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Pocket PCs Masquerade as iPods
agwadude writes "Wired News has a story about a British software firm called StarBrite that is selling a virtual iPod that runs on Microsoft's PocketPC operating system. It mimics the iPod interface exactly, including the unique scroll wheel. It's a mere $20 but this seems right considering it's only software, and it only supports MP3. MacDailyNews has a shorter story."
MacCentral is reporting that "pBop's resemblance to the iPod was unmistakable, especially when the product first launched: It was originally called pPod, and featured an interface that was practically identical to third-generation iPods."
it was so similar, in fact, that Apple asked them to make some changes, including the name.
Starbrite has "cooperated fully to address Apple's concerns" but, if you ask me, it is still pretty much a rip off of the iPod interface (GUI and physical). Isn't this kind of thing legally protectable?
Tuus crepidae innexilis sunt.
MacSlash had this item on March 01st. See it: here.
Anyway, I'm fairly certain Apple's relevant patents on the iPod are for the actual hardware design, and it'd be hard to sue for a software ripoff that doesn't even have all of the iPod's features (like non-MP3 sound file compatibility)
Don't blame me; I'm never given mod points.
pictures
You've got it backward ^^
They make money on the hardware, not the music. Therefore the harm.
GPL Deconstructed
Well, you are correct in more ways than you realise.
Apple had their way with these guys and forced the renaming of the product (to pBop) and slight modifications to the interface.
Slashdot is behind the times. This story would have been meaningful a couple days ago.
-- Fighting mediocrity one bad post at a time.
Wrong. Apple makes next to no money on the iTunes store, they make their money on the hardware. And this is a pretty blatant rip off.
I thought it was pretty common knowledge that Apple didn't make money on iTMS?
Also, this isn't even reverse engineering. It is a poorly mimicked interface, no actual reverse engineering of the iPod occured I'm sure.
Actually it wasn't as fast as you think. The story was on MacSlash a week ago and most likely someplace else before that.
I'm pretty sure you can sue for infringement on any of the claims in a patent. That said, the only thing Apple obviously mention as being patent-pending (that I can see) is their Auto-Sync technology.
In any case, the design would be covered by industrial design law - it was on this basis that Apple successfully sued Emachines over their iMac lookalike PCs.
- "So our philosophy is that traffic to the music store will lead to iPod sales and iPod sales will lead to the sale of Macs."
And the Seattle Times noted last October:The FONT is stolen and that's not nebulous. It's called CHICAGO.
I installed the pPod demo last Friday mainly to piss off my roommate (big iPod fan) and I must say that besides looking kinda cool it doesn't do much else. Using a stylus as in place of your fingers worked haphazardly at best, and I am certainly not going to run out and buy a microdrive for it. It's mainly just a fancy skin for a MP3 only player (if it had support for alternate formats, then I'd reconsider). If I want to compete with my friend's iPod, I find it much easier to use programs like Net Use to create a network drive and stream the MP3 wirelessly to my PDA. Sure this limits me to staying within my network, but if I want to go out, a 256MB CF card has more than enough storage for any short trip.
Sadly, PS/2 was yet another victim of USB, which doesn't care what you plug into it, the electrical slut.
Won't be long until iPod is emulating whatever the hell it can, too ...
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
iRiver iHP-120
Practically the same size (2-3mm thicker), exactly the same weight and capacity. about GBP40 cheaper than the 20GB iPod here in the UK and it comes with a built in FM radio and a great LCD remote.
It plays OGGs and WMVs but not AAC (plus MP3s obviously).
after some research, I came to the conclusion that the author of the article is either a woman or a gay man, because apparently a Fendi is some kind of bag, purse, or whatever are called those things women carry their stuff on.
It's better to be the foot on the boot than the face on the pavement. ~~ tkx Kadin2048
Ah, that's because iriver isn't `cool' enough. It's actually quite easy to use once you get used to it.
:-).
Another major problem is that folks hear of `iPod' all the time, but nobody hears of iriver (or others). When I show some ipod lovers my iriver, they `wow' at how small and light it is (and the fact that my battery lasts for close to 30 or so hours on a single charge [single 2200 mAh AA]; or that I can play Ogg files
Basically I view iPods as really cool toys (like them italian sports cars), but if you want something more practical (fuel economy/street safe, etc.) then get something else.
"If anything can go wrong, it will." - Murphy
Apple licensed from Xerox the elements they incorporated. The lawsuit with Microsoft was that, having licensed Apple IP for earlier version(s) of Windows, Microsoft chose not to do so in a later version but continued to use Apple's IP. The judge in the case just didn't get it and sided with Microsoft.
Wonder if he works in the Patent Office these days?