Comments on: Thoughts on the Apple multi-touch patent- look out Microsoft

By: Rodders

Rodders — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:43:34 +0000

Juan says: “Anyways, just mentioning the possibility of using a patent against a dying company of glorious past makes me reject Apple products forever. No more ipods for me.”

Ummm… maybe I’m wrong, but in this article at least there is nothing that says to me that Apple IS considering suing Palm, just speculation by the blog poster that they MIGHT, or perhaps COULD… I’m not sure that a bloggers opinion of what may happen should be a reflection on Apple.

By: Dub Dublin

Dub Dublin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:04:15 +0000

Apple’s patent is probably on pretty shaky ground – this concept has been around, and well documented, for more than a decade prior to the advent of the iPhone. Don’t believe me? Google “Sun Starfire Video” and watch it for yourself ( http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Sun+Starfire+Video&aq=f ) Although there’s a lot more than multitouch on display there, it definitely makes an appearance – note especially the use of spreading two fingers to signify a “copy” operation on the Starfire computer, as well as more advanced gestures Apple won’t be able to do for years…

By: pjb926

pjb926 — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:42:53 +0000

I agree with KDarling. Apple can fill as much space as they want with fluff about use cases and embodiments, but the claims section is the only part that contains the patentable idea(s). The rest is to help explain how the patent might be used because the inventor is required under patent law to provide enough information in the patent so that someone else skilled in the art can implement the invention themselves.

The soft keyboard would never hold up, even if they had been awarded it, since touch keyboards have been around since the first touchscreen devices.

By: Juan

Juan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:46:38 +0000

Patents Armaggedon?

I’m not the first to point out that Palm, after 20 years in the market, should have a good numbers of patents related with, hummm, palm-size devices and their interacion methods.

If Apple finally starts the war, maybe it would be a grosser miscalculation even compared with that (in)famous initiative of divide Palm between palm source and palm one. I am not an specialist in interface patents, but maybe suddenly Apple finds itself surrounded by counterattacks from patents that cover more devices than iphone.

Anyways, just mentioning the possibility of using a patent against a dying company of glorious past makes me reject Apple products forever. No more ipods for me, and I will not be a macbook owner, what I almost became.

Shame on Apple

By: Danny

Danny — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:04:51 +0000

Much better breakdown of the situation is now available:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/apple-vs-palm-the-in-depth-analysis/

By: KDarling

KDarling — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:57:12 +0000

Good grief.

Neither the application abstract nor the other 300 pages are covered by the patent. No keyboards or touch or pinch or whatever.

The CLAIMS section is the ONLY thing you should read and comment on. And it’s extremely tiny and specific to a certain way of determining scrolling etc.

By: Sumocat

Sumocat — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:59:22 +0000

@Anže: Nobody claimed Apple is the biggest competitor in the PC market. I would recommend reading comments thoroughly before posting one of your own.

By: DrCaffeine

DrCaffeine — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:58:46 +0000

Certainly the big guys — Apple / Microsoft / IBM /etc — all have cross-licensing deals.

The real impact is on the smaller, innovative companies attempting to bring something new and creative to the market. These sorts of patents on heuristics (defn: common sense rules) and processes serve to stifle innovation, and hence competition, because although they may be overturned later in court, the little guys just don’t have the resources to fight lengthy court battle.

And even if they win on one patent, the massive patent portfolios of the major players can be used to destroy the competition by attrition.

By: bluemonq

bluemonq — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:11:37 +0000

@Kevin & Mike: Granted, if blogs didn’t speculate and editorialize, there’d be a lot less posts and a lot more bloggers in the unemployment line :D

By: Kevin C. Tofel

Kevin C. Tofel — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:46:39 +0000

“I’m surprised everyone is devoting so many words to this issue.”

Probably the best line I’ve heard on the topic today. I tend to agree. ;)