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Apple patent application offers promise of stronger, scratch-proof stainless steel
As with all patent applications, it's a bit early to get too excited about this one, but a recently published filing from Apple dubbed "Nitriding Stainless Steel for Consumer Electronic Products" is one of the more interesting we've seen from the company as of late, especially when you consider its recent acquisition of Liquidmetal's intellectual property. Whereas Liquidmetal promises to let Apple create metal devices that are stronger and not limited to the usual structural or strength limitations found in conventional metals, this new patent application suggests that the company might also be working on a nitride coating for stainless steel that's described as "both scratch and impact resistant." What's more, the application suggests that the coating would not affect the appearance of the underlying stainless steel, and not cause any RF interference either. As pointed out in the application itself, that means it could be used on laptops, portable media players and, yes, even cellphones -- or it could simply be filed away with the countless other applications that haven't seen the light of day. Here's hoping for the former.
Apple exploring new scratch-proof coating
If a new patent application from Apple is any indication, the company is getting obsessive about making sure that future products are highly scratch-resistant. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published Apple's application this week titled "Nitriding Stainless Steel for Consumer Electronic Products," outlining methods for depositing a very thin layer (just over 15 microns thick) of nitride to stainless steel to provide scratch and impact resistance. Nitride coatings are unique in that they allow the natural feel and look of the stainless steel to show through, while creating a tough scratch-proof surface. In the patent filing, Apple notes that stainless steel is a highly desirable material for consumer electronics since it is non-magnetic and doesn't hinder Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular signals as much as other metals. However, as some iPhone 4 owners have noticed, the material is relatively easy to scratch. Apple also entered into an agreement with Liquidmetal Technologies earlier in 2010 to explore using the company's amorphous metal technology in future scratch-proof Apple products. Liquidmetal materials are twice as strong as titanium, but as easy as plastic to process. [via AppleInsider]
Dell Streak's Gorilla Glass screen: torture tested for your amusement (video)
So we've been hearing rumors about the Dell Streak being some kind of a rugged bad boy. Word is, the Gorilla Glass display on this 5-inch slate is good enough to withstand pretty much anything a human would care to throw its way. Them's fighting words where we come from, so we did the only thing a responsible tech blog can do -- we put them to the test. Should you be brave enough to follow us after the break, you'll come upon our best efforts to destroy our own Streak prototype, albeit with little success. Then again, the end result might be less important than the journey there, which is not to be missed.
