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Apple patents systems to warn of impending dropped calls, track down your keys


As always, Apple is busy at the patent office this week, with two recently uncovered filings to make life just a little bit easier for Mr. Joe Person Man. The first of these is a system to track how far away you are from a cell tower, and to warn you via your phone when you're about to drop your call -- with similar applications for GPS and WiFi devices. The other patent is a Bluetooth-based system to track down lost objects like keys or your Bluetooth headset via the age old method of "you're getting hotter" and you're getting colder." Sure, Apple's version might have a fancy readout on the phone display, but it's the same basic principle -- no triangulation going on here. Of course, Apple patents all sorts of crazy stuff that never makes it to market, but at least these two have a semblance of possibility.

[Thanks, Mark]