Today’s mobile roundup features ATP Capital’s new funding for BlackBerry Partners Fund, Nokia’s Ignite Hackathon contest and tattoo patent, and Apple’s heatgate problem.

Apple’s New iPad Heats Up, Literally!

It’s like a tradition, every new Apple product comes with its own setback.  Remember the antennagate, batterygate and the yellowgate issues of past iPhones?  Well, the new iPad has heatgate.  It gets quite hot, as hot as 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius).

Compared to the iPad 2, early users of the new iPad noticed that it gets warm/hot within 30 minutes of use.  Some either stopped using the device until it cooled down while some continued using them but laid them down on a flat surface instead of handling it or placing it on their thighs.  One angry customer claimed to have been burned on the thigh because of the heating iPad.

So, is there a heatgate problem that consumers have to worry about?

According to Trudy Muller, spokeswoman for Apple, the new iPad operates “well within our thermal specifications,” and “if customers have any concerns they should contact AppleCare.”

And according to Apple’s website, if the device gets too hot, a temperature warning screen appears with the message “iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it,” “iPad needs to cool down before you can use it”, or “iPod touch (4th generation) needs to cool down before you can use it.”

None of the reviews that mentioned the rising temperature of the iPad or complaining customers mentioned seeing a warning screen.

Does this mean that 116 degrees Faranheit is considered by Apple as well within their thermal specifications?

Apple is also pushing for next generation SIM, meaning smaller than the Micro-SIMs they are already using on the iPhone 4S and iPad.  They supposedly applied for “independent voting rights for six of its European subsidiaries: if successful, it would give each subsidiary 45 votes when the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) members decide on the proposals next week.”

Nokia’s Ignite Hackathon and a Tattoo Patent

In partnership with CapitalFM and eMobilis, Nokia will be hosting a two-day mobile application development competition on March 24-25, 2012.

Ignite Hackathon is a  competition that will challenge participants on the technical aspects of writing efficient code, a well thought out architecture, deployment of scalable infrastructure, application aesthetics, user experience and finally, the business elements that will highlight applicable revenue models, optimal pricing and user engagement.

“Many young developers do not have access to global publishing platforms and this is a great opportunity for them to get published on the Nokia Store and using the most popular platform, the Series 40,” said Ken Mwenda, Managing Director, eMobilis.

The goal of the competition is to release applications that have mass market appeal and can adapt to the challenges that accompany rapid growth in user numbers, and crack the revenue conundrum that has been a tough nut for local developers.

The contest is open to students, tech-preneurs, and developers residing in Kenya at the time of the hackathon. You must be 18 years or older to register online.

But that’s not the only curiosity Nokia’s been exploring lately. According to sources, Nokia filed a patent, US Patent Application number 20120062371, that covers magnetically induced vibrating particles that can be embedded in clothing or under the skin in the form of a tattoo.

The patent states that the embedded material is capable of detecting a magnetic field and transferring a perceivable stimulus to the skin, wherein the perceivable stimulus relates to the magnetic field.  So when a person gets a call or text message on his mobile phone, he will feel a tingling sensation on his skin, alerting him of it.

More Cash for BlackBerry Partners Fund

ATP Capital raised $150 million for a new fund to invest in startups that develop applications for a range of mobile-phone platforms.  The funding is supported by  Thomson Reuters Corp., Corus Entertainment Inc. and Research in Motion.

ATP Capital was founded in 2010 to facilitate the merger of JLA Ventures and RBC Venture Partners, focusing exclusively on mobile venture capital investment opportunities under the BlackBerry Partners Fund brand around the world.

“We have been agnostic from day one,” Co-Managing Partner Kevin Talbot said. That means investing in early-stage businesses based on Apple Inc.’s iOS operating system and Google Inc.’s Android platform as well as Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry. “If you look at our portfolio, you’ll see far more broad horizontal plays. That’s how you build big companies.”

ATP Capital will be rebranded as Relay Ventures as they begin to manage the second round of funding for the BlackBerry Partners Fund.