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Amazon Pursues Plogging Patent

theodp writes "When it unveiled a beta of Plogs (personalized blogs), a nonpublication request Amazon had in effect prevented the USPTO from disclosing that Plogs were patent-pending. But now you can check out Amazon's patent application for the Personalized selection and display of user-supplied content to enhance browsing of electronic catalogs, which describes how 'blurbs' can be made available in a blog format for viewing by others."

2 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. New composite words and give me a stredach by FidelCatsro · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No entry found for plogging.

    Did you mean plugging?

    yes these new words annoys me , but what annoys me more is companys trying to get stupid patents ,
    "According to a note on Amazon.com, the Plog is a diary-type feature of the users' shopping experience. "]It will help] you discover products that have just been released, track changes to your orders, and many other things. Just like a blog, your Plog is sorted in reverse chronological order. When we think we have something interesting or important to tell you, we'll post it to your Plog.""

    So its an information system based on your previous purchases, Im sure many catlog order companys have been doing this for years , with target special offers etc .
    Plus im sure several advertising companys have with tracking cookies and other forms of spyware , been doing the same thing to provide ads that may intrest the customer/victim

    --
    The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  2. Re:We should patent the process not the idea... by oliverthered · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I already give people things based on there history.

    e.g. When I'm down the pub I know what beers my friends drink, and if they are drinking something different tonight.

    I also know what new papers many friends read and what they are interested in taking about.

    How can anyone be granted a patent for this (or even consider putting one forward)

    Lets, use the word gossip instead of blurbs.

    An electronic catalog system provides an interface for users to author and post pieces of content, referred to as gossip The gossip submitted by a particular author are made available for viewing in an any format you like.
    gossip may also be obtained from external sources, such as the post man, or a news paper.

    A personalized gossip selection component selects gossip to present to users based on histories of catalog items selected by such users, and/or based on various other criteria.

    We call this the postman.
    The gossip selected for a particular user are presented within a personal log or "plog," which may be updated daily and will typically contain entries from many different authors.

    We call this the bartender.

    User feedback provided on specific gossip is taken into consideration by the personalized gossip selection algorithms.

    We call this the mothers meeting.

    Looks like Amazon is patenting the wheel.

    --
    thank God the internet isn't a human right.