The really bad thing about patents like Swype and "swipe to unlock" is that they are just uses of a touch screen. Once you've got a touchscreen (which is the ha

The really bad thing about patents like Swype and "swipe to unlock" is that they are just uses of a touch screen. Once you've got a touchscreen (which is the hard part, full of actual inventions), thinking of all of the neat ways you can use it is frikkin' easy. It may be novel in the sense that before there were touch screens, it was impossible and now its not, but I'd say thinking of an application of a technology does not rise to the level of an invention. I always say, "Its like patenting 'driving your car to grandmas'. The car is the invention, not deciding its a good way to go see grandma."