AppleInsider posted some dirt on Friday about a recent patent filing from Apple suggesting that they’re considering integrating a tiny video camera into the latch of an upcoming Powerbook, which Sony pioneered with their Vaio PCG-C1 notebook in 1998 and most recently in their TR line of notebooks (like the Vaio TR3A.

The filing, made March 12, 2004, describes a design for a laptop computer that includes a base and a lid that pivots relative to the base. “The portable computer further includes a latch including a data capture device such as a camera that is configured to secure the lid to the base,” the filing reads.
According to the filing, the invention includes a positioning device for controlling the rotation of the latch (and hence the camera) about an axis. The camera also includes a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complimentary oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.

It looks from the patent filing’s drawings that the camera may be removable too. For more check out the story at AI. For an ever crazier camera-notebook combination check out Sony’s Vaio PCG-GT1 circa 2001.

AppleInsider posted some dirt on Friday about a recent patent filing from Apple suggesting that they’re considering integrating a tiny video camera into the latch of an upcoming Powerbook, which Sony pioneered with their Vaio PCG-C1 notebook in 1998 and most recently in their TR line of notebooks (like the Vaio TR3A.

The filing, made March 12, 2004, describes a design for a laptop computer that includes a base and a lid that pivots relative to the base. “The portable computer further includes a latch including a data capture device such as a camera that is configured to secure the lid to the base,” the filing reads.
According to the filing, the invention includes a positioning device for controlling the rotation of the latch (and hence the camera) about an axis. The camera also includes a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complimentary oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.

It looks from the patent filing’s drawings that the camera may be removable too. For more check out the story at AI. For an ever crazier camera-notebook combination check out Sony’s Vaio PCG-GT1 circa 2001.