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Apple Admits iPod Is From 1970s UK

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the thats-why-mine-is-filled-with-beegees dept.

MattSparkes writes "Apple has all but admitted that a British man invented the iPod over three decades ago in the 1970s. Unfortunately, he let the patent run out. When another company tried to grab a portion of its iPod profits, though, Apple went running to him to defend them in court. In return, it looks like he's in for a share of the cash generated from the sale of 163 million iPods."

8 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Seems Like A Bad Summary by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Informative

    particularly since the device/patent preceeds every other solid state mp3 player, not just the iPod (which wasn't the "first" by any measure).

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    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  2. Re:how? by gruntled · · Score: 5, Informative

    In the very old days, you had to build an object to get a patent. That requirement hasn't existed for a long time.

  3. Re:how? by jimcrofty · · Score: 5, Informative

    TFA refers to a solid state chip being used not 'flash drive'. There were non volatile storage options available in the 70s and 80s that would have been up to the task (at least in a prototype). Eg. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_memory

  4. Re:Right by inode_buddha · · Score: 4, Informative

    Sound was compressible and storable back then. Very high-end answering machines, note recorders, and PBX's used it. Think EEPROMS or even conventional RAM. Most everything was done in hardware, however -- sampling and digitizing, etc.

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    C|N>K
  5. Re:Not patent-worthy by eln · · Score: 5, Informative

    Depends on how you define "success". The Rio players were quite successful well before Apple came along. Apple's was the first (and only, so far) to become a cultural phenomenon, but there was plenty of money being made in the MP3 player market before they got there.

  6. Say WHAT by russotto · · Score: 4, Informative

    According to the article, the guy came up with a digital music player in 1979. Everyone on Slashdot should know that Apple's wasn't the first digital music player, nor even the first commercially successful one, not by a long shot. So no news here, except that Apple hired this guy to help defend themselves against a patent troll.

  7. Re:Not just the iPod by Otter · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Extension" here just means getting the normal 20 year term. He lost his after only nine years.

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    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  8. Re:Seems Like A Bad Summary by Skazz11 · · Score: 4, Informative

    The GP is making a joke, referring to http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/10/23/1816257&tid=107.