Turns Out Apple CAN Patent Its Way Out of a Paper Bag

Who says the U.S. Patent system needs an overhaul? Companies like Apple patent everything they can. It’s not only a smart strategy, it’s a necessary strategy within the legal framework and patent structure we have today. With that in mind, I present to you patent application 20160264304, for a patent called “Bag.” The abstract described the patent as, “A paper bag is disclosed. The paper bag may include a bag container formed of white solid bleached sulfate paper with at least 60% post-consumer content.” OK, I see your lols bubbling forth, and I’m with you. But, the patent appears to focus on innovations in the way the handles are attached to “Bag.” The patent hasn’t yet been granted. The application was sent to our own Dave Hamilton by a Mac Geek Gab listener.

SCOTTeVEST's OTG Mashes Your Computer Bag and Jacket Together

Fall is in the air, which means it’s time to start thinking about which jacket you’re going to wear on chilly days, and maybe which laptop bag to carry, too. SCOTTeVEST is combining the two with its new Off The Grid (OTG) jackets for men and women. The jackets are insulated to keep you warm and include pockets big enough to carry a 15-inch MacBook Pro and iPad, touch-through pockets for your iPhone, accessory pockets, an RFID-proof pocket, and channels to route headphone and charger cables so they’re out of sight. That’s a lot of pockets. The OTG is priced at US$215 and is available now in black or blue for men, and black or plum for women.

Here's How to Quickly See Which Apple Stores have iPhone 7 in Stock

If you’re on the hunt for an iPhone 7, iStockNow makes that task easier by showing exactly which stores have some in stock. The site mashes up Google Maps and Apple’s own back-end inventory system to drop pins on ever Apple Store. Green pins mean a store has some iPhone 7 inventory, and red means they’re out of stock. You can also set filters to see if the size, color, and carrier you want are available, and you check specific cities, too. We were able to tell right away that Colorado and California are good states for getting a new iPhone right now; Washington and Florida, not so much.

FRANKLIN Bluetooth Headphones: $39.99

We have a deal for you today on a pair of FRANKLIN Bluetooth headphones. They last between 8-10 hours on a charge, report their current charge to your iPhone, and it has a built-in microphone and basic control buttons. You can get these headphones through our deal for $39.99

Poll: Which iPhone 7 Home Button Haptic Click Level Did You Choose?

We’re running an informal poll for our readers and listeners on Twitter. Which home button haptic click level did you choose on your iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus? We published a tip yesterday if you’re wanting to revisit the setting you chose during setup. As for the poll, you can see the results after choosing, but so far, only a few miscreants like our own Dave Hamilton have chosen level 1. I’d love to see a lot of data on this, so help spread the poll.