We all know the iPhone is already replacing most remotes. But a recent Apple patent application details extensive plans for a future iPhone acting as a controller for virtually all devices via Near Field Communications (NFC).

The 114 page "System and Method for Simplified Control of Electronic Devices" document shows an extensive variety of devices being controlled by an NFC-equipped iPhone-- from multiple Apple TVs, iMacs and a variety of iPods to 3rd party devices such as STBs, a Playstation console, security systems or home sprinkler systems.

The NFC-capable iPhone on the patent uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) app to search and pair up with nearby RFID-capable devices. Once it discovers a device, the iPhone automatically installs the appropriate controller plug-in.

An optional barcode-based pairing system (where the user scans a barcode using the iPhone camera) provides additional security.

The patent application also details how users can select and control any number of devices, with an NFC app allowing the sorting of devices by category ("Entertainment," "Home," Office") and proximity to the iPhone.

Other proposals include using a weather app to automatically adjust thermostat settings or previewing photos from a digital camera on the iPhone display.

For those following, rumours of an NFC-capable iPhone are not exactly news. This patent all but confirms such rumours-- should remote vendors start worrying on how the iPhone might oust them even further?

Go System and Method for Simplified Control of Electronic Devices

A collective of ex-Nokia employees and MeeGo affacionados form Jolla-- a Finand-based mobile company aiming to continue what Nokia started with the MeeGo smartphone OS.

COO Marc Dillon leads the company, who has an 11-year history with Nokia including a stint as principal MeeGo engineer. A number of Jolla members are "directors and core professionals" from the Nokia MeeGo N9 division who left the company earlier this month.

"Nokia created something wonderful - the world's best smartphone product," CEO Jussi Hurmola says. "It deserves to be continued, and we will do that together with all the bright and gifted people contributing to the MeeGo success story."

Named after a kind of sail boat, Jolla says work on "a new smartphone product and [MeeGo] OS" has been going on since the end of 2011 and it will reveal a MeeGo-powered product "later this year."

MeeGo is an open source Linux-based mobile device OS merging Intel's Moblin and Nokia's Maemo projects. It was cancelled in September 2011 in favour of Intel-Samsung co-development Tizen.

By that time Nokia managed to make 2 devices carrying the OS-- the interesting N9 smartphone (the only consumer MeeGo device to date) and the beta-only N950 developer handset.

Go Jolla (Linkedin)

iPad case maker Clamcase promises to add laptop functionality to smartphones with Clambook-- an ultra-thin processor-free laptop connecting with Android and iOS devices.

The Clambook has a MacBook Air-style look, with a thin aluminium body, widescreen display, 3D Cinema Sound, wireless QWERTY keyboard and multitouch trackpad. It connects to smartphones via MHL cable, meaning it charges the connected device when in use.

While looking and acting like a laptop, the Clamcase has no processor or RAM of its own-- the smartphone handles all actual processing.

The keyboard features dedicated Android keys for media control and app access, and the trackpad supports scrolling, pinching, zooming and 2-finger swiping.

Clamcase gives few other details on the device-- the only available Clambook pictures are actually renders-- but the company says it will be available from Q4 2012.

Go Clambook

Fresh rumours emerge on Facebook's supposed smartphone-making plans-- the New York Times says Facebook is briefing employees with plans relating to the hardware game.

Apparently the social network also hired "more than half a dozen former Apple software and hardware engineers who worked on the iPhone, and one who worked on the iPad," NY Times sources continue.

One ex-Apple engineer even says he was questioned on "the inner workings of smartphones" by none other than Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who asked for intricate details such as "the types of chips used."