Apple USB touch-and-go a bad idea?

Darius Chang | Jul 27, 2009

(Photo credit: Apple)

From multitouch gestures to the iPod click wheel, Apple is well-known for offering one of the best user interfaces on its products. However, its latest patent filing is a head-scratcher.

Though it's common knowledge that one should eject any USB-connected device before removing the cable, we have all been guilty of simply disconnecting the peripheral without so much as a by-your-leave. On some occasions, this may result in data corruption on your USB device. According to a US patent, Apple's Touch-and-Go USB allows an iPhone or iPod touch to detect finger taps that disengage the USB connection and allow for safe removal.

However, we can imagine instances when we want to touch the device without disengaging the USB connection, such as ignoring a call when syncing with iTunes. What do you think is a better gesture to use if you want to disengage a USB device easily?

Via United States Patent Office and AppleInsider

Filed under: Notebooks
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