Time for the usual disclaimer, since we're taking a journey into the murky world of Cupertino's patent applications -- it's just as likely we'll never see or hear of this tech again as it is to wind up in the next iPhone. While everyone else is betting on NFC, Apple wants to use next-generation cameras and invisible ink to negotiate digital handshakes. Snap a picture of a cash register with a barcode and your iDevice will generate a unique ID to pair up -- but in order to keep the technology secure, the codes would have to be painted on with "invisible" fluorescent coatings. When you're pairing two iPhones (for example) to share contacts, the key could be generated on one of the screens while the other took a picture of it. If this all seems too complex, boring and pointless now, just think: this could be how we log into Foursquare in a decade's time.

As the legal drama between Apple and Samsung drags on around the world, US District Court Judge has rejected Apple's request to block the sales of Galaxy devices. Reuters reports the ruling came out late Friday, with the judge deciding "It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung's accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed,". This isn't the first rejection for the folks from Cupertino either, after a request to speed up the trial was also denied back in July. The case itself will of course go on, but this means you'll still be able to get your hands on those Galaxy Tabs, Galaxy S IIs, and the like in the meantime.

Update: While Apple has yet to comment on the ruling, Samsung has issued an official statement which you can check out after the break.
Samsung:

Samsung welcomes today's ruling denying Apple's request for a preliminary injunction. This ruling confirms our long-held view that Apple's arguments lack merit. In particular, the court has recognized that Samsung has raised substantial questions about the validity of certain Apple design patents. We are confident that we can demonstrate the distinctiveness of Samsung's mobile devices when the case goes to trial next year. We will continue to assert our intellectual property rights and defend against Apple's claims to ensure our continued ability to provide innovative mobile products to consumers.

The latest update to iOS 5 is drawing near, folks, as the beta of version 5.1 was just released on Apple's developer site. You can grab the build if you're in possession of an iPhone 3GS or later, either iPad or the third and fourth generations of the iPod Touch. We're hoping to see some fixes to the battery life issues on the iPhone 4S, as the company has acknowledged the concern and promised a fix in the near future. Stay tuned as we learn more about the new refresh.

Update: A little digging has already revealed a new product ID contained in the update, referencing an "iPad 2,4". There's some speculation that this could be a reference to a tablet with a modem from Sprint built in, but even if that's the case, who knows if it would actually be released prior to the next generation iPad.

Update 2: More leaks! Now 9to5Mac is reporting on a new device, codenamed "J33", which it believes refers to a new model of the Apple TV box. Hit up the link for a few more well-reasoned rumors, we'll let you know if any more details surface.

Update 3: Ok, now we're starting to think someone in Cupertino is just screwing with us. One more time, sleuths have uncovered a reference to the elusive iPhone 5 (aka "iPhone 5,1") in the code, as shown above. Check the third link for more details from 9to5Mac, and prepare for a whole new round of next gen iPhone rumors incoming any minute now.

Ready to share your iPhone's data plan with your laptop without springing for the requisite tethering plan? No, it's not another brightly colored, data smuggling easter egg, it's iTether, a USB tethering app that has apparently made its way through Apple's approval process. The data sharing newcomer promises to pipe your existing data plan to your PC via a companion desktop application. If history is anything to go by, this $15 app won't be available for long, so you'd better get while the getting's good -- it seems that high demand has already taken Tether's website down.

Could it be that Apple's latest smartphone is plagued with a troubling design flaw? Just ask the handful of iPhone 4S users who've experienced issues with their SIM cards, and they'll tell you this is very much the case. While we have no reason to believe a majority of iPhone 4S owners are affected, the problem appears to span across numerous carriers and parts of the globe -- even Sprint and Verizon Wireless users aren't immune. Some report resolving the problem with a new SIM card, while others have reason to believe it's the reader itself. Then there's a group known as Woo Servers, which suggests the malfunction is related to a short circuit caused by a design flaw with the SIM card tray. They've provided a detailed list of instructions to remedy the problem, with a simple piece of tape as the cure. Sadly, not everyone seems to benefit from the advice. So, Cupertino, care to lend a hand?

Dost a company actually dare turn down the seductive wiles of the iPhone? As a matter of fact, there is at least one US carrier that has the audacity to say no to Tim Cook's face: US Cellular. During her company's quarterly earnings call, CEO Mary Dillon mentioned that the mobile provider was given the opportunity to sell the iPhone, but Apple's "terms were unacceptable" when considering the risk and profitability involved. It's bad news for anyone on US Cellular that was remotely interested in grabbing one; the good news, however, is that the fact the opportunity was even available -- paired with C-Spire's intentions of selling the devices next week -- will at least give hope to customers of the little guys. Cricket? Cincinnati Bell? Who's up next?

A little cajoling from a clever developer got Siri talking to the iPhone 4 and the iPad, but Apple's tight-lipped servers kept the conversation effectively one-sided. The last-gen port was still missing something, and developer Steven Troughton-Smith knew where to find it: a jailbroken iPhone 4S. In an interview with 9to5Mac, Troughton-Smith said that getting Siri to talk to Cupertino's data servers only took ten minutes after he had all of the pieces in place. Ready for your personal assistant port? Hold the phone, the process is a bit dodgy -- our hacking hero said that getting Siri on the older device is a 20-step process, and it requires files from the iPhone 4S that he says aren't his to distribute. When asked about distributing the hack over Cydia, Troughton-Smith said it was something he couldn't be a part of. On Twitter he suggested that a release would "anger the hive," but promised to post detailed notes on the hack after a iPhone 4S jailbreak drops.

The comparisons between Siri and HAL 9000 were pretty tough to avoid, and the folks at ThinkGeek have now come through to do what they do best: take things to a ridiculous extreme. In this case, that comes in the form of the IRIS 9000, a familiar-looking fellow that doubles as a dock for your iPhone 4S. It has a remote that lets you activate Siri from afar, a built-in mic and speaker that lets you interact with Siri (or make phone calls) and, of course, a glowing red LED eye that makes Siri suitably menacing. Now, ThinkGeek has been known to produce some faux products in the past, but last we checked it wasn't April Fools' day, and the company has assured us that this is indeed real and set to be available in the spring of next year for $60.

The Bluetooth 4.0 specification may have been finalized in July of last year, but smartphones supporting the standard are just starting to hit the market. In fact, the first such handset is the iPhone 4S. That the 4S is the first to deliver its 4.0 wares to the American public is something that got lost in all the hubbub surrounding its launch. One of the biggest selling points of the latest version of the PAN standard is its low-power mode, though that wont have much of an impact on Apple's device. What it will enable the latest iGadget to do however, is act as a hub -- collecting data from multiple sensors and accessories simultaneously, such as heart rate monitors and cats. Don't expect this to be alone on the market for long, other manufacturers will certainly be squeezing support for the specification into their next flagship device.

AT&T Statement on iPhone 4S Preorders

DALLAS, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T has seen extraordinary demand for iPhone 4S with more than 200,000 preorders in the first 12 hours alone, the most successful iPhone launch we've ever had. It's obvious customers like AT&T's 4G network, which is the only one that lets their iPhone download twice as fast and talk and surf simultaneously.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.