Apple Patents 'Chameleon' Computer Case

Dave B writes "The Register has been fishing at the patent office again and found that Apple has a new patent for "a computing device [which] includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion". While this gives us the exciting prospect of an iMac that is all five fruit flavors at once surely the original iMac with its glowing power button, or indeed a-thousand-and-one other electronic gizmos represent prior art?" Update a couple of users noticed this Slashdot Story from 2002 which looks familiar.

Comments

Re:Picard

[llamalicious]

There ...

are

four LIGHTS!!!!!!!!!

Re:Are patents stifling or restricting?

[krog]

Good thing no one has a patent on hyperbole -- you'd be in some serious trouble with the above post.

Chameleon Computer Case

[The Subliminal Kid]

Just what I need a computer that hides from me by becoming the same colour as the desk.

Re:Prior Art?

[krog]

This is obviously the first hack anyone is going to write for it. The color and pattern is software-controlled, and therefore application-agnostic.

Second, someone (it could be me) will figure out how to goatse your case.

Re:Prior Art?

[FatalTourist]

And more importantly: STOP dropping acid!

Re:Prior Art?

[Pitdog7]

I think the Mood Stone guy is gonna have a little something to say about this...