Apple awarded patent for “Home on iPod”

Apple has been awarded a patent titled “Method and apparatus rendering user accounts portable”; the 11-page document describes a method for transporting a user’s home directory and account settings on a portable device like an iPod or iPhone. Should Apple implement this feature, you’ll be able to sit down at any Mac, hook up your iPod and log in like how you would on your own computer.

Apple was awarded a similar patent in 2003; this feature was initially implemented in the early builds of Mac OS X Panther. However, for reasons unknown, it was removed in later builds. It was originally described as: “Panther’s Home on iPod feature lets you store your home directory – files, folders, apps – on your iPod (or any FireWire hard drive) and take it with you wherever you go”.

Via [AppleInsider]