Starium patents?

Declan writes:

I happened to hear from Lee Caplin of Starium today. ... Also, Lee says Starium has filed for patents on a desk phone, answering machine and conference phone.

One wonders what they have that is patentable. Given that we've been using laptops with PGPfone/Nautilus/SpeakFreely for a while. Maybe the concept of an answering machine with PK exchange? Is this supposed to be nonobvious?