4 ms·
This is like the desktop idea Microsoft stole from Apple. Doesn't matter that Xerox did it first or that it was inevitable as computers were becoming more power
by green7ea 14y ago
This is like the desktop idea Microsoft stole from Apple. Doesn't matter that Xerox did it first or that it was inevitable as computers were becoming more powerful.
It's not like there is prior art for most of the touch patents with the diamond touch. The patents are also as absurd as patenting the double click.
For any touch device, we want to maximize touch area. To do that, a square is best. A square doesn't fit well in pockets so a rectangle is better for a phone. It's also very uncomfortable to have a rectangle with sharp edges in your pocket. But wait... we don't have the freedom to design something useful, Apple did that first!
What really ticks me off is that touch based phones were coming with or without Apple as the technology was becoming cheap enough. The only difference is that Apple did it first and they did it well (few companies do anything well). They didn't really invent much in the process but combined many existing concepts into an awesome product. What scares me is that most of these patents are obvious and completly ridiculous and shouldn't be grounds for granting Apple a monopoly on smartphones.
- rahoulb 14y ago(slightly OT but Apple paid Xerox for the GUI and then did significant development on it - compare a Smalltalk/80 system to the Lisa and you can see how much Apple did to improve it)
- enry_straker 14y agoThis is not about enhancements but about the patentability and prior art of common concepts
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- gcb 14y agoUh, apple just bought all that from fingerworks. And in the process left the market without the awesome mixed input keyboard from that company since 2001 or so. Also forbid anyone to license it. So Apple DELAYED touch interfaces for at least 7 yrs!