Abstract: A set of reconfigurable clip-on modules for mobile computing devices includes two or more modules and at least one of the modules has an input button or other control and at least one of the modules can communicate with the computing device without needing to be connected to it via a wire. The input button is mapped to a user input in a program, such as a game, which is running or displayed on the computing device to which the modules are clipped. In an embodiment, user inputs via the buttons or other controls on the clip-on modules are mapped to user inputs in a game running on the device, which may be a touch-screen device, and the mapping between user inputs via the buttons and user inputs in the game may change dependent upon the game being played, user preference, or other criteria.

Abstract: A set of reconfigurable clip-on modules for mobile computing devices includes two or more modules and at least one of the modules has an input button or other control and at least one of the modules can communicate with the computing device without needing to be connected to it via a wire. The input button is mapped to a user input in a program, such as a game, which is running or displayed on the computing device to which the modules are clipped. In an embodiment, user inputs via the buttons or other controls on the clip-on modules are mapped to user inputs in a game running on the device, which may be a touch-screen device, and the mapping between user inputs via the buttons and user inputs in the game may change dependent upon the game being played, user preference, or other criteria.

Abstract: A set of reconfigurable clip-on modules for mobile computing devices includes two or more modules and at least one of the modules has an input button or other control and at least one of the modules can communicate with the computing device without needing to be connected to it via a wire. The input button is mapped to a user input in a program, such as a game, which is running or displayed on the computing device to which the modules are clipped. In an embodiment, user inputs via the buttons or other controls on the clip-on modules are mapped to user inputs in a game running on the device, which may be a touch-screen device, and the mapping between user inputs via the buttons and user inputs in the game may change dependent upon the game being played, user preference, or other criteria.

Abstract: A set of reconfigurable clip-on modules for mobile computing devices includes two or more modules and at least one of the modules has an input button or other control and at least one of the modules can communicate with the computing device without needing to be connected to it via a wire. The input button is mapped to a user input in a program, such as a game, which is running or displayed on the computing device to which the modules are clipped. In an embodiment, user inputs via the buttons or other controls on the clip-on modules are mapped to user inputs in a game running on the device, which may be a touch-screen device, and the mapping between user inputs via the buttons and user inputs in the game may change dependent upon the game being played, user preference, or other criteria.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying dynamic status information on a plurality of devices and enabling interactions between these devices are described. In an embodiment, a trigger signal is sent to one or more computing devices to trigger the launch of an application client on the computing device. The trigger signal is generated on another device in response to a user interacting with the displayed status information. This other device may be an impoverished device which displays status information for an application but is not capable of running the application client. In various embodiments, the status information is displayed in the form of a GUI element called a tile and this status information may be pushed to the device by a proxy server. The trigger signal may be sent to multiple devices or in some embodiments, a computing device may be selected to receive the trigger signal.

Abstract: Wearable audio accessories for computing devices are described. In one embodiment the wearable audio accessory provides a speech based interface between the user and a nearby computing device for the performance of user-initiated or computing device initiated microtasks. Information is provided to the user via a loudspeaker and the user can provide input via a microphone. An audio sensing channel within the accessory continuously monitors the audio signal as detected by the microphone and in various embodiments will trigger more complex audio processing based on this monitoring. A wireless communication link is provided between the accessory and the nearby computing device. To mitigate any delay caused by the switching between audio processing techniques, the audio accessory may include a rolling buffer which continuously stores the audio signal and outputs a delayed audio signal to the audio processing engines.

Abstract: Wearable audio accessories for computing devices are described. In one embodiment the wearable audio accessory provides a speech based interface between the user and a nearby computing device for the performance of user-initiated or computing device initiated microtasks. Information is provided to the user via a loudspeaker and the user can provide input via a microphone. An audio sensing channel within the accessory continuously monitors the audio signal as detected by the microphone and in various embodiments will trigger more complex audio processing based on this monitoring. A wireless communication link is provided between the accessory and the nearby computing device. To mitigate any delay caused by the switching between audio processing techniques, the audio accessory may include a rolling buffer which continuously stores the audio signal and outputs a delayed audio signal to the audio processing engines.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying dynamic status information on a plurality of devices and enabling interactions between these devices are described. In an embodiment, a trigger signal is sent to one or more computing devices to trigger the launch of an application client on the computing device. The trigger signal is generated on another device in response to a user interacting with the displayed status information. This other device may be an impoverished device which displays status information for an application but is not capable of running the application client. In various embodiments, the status information is displayed in the form of a GUI element called a tile and this status information may be pushed to the device by a proxy server. The trigger signal may be sent to multiple devices or in some embodiments, a computing device may be selected to receive the trigger signal.

Abstract: Wearable audio accessories for computing devices are described. In one embodiment the wearable audio accessory provides a speech based interface between the user and a nearby computing device for the performance of user-initiated or computing device initiated microtasks. Information is provided to the user via a loudspeaker and the user can provide input via a microphone. An audio sensing channel within the accessory continuously monitors the audio signal as detected by the microphone and in various embodiments will trigger more complex audio processing based on this monitoring. A wireless communication link is provided between the accessory and the nearby computing device. To mitigate any delay caused by the switching between audio processing techniques, the audio accessory may include a rolling buffer which continuously stores the audio signal and outputs a delayed audio signal to the audio processing engines.

Abstract: An auxiliary device that remotely controls a mobile computing device is described herein. The auxiliary device can be wirelessly coupled with the mobile computing device. The auxiliary device can detect a user input at the auxiliary device. An operation executed by the mobile computing device can be performed responsive to the user input. Further, an identity of the operation can be a function of a context of the mobile computing device and the user input. Responsive to detection of the user input, the auxiliary device can transmit data indicative of the user input from the auxiliary device to the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A set of reconfigurable clip-on modules for mobile computing devices includes two or more modules and at least one of the modules has an input button or other control and at least one of the modules can communicate with the computing device without needing to be connected to it via a wire. The input button is mapped to a user input in a program, such as a game, which is running or displayed on the computing device to which the modules are clipped. In an embodiment, user inputs via the buttons or other controls on the clip-on modules are mapped to user inputs in a game running on the device, which may be a touch-screen device, and the mapping between user inputs via the buttons and user inputs in the game may change dependent upon the game being played, user preference, or other criteria.

Abstract: Wearable audio accessories for computing devices are described. In one embodiment the wearable audio accessory provides a speech based interface between the user and a nearby computing device for the performance of user-initiated or computing device initiated microtasks. Information is provided to the user via a loudspeaker and the user can provide input via a microphone. An audio sensing channel within the accessory continuously monitors the audio signal as detected by the microphone and in various embodiments will trigger more complex audio processing based on this monitoring. A wireless communication link is provided between the accessory and the nearby computing device. To mitigate any delay caused by the switching between audio processing techniques, the audio accessory may include a rolling buffer which continuously stores the audio signal and outputs a delayed audio signal to the audio processing engines.