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IBM Patents Putting Handprints On Laptops

Posted by kdawson on from the hands-off dept.

theodp writes "You can still leave your handprint in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater. But as of Tuesday, you best not do the same on a laptop, lest you infringe on IBM's new patent for the Portable Computer with a Hand Impression, an 'invention' that Big Blue explains makes balancing the portable computer on a user's hand easier."

4 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. Didn't IBM say they were going to do this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I seem to recall an article on slashdot about IBM saying they were going to try and get as many ridiculous patents as they could and offering them for free?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/11/technology/11ibm.html

  2. Re:just another take... by webrunner · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They try to downplay actual lap-top use (in case of another burn lawsuit) to the point that they almost say "do not use this on your legs"

    Notice how companies never actually call them "laptops"? They'll call them either "notebook computer" or "labtop" (as in: put on the counter of a research lab).

    Releasing one with leg grooves would be rather strange, given that.

    --
    ADVENTURERS! - ANTIHERO FOR HIRE - CARDMASTER CONFLICT
  3. Re:I don't get it... by Timothy+Brownawell · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not everything that is patentable (or ought to be patentable) must also be trade secret. This is a perfect example (actually most any mechanical invention is a good example). Once it's sold, used, displayed, demoed, described, photograph, etc. it would lose any and all protection. The protection isn't (supposed to be) the point. The societal benefit received in exchange for the sacrifice of granting that protection is the point.

    Now, arguably, one of the purposes of patents is to encourage people to disclose EARLIER rather than later. Here, you probably see this disclosure before you've actually seen it sold, used, displayed, demoed, described, photograph, etc. But this is a much lesser disclosure, in that there are heavy restrictions on what you can do with it.

    Just about EVERYTHING seems obvious once you see it. So patents ONLY provide a benefit when the patented thing would otherwise never be invented (or at least not be invented for another several years).
  4. Was it sized? by hurfy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Do i have to order my next laptop as Left or Right, how about Small, Medium, or Large?

    Didn't get far enough to see if it is just a generic hand print or custom ($$$) But my hand print won't work if they use my dad for an impression and vice-versa.

    Despite that the impression seems reasonable if only marginally useful. Putting sensors in it seems dumb tho. I don't want to HAVE to hold it that way. Not to mention, aren't most of these small computers really cheap? Adding a bevy of sensors seems counter-productive to that. ...and now i know why noone wants to RTFA...ugh