RIM's patent for automatic call volume adjustment

RIM's patent for automatic call volume adjustment: "Filed under: Handsets, RIM

It's not exactly the sexiest patent application we've seen, and its October 4th 2004 filing date doesn't sound very promising, but RIM has recently has had a patent published by the USPTO in reference to an automatic call volume adjustment feature. Groundbreaking, we know, but the tech is supposed to -- you guessed it -- adjust call volume automatically based on the level of noise in your environment. As simple as it sounds, we sure wouldn't mind this functionality in a handset, Blackberry or not, but we can't imagine this feature headlining any marketing material, so we'll be lucky to know when we do have it. Other than the fact, of course, that we might actually be able to hear who we're talking to.

Sun CEO Scott McNealy steps down

Sun CEO Scott McNealy steps down: "Filed under: News
Sun Microsystems CEO and founder Scott McNealy is stepping down after 22 years of leading the company. McNealy will be assuming the role of chairman and 'chief evangelist,' while Sun president and COO Jonathan Schwartz will be taking over as CEO. McNealy says he's been working to get Schwartz into the driver's seat for a decade, but that he didn't want to hand over the company during t fast-moving dot-com boom nor before the company was stabilized after the bust. Sun's stocks saw an 8.6% increase in after-hours trading following the announcement.