Apple Sued Over 'Lacking' Macbook Display

qu1j0t3 writes "Business 2.0 reports that two MacBook owners have filed a class action lawsuit charging Apple with deceptive advertising, as well as misrepresentation and unfair competition over the use of the phrase 'millions of colors' to describe the capability of the LCD displays in MacBook and MacBook Pro computers. The article likens the complaint to an an angry forum thread, and is more than a little bit skeptical of the plaintiff's motives. Perhaps it's their uncanny attention to detail. From the filing: 'The reality is that notwithstanding Apple's misrepresentations and suggestions that its MacBook and MacBook Pro display millions of colors, the displays are only capable of displaying the illusion of millions of colors through the use of a software technique referred to as dithering, which causes nearby pixels on the display to use slightly varying shades of colors that trick the human eye into perceiving the desired color even though it is not truly that color.'

Comments

Err...

[aussie_a]

I'm not Apple's biggest fan (like it more then Microsoft, less then Windows), and I hate false advertising. However.....

The reality is that notwithstanding Apple's misrepresentations and suggestions that its MacBook and MacBook Pro display millions of colors, the displays are only capable of displaying the illusion of millions of colors through the use of a software technique referred to as dithering, which causes nearby pixels on the display to use slightly varying shades of colors that trick the human eye into perceiving the desired color even though it is not truly that color. Isn't that going to get laughed right out of the courtroom? I mean sure that level of pedanticism is tolerated in some forums, but this is a court of law. Surely the judge is going to say a dignified version of "What the fuck are you on? Get the fuck out of here."

Re:Err...

[cs02rm0]

Surely the judge is going to say a dignified version of "What the fuck are you on? Get the fuck out of here."

And stop dithering!

Wait what?

[WarlockD]

So...they going to sue Paramount because its not "moving pictures" but 24 still images a second?

Why aren't they going after LCD manufactures?

I'd Be Mad

[MBCook]

I've got a PowerBook G4. I can tell you that I expect it has millions of colors on the screen (it was advertized as such). If I upgraded and spent $2-$3k on new MacBook Pro and found it could only display 262k colors, I would be REALLY mad. I'd jump on this suit. I really like Apple, but this really surprises me if it's true. I'd be surprised if it was Dell or Lenovo or Gateway, but I'd never guess Apple would do this.

I hope they get cleared, or get whats comming to them for this.

Re:Macs for artists

[aussie_a]

Hmm. . . maybe I should sue God for making these substandard eyes! Make sure its new testament god (or a non-christian/judaic/islamic god) otherwise you'll be smited!

Re:Macs for artists

[antifoidulus]

Yes, but Pat Robertson will fire back saying that you were intelligently designed not to see those colors. I mean, if you see too many shades of pink, it might inflame the passions, and we cannot have that happening(unless it creates more spawn)!

Re:Macs for artists

[noewun]

Maybe I should sue in India. All those gods. . .

Re:Technically, they're right.

[mwvdlee]

768 unique colors... wait... are you just adding together three 256-level RGB subpixels?
So I guess eight (a byte) 2-levels (a bit) make for only 16 possible combinations?

eyeballs

[CheeseTroll]

I'd like to sue the manufacturer of my retinas and/or brain, because my retinas are only capable of Trichromatic vision, but my brain keeps tricking me into thinking I'm seeing millions of variations.

And don't get me started on those so-called "color printer" things. I only see 3 colors of ink/toner going into those.

Obscure reference, anyone?

[psicic]

There are FIVE lights.

Re:Obscure reference, anyone?

[Tack]

Captain Picard's response to a Cardassian's question of how many light he could see.

Actually, his response was that there were four lights. However I don't know what the episode name is, so there's still a chance that I might get laid some day.

Next up

[raddan]

NASA sued for false color images. Dichromats sue trichromats. Red sues green. News at 11.

Re:Macs for artists

[Anonymous Coward]

maybe I should sue God for making these substandard eyes!

That's the whole point. Isn't Steve Jobs God?

Re:Macs for artists

[pytheron]

Careful.. with all those hands, Ganesh could give you a good slapping !

not "smited"

[DJCacophony]

Today's conjugation of the day: smite.

God is a smiter.
God is about to smite Bob.
God is smiting Bob.
God has smote Bob.
Bob has been smitten.

Re:Macs for artists

[bynary]

I'm not sure what a sparklilly is, but it sounds intriguing. Is it some sort of incendiary variety of flower?

Re:Macs for artists

[somersault]

It's an amature artestec term... but anyway I'd tend to give lower SIDs the benefit of the doubt and assume that they have dyslexia rather than that they're dumb :P

Re:Macs for artists

[UbuntuDupe]

So there's a setting I can change to fix this?

Like, some menu that's like:

(X) Crappy color
( ) NCC (non-crappy color)

Re:Yes.

[DohnJoe]

Anyone know how to start a class-action suit? sure, just click Start->Programs->Explorer->File->Class-action Lawsuit

(note that this is only available on the American version of XP)

Re:Macs for artists

[Lars T.]

Since your eyes can only detect about 16,000 colors, it's a moot point,

I recall reading an article in nature about trained visual artists being able to detect many times that number. I wouldn't be surprised at all. Hell, women can already see 7428 different shades of white.

Re:Incorrect

[untaken_name]

Did you mean, "Learn to talk n00b," as in a command to go out and find out how to speak a language called n00b, or did you mean, "Learn to talk, n00b," as in a command to a n00b to learn how to talk?
Punctuation: the Rodney Dangerfield of grammar.

Re:Macs for artists

[syphax]

You win.

Re:Macs for artists

[anaesthetica]

Thanks, Essjay.