Easy Apple Scroll Handle Patent Workaround: Dim the scroll handle

I've read about Apple's new disappearing-scroll-handle patent twice. (Most lately, here: http://blog.inner-active.com/2012/07/oh-no-here-we-go-again-check-out-the-new-patent-apple-was-just-granted/)

I'll be frank. I don't like the disappearing scroll handle. I like to glance at the scroll handle to know how long the page is, and here's a frequent scenario: I start reading an article/blog/forum post and think "this is good, but should I keep reading, start skimming, or just stop now?" Then I twitch the screen so I can see the scroll handle again.

So instead of making the scroll handle "cease" to be displayed, which is what the patent seems to cover, why not just dim it significantly? If it's transparency is high enough the content underneath is still visible. Sounds great to me.

That seems not to be covered by the patent -- based on my cursory reading -- and I would personally see it as an improvement.

Stereoscopic Southwest

I've been taking stereoscopic photos for years. I'm an amateur's amateur, and I just do it the easy way: take a picture, move the camera to the side, take another. Then line them up and cross your eyes — sometimes it's interesting. The following were all taken on my recent trip - I haven't touched them up at all; I just ran a small shell script that put the images alongside each other.

I used my iPhone 4 (8MP camera) to take these pictures, just because I didn't want to bother taking our real camera on the trip. I'm sure I could GIMP (Photoshop for poor and/or principled people) these pictures into much better shape, but these and all the ones you don't see here would definitely have been better if I had taken them with a real camera. So maybe I'll manage to do that next time.

In order to get the 3D effect, I recommend clicking an image to open it as large as possible. Then try to cross your eyes so the two images blend into one, and then bring that one image into focus. It may help if you roll or step back from your screen so you don't have to cross your eyes as much. You may also need to practice tilting your head slightly from side-to-side in order to get the blending to line up properly.

Let's start with this one, which isn't worth opening up larger. I moved the camera too much from side-to-side in between shots. (Nobody's eyes are 12 inches apart.) I am very nicely 3D, but the canyon behind me is just headache-inducing. Best to practice with this one just the way you see it here, and then open up the following ones to be larger:

These four were taken along the South rim of the Grand Canyon:

These two were taken at the Mohave Point stop on the shuttle bus. That river you see down there is approximately 4.5 miles away.

Spruce Tree House in Mesa Verde National Park:

Looking up while standing by Spruce Tree House:

Part of Spruce Tree House:

Looking across the top of Spruce Tree House:

Somewhere on the trail back up from Spruce Tree House:

My brother Mark:

I was lucky to catch this view at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE. I was riding on the Skyfari and managed to keep the camera steady enough and avoid other Skyfari cars, poles, etc.