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Apple, Cisco Settle iPhone Trademark Lawsuit
A number of readers let us know that Cisco and Apple have settled the lawsuit over the use of the iPhone name for Apple's new multimedia phone. The agreement allows Apple and Cisco both to use the iPhone brand on their own products. Also, the companies said they would explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security, consumer and business communications. Apple still faces a suit over the name in Canada and one over its touch-screen technology in the UK.
...who were just oh-so-sure that Apple was going to get screwed, and was going to have to change the name, and were delighting in Apple supposedly being inevitably "forced" out of the name by Cisco, apparently not realizing that there was literally no way that iPhone wouldn't ultimately end up being the final name of this product:
:-)
Told you so.
Wether you like it or not Apple didn't copy anybody (except from the perspective that everything is inherently copied). The design lifecycle of a product such as this is far to long for them to have copied the prada or any other new phone's design. If anything this should say something about the new current trend in cellular phones. As far as the lawsuit goes Apple is very good at weasling their way around definitions to put themselves in the right. I don't care how you look at it, but any phone that a customer has an active part in making the purchasing desicion (aka not a cheapo I need a phone model) is competing with one another. If I had a car called the Iphone and it really doesn't compete with the real cell phone, the name is misleading and shouldn't have been awarded to Apple. But I believe Cisco did the right thing, and heck they got some press and some money out of it to boot.
Here is the original iPhone. Infogear was purchased by Cisco in 2000, hence they inherited the iPhone name. I used to do tech support for these iPhones back in the day so I did feel some nostalgia when the name was revealed for Apple's new product. Infogear iPhone
Like just about every field today, touch-sensitive tech is a patent minefield. I'd be willing to bet the UK company is Quantum, which has a whole boatload of touch-patents. It could be a patent on the touch sense methods, or a patent on the use of a touch screen on a cell phone, or anything along those lines. Without more info, it's all just speculation of course, but this is Slashdot so I know I'm in good company.
The patent is about using conductivity to sense when a finger is touching the screen. So it is a specific type of touch screen
Apple has successfully trademarked the letter that comes just after h in the alphabet. Use of sayd letter eys prohybyted and people can face hefty fynes eyf caught do'n so. Onlyne experts recommend people to start dystancyng themselves from g whyle they're at yet.
Don't forget the NeoNode, which has been out since July 2004 (or at least version 1 has).
As for the ripping off argument. It's usually absurd. Vague similarities become emotional touch points. Yes, it's true that a lot of people say everyone rips things off from Apple but that's just utter nonsense. Can you imagine if the idea of the icon on a desktop computer or other electronic devices with GUI interfaces was under the stewardship of one company. Many companies use ideas that have already been used by others, and often improve on them (i.e. the iPhone is, at least in my judgment, an improvement on many of things the NeoNode is), or add their own flair to it. I always say, "This will only be cool and great once Apple invents it."
You only have to look at the history of automobiles to see how cross creativity and innovation in action. You don't see many people going on about how Renault invented the dual overhead cam shaft so every other car company that uses DOHC engines RIPPED OFF RENAULT!