Apple patent new device!

Apple Patents. Oh I had to Who can imagine the before time, when ipads were ipods and ipods were mp3 players... lol

Here's a rundown.

...it's a "hand held electronic device with multiple touch sensing devices." Not clear enough for you? If you scroll down far enough, you'll find reference to the possibility of merging of many electronic devices into a single device: "Each device 102 includes both hardware and software components 104 and 106, which are integrated into multi-functional hand-held device 100. It should be pointed out that the multi-functional hand-held device 100 is not limited to only two devices, and may in fact integrate any number of devices." The patent filing goes on to say: "By way of example, the portable electronic device may correspond to tablet PCs, PDAs, media players (music, images, video), game players, telephones, cellular phones, mobile radios, cameras, GPS modules, remote controls, and/or the like." So, in short, it'll be something between anything and everything.

Engadget link


I find it funny to read things like this, before the impact on the world they have is realised. Even if you hate apple, you cannot deny it has influenced the way we treat mobile computing. Some say to the point of copyright infringement. Well, who cares, these things will iron themselves out over time, be it a monopoly or open slather.. the ideas are here to stay.

And to think, we see these shiny doodads in everyones hands and think "How did we get so enslaved by this evil device so quickly?"... but if you look..



The Apple Newton Messagepad. Takes 3AAA batteries and runs at a whopping 20mhz. circa 1994.

2007 when the iphone came out, this thing was already 13 years old. The idea was already there..

ahh I just find it interesting.. lol, plus boredom and coffee are a bad mix!

So it's a phone, a music player, a geiger counter and a microwave all in one?

But my Galaxy S2 has a touch screen and touch sensative buttons at the bottom, is that not what this is describing?

I'm really starting to hate Apple, patenting everything is stupid, it just holds the technology companies and therefore advancement back. That's obviously what they want though. Greedy.

Originally posted by SpearMint

I'm really starting to hate Apple, patenting everything is stupid, it just holds the technology companies and therefore advancement back. That's obviously what they want though. Greedy.

I don't know if you are being sarcastic or not.

Damn companies patenting something so others can't come in, use their ideas to make profits (without the r&d expense) and put them out of business.

Damn them.

Damn them all to hell.

reply to post by boncho


No I'm not being sarcastic, it's stupid. Apple patent everything, like a rectangualar device with rounded corners. That is stupid, it's not an idea, they just want money from anyone that makes a rounded rectangular device. Apple doesn't come up with original ideas anymore, they just make different sized versions of the same device and sue everybody.

I find the patent side of it all humorous. Haha no microwave, but I'm sure you can buy an adapter that runs the iWave App. Uses the Antenna to nuke your hot pocket!

-- lol why not they have the Geiger counter app, just use a microphone!
itunes.apple.com...

o.O

My cheap huweii phone seems to have all the bits apple toys have, and is more accessible (adb, adb over wifi, usb) which is why I think the legal aspects will be sorted out behind the scenes, perhaps with some public attention at times mostly by interested parties..

I mean the real matter is, can you simply patent a box with buttons, that you say can do - but is not limited to doing - what many other devices can do and in any combination.

It's a nebulous as the idea it describes.

Multiple input sensors.. I understand patenting a design that you've created to work closely with hardware and software you own, but I can see how it's the same as patenting the wheel.

It's designed to fail, any legislation that privatises common sense. I don't think it can be done, not without a battle that never ends, making the entire endeavour worth nothing...

I see things settled in a mutual agreement with various parties.

Anyone ever get one of those Apads? Right down to the square home button. Built by the same companies that build apple components. 1/4 the price but yeah you pay for it in lower quality. I've gone through a number of tablet devices, have yet to replace a part when it's cheaper to buy a new one.

Look at all the devices these days, including the Windows Surface (which from things I've heard, actually uses metro properly and useably).. If it makes sense in a mobile computing device, it's already implemented across various manufacturers and innovators.

Apple are a lot of huff and puff when they are chest beating. Same with Microsoft. Their lawyers rely on fear and intimidation and lengthy costly court process to win disputed before they enter the arena.

You can't copyright the wheel, or a circle, or a ball, or the sun... lawyers can try to uphold frivolous claims, and that is the nature of the beast...

Apple owns the market, and it always has done since day 1.

Originally posted by Just Chris
Apple owns the market, and it always has done since day 1.

Depends what market you're talking about, portable music devices maybe, but laptops, computers, tablets, and phones they do not.

Originally posted by Beavers
So it's a phone, a music player, a geiger counter and a microwave all in one?

It sounds like the ideal device to own if you live near Fukushima.

Listen to your favourite tunes and looking at the geiger counter rise whilst the radiation cooks you.

I suppose the fact that Apple and HTC squashed the beef means nothing?

www.apple.com... -Patent-Dispute.html

It's annoying to see Samsung is still stirring the pot. They are DESPERATE it seems to find something that they can win with. That attitude coupled with their ads that take clear jabs at Apple as of they were in high school. Meanwhile, iPads are a top holiday gift list item among all ages.

As far as the Geiger counter, its pretty amazing.

Important note: The camera sensor can measure gamma radiation (CS137 for example) and some beta radiation (depends on the energy if the beta rays can pass through the plastic parts - for example H3 or K14 are weak sources). It cannot measure alpha rays (like AM241, PO210...). Please check our homepages for examples and hints on how to do a good measurement.

Its useful and much cheaper than most Geiger counters on the market. Can't remember how much the app was but it wasn't free or $1.99 either. I think I will go play with it now.

'iPads are a top holiday gift list item among all ages. '

Not here in the UK.
Most people that want a tablet (for Christmas) are going for android or the Amazon kindle fire.

Last Christmas every form of tablet was sold out of the shops regardless of brand.
This year people seem to be more educated as to what they want

I have a flip phone with no special screen. One day in my math class, someone asked me what it was. I also like using wooden pencils, and as I was sharpening it one day in class, someone asked me what I was doing. "I'm sharpening my pencil," I said.

Originally posted by SpearMint
reply to post by boncho

 

No I'm not being sarcastic, it's stupid. Apple patent everything, like a rectangualar device with rounded corners. That is stupid, it's not an idea, they just want money from anyone that makes a rounded rectangular device. Apple doesn't come up with original ideas anymore, they just make different sized versions of the same device and sue everybody.

edit on 21-11-2012 by SpearMint because: (no reason given)

Do you have a copy of the rounded rectangular device patent? Can I see it? Hint... It wasn't about the rectangle.



appleinsider.com...

I am currently working on a business start up. And the other day I found out one of the products we wanted to launch was patented. Now, there is a good chance that product won't be part of the plan anymore, we were pretty much planning to rip off someone else's idea and make money on it, but they patented it.

I'm not really mad about it though, because if it were my idea first, I would want that same kind of protection.

Is this fair or not?

reply to post by SpearMint

That is stupid, it's not an idea, they just want money from anyone that makes a rounded rectangular device. Apple doesn't come up with original ideas anymore, they just make different sized versions of the same device and sue everybody.

 

Did you say you owned a Samsung?

Aren't they suing Apple over LTE connectiveity in a smart phone?

Oh, it's ok for the phone manufacturer you use, to sue other companies... I get it....

reply to post by SpearMint

...patenting everything is stupid, it just holds the technology companies and therefore advancement back. That's obviously what they want though. Greedy.

Actually no. If you patent something and I want to sell the same thing, I have two options. I buy licensing rights from you, or I improve upon your device enough to make it considered novel with the boys at the patent office.

Sounds like it would spur innovation dunnit?

It sounds backwards but the patent process actually helps innovation.. because if these companies weren't rewarded for their ideas and hard work developing products then people would have no incentive to bother. I think the problem lies in the patent process.. it's too expensive to sort out the patent process and get patents.

What we need is a way to help the "little guy" get patents and protect them.. THIS would also help reward people for inventiveness and hard work too rather than just the big companies.

Originally posted by boncho
reply to post by SpearMint

That is stupid, it's not an idea, they just want money from anyone that makes a rounded rectangular device. Apple doesn't come up with original ideas anymore, they just make different sized versions of the same device and sue everybody.

 

Did you say you owned a Samsung?

Aren't they suing Apple over LTE connectiveity in a smart phone?

Oh, it's ok for the phone manufacturer you use, to sue other companies... I get it....

edit on 21-11-2012 by boncho because: (no reason given)

That's a lot different to rounded corners. I see someone is an Apple fan....

Originally posted by boncho
reply to post by SpearMint

...patenting everything is stupid, it just holds the technology companies and therefore advancement back. That's obviously what they want though. Greedy.

 

Actually no. If you patent something and I want to sell the same thing, I have two options. I buy licensing rights from you, or I improve upon your device enough to make it considered novel with the boys at the patent office.

Sounds like it would spur innovation dunnit?

No, not when it's rounded corners. Apple just want money, that's very evident.

I have felt for a long time that the future of digital devices was "modular computing". I imagined taking devices like your iPad and PC and joining them together to make an even more powerful device.

Imagine if you could make an iPhone and and iPad and an iMac with screens that went to the edge of the devices... and dimensions that complemented each other.

Then when you had all your devices in one place it is like Voltron (5 robots that combine to form one) and you can combine all of them together making one big monitor and one big computer.

Is anyone else getting that idea from this patent or is that just me?