Apple has filed a patent application for a location-based service that would deliver "temporary retail and service-based applications" to iPhone users based on their proximity to local businesses and other locations, reports the Patently Apple blog. The idea is to serve up an app such as a library catalog or restaurant menu when it would make sense to use it, then have it disappear later to avoid cluttering up the device.

On the subject of Apple and patents, Engadget has a good analysis of the complaint that HTC filed against Apple yesterday with the U.S. International Trade Commission, the latest salvo in the mobile patent wars.

Rising concerns about user privacy have prompted Facebook to schedule an all-hands internal meeting for this afternoon, reports the All Facebook blog. No doubt we'll find out all the juicy details by reading their status updates afterward.

In the Seattle region, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire will be making the rounds at some Eastside technology companies this afternoon, marking some notable corporate developments and talking about jobs and the economy. Look for coverage on TechFlash later today.

Mark your calendars for Office Web Apps: Amid yesterday's launch of Microsoft's new Office 2010 products for businesses, one notable piece of news was that the company's free Office Web Apps for consumers will be available starting June 15. However, the rollout will take place gradually, over a few weeks, Microsoft told reporters at the launch event in New York. More from USA Today and CNet News.com.

Speaking of Microsoft Office 2010, the winner of the $10,000 prize in the Seattle Chamber's related promotional video competition was announced last night, and it's Questkids Clothing of Seattle.

Bloomberg News has a good analysis of SAP's $5.8 billion agreement to acquire Sybase, and the implications of the deal for SAP's competition with Oracle in the mobile market.

Chris Pirillo, organizer of the annual Gnomedex conference, is floating the idea of an informal "Seattle Geek Week" that would take place around the event in August this year. He explains: "Some of my Seattle-area friends have been asking if they could hold their event during the week of Gnomedex (assumedly, asking out of respect). That got me to thinking: why not string together some kind of loosely-official “Seattle Geek Week” to further make connections between the lot of us?" More details here.

Microsoft's Denver-area retail store will be located at the Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree, Colo., reports our sister publication, the Denver Business Journal. General Growth Properties disclosed this week that Microsoft has leased 8,748 square feet of space, with a projected June 1 opening date, the paper reports. Silicon Alley Insider previously pegged Denver and San Diego for the company's third and fourth stores, expanding beyond its existing locations in Mission Viejo, Calif., and Scottsdale, Ariz.