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iPod Faces Patent Probe
twofish writes "The long running patent spat between Apple and the struggling Creative Technology took another turn today. Creative is claiming that the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has now launched a probe into the possibility that the iPod infringes on Creative's patents. Creative has asked the ITC to issue an order stopping Apple from marketing, selling or importing iPods into the US."
...sue 'em!
-h-
Why do I get the feeling that Creative doesn't give a damn about the patents, but is doing this only for the chance that Apple will be prohibited from selling iPods for some time?
Sounds like some dirty tactics to me.
IANAL, but isn't this is a normal step for the ITC to take if you're in a big patent dispute? It seems to me Creative is trumpeting it as a minor victory press releases, while the ITC is just following their normal procedure in gathering facts for the judge. Am I wrong?
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
I am expecting that with the anticipated release of a true video iPod towards that last quarter of this year, things will change pretty dramatically on the iPod landscape.
Expected is a wide screen iPod with touchscreen access.
This kind of system will require a significantly different UI structure. For instance, gone will be the touch wheel and buttons, instead some integrated touch screen UI is be required to navigate and browse music and movies on the new iPod.
Also, Apple has dropped the chip used the current generations of iPods. By switching to a new processor, chances are this will allow for more powerful UI and features which would be expected with a touch screen device.
Apple has also patented such things as touch screen keyboards and multi-touch touchscreen capabilities.
Its my opinion that Apple will most likely skirt around this issue by releasing an iPod with a significantly different UI (yet somehow keeping it familiar) that will simply render this lawsuit moot.
By the time any settlement is made, Apple, at worst, might have to pay Creative some lump sum for having sold their older iPods, but the new iPod will be free of conflict. The lump sum might be tied to some amount relative to the number of Jukebox's, Zen's and Muvo's Creative has sold over the last decade, which is to say, Apple might have to let go of some petty cash. Apple won't be able to serve Jello in their cafeteria in that particular week .
This is, of course, as valid as any Apple news that exists on the web today which is all based on rumors, speculation, and other meaningless drivel.
I haven't thought of anything clever to put here, but then again most of you haven't either.
The menu in iPod is identical to the list view in NeXTStep by NeXT , now part of Apple, and predating anything Creative did with its player menus.
Creatice patented the hierarchical menues, which are trivial. The iPod is easy to use because of the wheel (and the lack of other buttons except play, stop, next, previous). The not so easy to use players also need some sort of hierarchical menues to navigate music (how else could it work?)