Abstract: An apparatus is provided that provides a common opening for air flow and speaker outflow. The apparatus includes a compartment with an opening. The compartment has a top surface and a bottom surface and includes a fan and a speaker. The fan is positioned to rotate one or blades around an axis. The one or more blades spin in a direction substantially towards an opening during at least one point during the spinning. The fan directs the air flow towards the opening. The speaker is positioned such that its movement is along the axis.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that provides a common opening for air flow and speaker outflow. The apparatus includes a compartment with an opening. The compartment has a top surface and a bottom surface and includes a fan and a speaker. The fan is positioned to rotate one or blades around an axis. The one or more blades spin in a direction substantially towards an opening during at least one point during the spinning. The fan directs the air flow towards the opening. The speaker is positioned such that its movement is along the axis.

Abstract: A computing device that includes a host processor and a service processor is provided. The host processor is configured to interact with a first user interface. For example, the host processor may be a microprocessor for the device and the first user interface may be a display device. A service processor is provided and can interact with a second user interface. In some cases, the service processor may interact with the second user interface without communicating with the host processor. Accordingly, the service processor can perform functions without relying on the host processor. Using the service processor conserves processing power and also may allow the reduction in size of the device as the service processor may perform the functions previously performed by discrete hardware and the host processor.

Abstract: A portable computing device with hybrid hardware/firmware accelerometers for drop and tumble detect is disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable computing device can include: (i) a plurality of accelerometers; and (ii) an embedded controller coupled to the plurality of accelerometers, where the embedded controller can change the portable computing device from a first state to a second state when a predetermined condition is detected by at least one of the plurality of accelerometers. The predetermined condition can include a dropping, tumbling, or free fall situation. Also, the first state can be an active state, while the second state can be a protective state, such as where a hard drive is shut down, for example.

Abstract: A portable computing device with hybrid hardware/firmware accelerometers for pointer control and user interface is disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable computing device can include: (i) at least one accelerometer; and (ii) an embedded controller coupled to the accelerometer, where the embedded controller can change a parameter or variable of the portable computing device when a predetermined condition is detected by the accelerometer. The predetermined condition can include a tilt of the portable computing device, and the parameter that is changed can be a game piece property, for example.