluminum, but my guess is for small amounts of material the milling costs might be more than the material.
VERY interesting development.
Maury
Maybe they will literally encase the electronics in this alloy. No seams or openings at all. Let's see how iFixIt handles that?
I think this is just an intermediate solution. While adamantium would be a decent choice, I'm holding out for mirthil. Powered by dilithium crystals of course.
I would suggest something similar to Diburnium, but considerably more dense
I am not sure exactly what you mean by the response. Indeed, glass, and gorilla glass in particular have past, present and future uses that were not anticipated due to other technical and market developments -- one example is fiber optics.
Corning has a better reason to research and explore the multiple and potential uses of glass because it is the focus of the company.
Apple, as it has wisely done, simply licenses these technologies but do not always have to buy the companies that invented the technologies. This provides more flexibility to move on or revert to other technologies, depending on the needs of their products.
I see the Terminator references are already out there, but what about Apple?s move into more and more areas of development, which includes these exclusive contracts. It reminds me a bit of Umbrella Corp from Resident Evil. Apple is setting themselves up for a future that no other CE company can compete with. Sometimes I wonder if it?s too much.
edit: Pipped my Melgross? again. I really should read the entire thread before posting.
No company can last forever. We're still in the early stages of technological civilization as defined by the use of electricity as a power source. Apple is rising, and will likely do so for some time, as long as they continue to have advantages. But at some point, as things get advanced enough, it's possible that no one company will have any major advantage over another, and this will disappear.
Meanwhile, Apple should have its time in the sun, as others have.
In regards to the rear glass on the iP4, does anyone else think a rear touch screen would be useful for navigation purposes (e.g., scrolling web pages or game control)? My fat fingers frequently inadvertently click links or ad banners while surfing on my iPhone.
-----------
Actually, I do not understand the technological rationale for using glass for the back casing even for smaller devices, like a smartphones. I was surprised therefore when the iPhone 4 used glass for the backcasing. It is mostly aesthetic that is lost in the white iPhone 4. One possible technical rationale for "glass backcasing" would have been using the back as "solar battery" area; but that may be a different "glass" technology altogether. Apple has an approved patent for solar powered technology for mobile devices.
What I'm really hoping is that some smart-ass researcher will develop a NEW alloy or molecular something-or-other, and actually CALL it "unobtanium"! THAT would be awesome!
if I ever develop an alloy, I will defiantly name it something smart, probably unobtainium.
This is a tiny company, with a market cap of less than $25M. I wonder why Apple did not buy it outright for the whole nine yards, and not just a piece of the IP.
Heck, Mark Hurd could have bought it with just a portion of his severance payment.....
The article says this company even makes medical products. I don't think Apple would want to get wrapped up in that, and shutting that section of the company down would just be a horrible idea... among the problems with the other contracts, like some have already stated.
Comments
Samsung already has a LiquidMetal Phone.
Do they? Which one?
Do they? Which one?
It is featured on the LiquidMetal home page:
http://www.liquidmetal.com/index/
Samsung Ego. It doesn't exactly look like a iPhone Killer. Samsung has lousy taste.
Edit: first part removed
May not always be the most prudent because industrial metal alloy technology can change rapidly to achieve all sorts of functionality or special uses. The said alloys may be supplanted easily by others in the near future that may even be cheaper or have other more interesting properties. Also as noted, the metal alloys in question are used in various industries. It will distract Apple to become the lincense vendor for the technology.
CGC
Here's an interesting, somewhat related link concerning Gorilla glass. In this case, it was a waiting game:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_667416.html
It is featured on the LiquidMetal home page:
http://www.liquidmetal.com/index/
Samsung Ego. It doesn't exactly look like a iPhone Killer. Samsung has lousy taste.
Ah, I see it now. Ugly looking phone. Based on this article, it looks like Samsung won't be able to use Liquidmetal anymore now that Apple has an exclusive license. I bet Apple paid big bucks to get that exclusivity.
The Cost of it relates to whether it can be mass produced. And Apple may be the only one in the world where they can put up price of their products while still getting demand exceeding their supply.
Since Aluminum is getting more expensive day by day, Zr-alloy may be able to outweight its investment in the future.
I think the reason why Apple didn't buy it would be because Apple has no interest in dealing with NASA and may be Department of Defense.
This will always be more expensive. Aluminum costs what it does because large amounts of electricity needs to be used to refine that metal. But aluminum is the most abundent metal found, so that's not a problem. But this alloy costs more for several reasons, one of which is that the metals involved aren't that plentiful, and will always cost more.
Samsung already has a LiquidMetal Phone. I hope that Apple cancels their product. Only the iPhone should be allowed.
Apple can't cancel any contracts Liquidmetal has with others, as they don't own the company. I would imagine that as that phone goes out of production, no more of those products by anyone other that Apple will be allowed.
edit: Pipped my Melgross… again. I really should read the entire thread before posting.
The rationale is not merely technological. In Apple products, form follows function like a hand in a glove. That is why Jony gave us the glass back.
I understand the aesthetic effect of the glass casing in the black iPhone 4 -- both front and back have "glassy black" aesthetic form. The aforementioned aesthetic form is not as apparent with the white iPhone 4.
The technological use of glass, as casing in the front is obvious -- trasparency is required to view the contents, as well as the touch technology. Can you cite any techological rationale to have a glass backcasing for the iPhone 4?
In fact, because it is glass. even a gorilla glass, it is more likely to shutter or break -- front and back -- compared to metal alloys. Thus, it is more imperative to have another outer case for the iPhone 4 because there are more areas that could break or shutter. However, having another outer casing to protect the glass -- both front and back -- would conceal the aesthetic form most of the time.
CGC
Is this the same substance used to make the T-1000 Terminator?
Not yet.
Finally an iPhone that doesn't blend.
it would be pretty funny to see the blender fall apart trying to blend the iPhone.
but looks like it is for the antenna though.
No. The T-1000 and T-X both used mimetic poly-alloy. The T-X used this for its outside coating since it had an internal structure.
Here's what really happened: Skynet sent Marilyn Manson?wait, make that Shirley Manson?back in time to oversee the, ahem, hostile takeover of LiquidMetal Technologies because of their extensive R&D experience in superdurable metal alloys. Once the takeover was finalized, she, um, "terminated" the entire LiquidMetal staff and established herself as CEO. Then, she thought, "Hmmm. LiquidMetal is a cool name and an even cooler idea!" So, mimetic poly-alloy (thanks ghostface!) was developed. And the rest, as they say, is history!
BTW. "unobtanium"?WORST FAKE SUBSTANCE NAME EVER!!
What I'm really hoping is that some smart-ass researcher will develop a NEW alloy or molecular something-or-other, and actually CALL it "unobtanium"! THAT would be awesome!
Actually it's big claim to fame in this area is that it can be injection moulded, like thermoplastics. That means they could ditch the milling entirely. It costs a LOT more money than aluminum, but my guess is for small amounts of material the milling costs might be more than the material.
VERY interesting development.
Maury
Maybe they will literally encase the electronics in this alloy. No seams or openings at all. Let's see how iFixIt handles that?
I think this is just an intermediate solution. While adamantium would be a decent choice, I'm holding out for mirthil. Powered by dilithium crystals of course.
I would suggest something similar to Diburnium, but considerably more dense
Here's an interesting, somewhat related link concerning Gorilla glass. In this case, it was a waiting game:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_667416.html
I am not sure exactly what you mean by the response. Indeed, glass, and gorilla glass in particular have past, present and future uses that were not anticipated due to other technical and market developments -- one example is fiber optics.
Corning has a better reason to research and explore the multiple and potential uses of glass because it is the focus of the company.
Apple, as it has wisely done, simply licenses these technologies but do not always have to buy the companies that invented the technologies. This provides more flexibility to move on or revert to other technologies, depending on the needs of their products.
CGC
I see the Terminator references are already out there, but what about Apple?s move into more and more areas of development, which includes these exclusive contracts. It reminds me a bit of Umbrella Corp from Resident Evil. Apple is setting themselves up for a future that no other CE company can compete with. Sometimes I wonder if it?s too much.
edit: Pipped my Melgross? again. I really should read the entire thread before posting.
No company can last forever. We're still in the early stages of technological civilization as defined by the use of electricity as a power source. Apple is rising, and will likely do so for some time, as long as they continue to have advantages. But at some point, as things get advanced enough, it's possible that no one company will have any major advantage over another, and this will disappear.
Meanwhile, Apple should have its time in the sun, as others have.
-----------
Actually, I do not understand the technological rationale for using glass for the back casing even for smaller devices, like a smartphones. I was surprised therefore when the iPhone 4 used glass for the backcasing. It is mostly aesthetic that is lost in the white iPhone 4. One possible technical rationale for "glass backcasing" would have been using the back as "solar battery" area; but that may be a different "glass" technology altogether. Apple has an approved patent for solar powered technology for mobile devices.
CGC[/QUOTE]
What I'm really hoping is that some smart-ass researcher will develop a NEW alloy or molecular something-or-other, and actually CALL it "unobtanium"! THAT would be awesome!
if I ever develop an alloy, I will defiantly name it something smart, probably unobtainium.
This is a tiny company, with a market cap of less than $25M. I wonder why Apple did not buy it outright for the whole nine yards, and not just a piece of the IP.
Heck, Mark Hurd could have bought it with just a portion of his severance payment.....
The article says this company even makes medical products. I don't think Apple would want to get wrapped up in that, and shutting that section of the company down would just be a horrible idea... among the problems with the other contracts, like some have already stated.