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Creative To Defend Interface Patent Rights

Posted by Zonk on from the bum-bum-bummmmm dept.

wild_berry writes "At the London Lauch of their new 'Zen Vision: M' portable media player, Creative Labs boss Sim Wong Hoo told the BBC that he plans to defend their August 2005 patent for interfaces in portable music devices." From the article: "Creative chairman Sim Wong Hoo told the BBC News website that the company was already talking to various parties about the patent but refused to be drawn on specifics. 'We will pursue all manufacturers that use the same navigation system,' said Mr Sim. 'This is something we will pursue aggressively. Hopefully this will be friendly, but people have to respect intellectual property.'"

4 of 244 comments (clear)

  1. "Creative" seems to be a misnomer... by daveschroeder · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    1. Blatantly rip off iPod.
    2. ???
    3. Profit!

    ...where "???" in this context is apparently "file a patent on hierarchical menus (!!!), almost literally identical in every way to the menu system iPod has used for several years prior". (And, if Creative's patent covers iPod's interface elements, then why were they also not denied their patent because of a preexisting Microsoft patent, as Apple was?)

    Seriously, look at this thing:

    Zen Vision:M demo

    Click "Be entertained". and mouse over some of the items in the room. EVERY feature, except the FM tuner, is ripped off directly from iPod, and even looks almost identical to iPod. Every bit of the interface has iPod written all over it. Menu names, screen layout, and so on.

    Product page

    Specifications

    (Not to mention that the Zen weighs 20% more: 5.8 vs 4.8 oz)

    But what's missing?

    Elegant integration with software (mostly iTunes, but also things like iPhoto, iMovie, and so on).

    That, and about 92% market share.

  2. huh? creative took the interface from apple by lashi · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    Doesn't the new Zen vision M looks like a rip off of the iPod ? How can they patent the interface they copied from Apple? I mean just look at this picture.


    http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000157071380/

  3. Creative Chairman? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Creative chairman Sim Wong Hoo...

    Was he creative enough to come up with that name himself? ...I'm sorry, I'll be here all week, stay away from the veal...

  4. Re:Hey CREATIVE! by kimvette · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Uh, n00b, how is my post off topic?

    --
    The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50