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Apple Tries to Patent iPod User Interface
harlows_monkeys writes "Apple's
trying to patent several aspects of the iPod user interface. This one is particularly interesting because the claims are written in fairly clear and simple language, easy to understand by anyone. If this one is granted, it won't be because an overworked examineer was confused by deliberate obfuscation by the application (which is what I think happens for a lot of the ridiculous patents). About half the claims are for things that were implemented in prior players (e.g., Archos), and the other half are for things that are in many other common device interfaces (DVD players, PVRs) and the only novelty is that Apple put them on a portable music player."
First post, and the wheel is probably a very important interface. I ate your kid and the rest of your extended family.
Just admit it already. These anti-patent articles are so boring and repeat the same thing over and over. We'll get a hundred posts beginning with "IANAL" (so don't bother posting about legality then!). The rest will be crying about how the patent system is "in decline."
It's no surprise at all that michael is on a posting spree.
hey, if michael's busy posting stories, he's not busy censoring people.
just fuck apple. go freedom
And if it was google we'd see a justification somewhere in the first sentence. It's classic /. hypocrisy. If you didn't know it existed then you have never read slashdot.
Apple should also try to patent the Apple fruit. They can then collect royalties from Apple growers. Good source of income since the iTunes store is not making any momey and no one is buying Apple servers.
Very interesting! I've always *assumed* that Gyro's little helper was
Gyro's invention, but after reading this information I now doubt it.
The helper debuted in the singing cats story (US 15) and it works on
batteries, which can even be recharged by lightning without destroying
the little helper itself (US 47).
In one story, "Milktime Melodies" (OS 1047), the helper is shown being able
to replace its own lightbulb head, which might suggest that the lightbulb
has no other function than just being a lightbulb. It is used as such in
"Firefly Tracker" (US 27). In "Milktime Melodies", Gyro discusses the
helper with Grandma, who objects to Gyro's (in her eyes) cruel plan of
removing the helper's lightbulb in order to demagnetize it.
The helper is so advanced that it seems to have "consciousness".
In "Krankenstein Gyro" (US 26), the helper is shown *dreaming* of a
female helper (which seems to suggest that the helper itself is
intended as a male).
I don't know the definition of "consciousness". Animals appear to have
dreams, but do they have "consciousness" according to that definition?
In recent news I've heard that investigation has learnt that dolphins
seem to recognize themselves when looking into a mirror and that this
could be a proof of dolphins having "consciousness".
Some stories show the helper as having thoughts. In "Man Versus Machine"
(US 47), the helper even seems to get emotional about not being able
to help Gyro suffering in the desert.
The helper sometimes has independent adventures within Gyro's stories,
like the gold find machine story (US 18), which seems to suggest that
the helper is capable of making choices of its own.
Because he's been in my apartment snorting coke for the last 6 months.
Actually, troll, I was using Mozilla Firefox.
oi, don't suck cock in public.
President George W. Bush has proposed that all Americans should have broadband internet access by 2007
Yet the moderators feel that the most insignificant news concerning iPods, SCO, and Microsoft is more newsworthy. It further demonstrates the liberal bias of the slashdot community.