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Overnight news roundup: 22-23 November

It looks like the Sidekick Slide will be fixed after all.

Although it may be hard to believe, the top news of the day is actually just a rumour. According to reports, Apple is in the process of patenting multi-touch screens for the whole hand.

Based on three filings made public today, the Apple patent would allow users to enjoy the same multi-touch technology currently found on the iPhone and iPod Touch to trigger different actions depending on a wider variety of gestures and presses made on the special screen.

Improved screen sensors

The patent describes a technology whereby different areas of the user's hands would interact with sensors that could identify those areas and a variety of other sensors would focus on the proximity of the hand and the pressure exerted on the screen.

The description accompanying the patent filing illustrates an interface that would recognize the palm of hand, indicating the user would want to start typing. The system would also determine the position of a number of pressure points to help it identify a user's rolling or tilting actions. Of course, this patent filing does not indicate the availability of such a device or even if it will ever hit store shelves.

Jumbo 32GB flash PMP

Creative might become the first personal media player manufacturer to release a 32GB flash player. Due to a mistaken disclosure on the company's Singapore website, rumours have begun about a high-capacity Creative player. According to the posting on the site, the new 32GB Zen player can hold up to 16,000 songs. Since then, the 32GB version has been taken down and the site is showing only the currently available versions: 4GB, 8GB and 16GB.

When T-Mobile released the Sidekick Slide this year, no one thought it would have had such major design flaws. While the company was reluctant to admit some of these issues, it finally pulled the device off shelves. Meanwhile, Motorola has found a fix for the flaw and will be rectifying the issue immediately.

If Slide owners still aren't happy, T-Mobile has offered them three options: exchange it for the Sidekick LX (at no additional charge), wait for the Motorola fix or return it and receive a full refund for use on a different phone.