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Microsoft Leveraging iPod Patent?
willie3204 was one of several readers who noticed this story about Microsoft cashing in on the iPod Patent that they apparently beat Apple to. Since this song looks to be played to the tune of $10/iPod, I imagine someone will be singing the appeal song.
1. Steal Apple's technology 2. File a patent before they can 3. Profit!
David Kaefer, Microsoft's director of intellectual property licensing, said it was open to letting other firms patent its innovations.
Great news source. There's a world of difference between "let other firms patent its inventions" and "let other firms license its patents."
rooooar
If there's any intelligence in the court system, this will be reversed. Guess Apple is screwed.
Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
FPAP - First Prior Art Post!
Congratulations! You're the first Slashbot to write 'Prior Art' in this patent discussion! Good job winning the race, and good luck with the free karma!
From the website: http://thesurrealist.co.uk/priorart.cgi
"It's a series of randomly-generated product ideas! It raises questions about the nature of prior art in patenting issues, has some inspiring ideas, and is occasionally amusing!"
Design #1384685891
It's a shower head that jumps like a frog and displays pornography.
- what is the definition of simultanagnosia?! I've been meaning to look it up!
"I see you're trying to make a playlist. Would you like me to get jiggy with it?"
I have seen the future, and it is inconvenient.
Using common sense, a disgusting move far from surprising from a company who's main innovative power seems to be located in the Legal department rather than in R&D. What's next, a patent for "creating software"
Yeah, Apple has sunken pretty low nowadays, crashing small companies left and right.
Has anyone patented buttered bread yet?
No, but I have several butter related patents pending.
1. The Butter Pen. Put your standard stick of butter in and draw the butter on to your toast/pancakes/waffles/etc. The butter pen automatically maintains the butter at the perfect temperature for spreading. the butter.
2. The Butter Powered Clock. Harnessing the internal power of butter, just feed it a new stick of butter every sunday and this clock will keep running. Plus as an added bonus your room will smell nice and butttery.
3. Popcorn Irrigation System. Ever notice how the popcorn on top gets all the butter and by the time you reach the bottom, you are gnawing on dry butterless popcorn? The Popcorn Irrigation System solves that problem once and for all by equally distributing the butter to the entire batch. Using a system of pressurized tubes and nozzles along with liquid butter, each kernel is misted equally with delicious butter.
4. Butter Rifle. For long distance buttering hobbyists. How tight is your spread?
I better not spill all the beans, these inventions are really pushing the limits of butter technology to the next phase. You can see how exciting the field still is though.
music lover since 1969
CEO: Damn, let's fight back. Isn't that your job, by the way ?
Counsel: Well, they just litigated this small phony company to death, so their patent must be valid.
CEO: Nooooooooo, we're screwed.
Counsel: Oh wait, Bill's lawyer is my old friend Bob, we were in law school together, so he's willing to settle for just $100 million.
CEO: Phew, it's good to have you on board. I'll tell the good news to our shareolders.
Later...
Counsel: Hey Bob, the deal is done. See you at the club next weekend.
(Any resemblance to existing persons and companies blah blah)
What's the difference between licensing a bogus patent for millions and using invoice fraud to get money out of your company ?
Someday corporate officers will be held accountable for these monetary diversions.
Popcorn
Irrigation
Spray
System
An elaborate system of reservoirs, valves, pressure sensors and delivery ducts to evenly mist your popcorn with warm yellow liquid . . . salt included.
Hey! No need to get personal.
Soylent Green is peoplicious!
Maybe in addition to the $10 fee, MS will require Apple to bundle Internet Explorer with every iPod sold.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."