CueCat Patent Granted, Finally

RobertB-DC writes "Who could forget the :CueCat, the amazing device that would bring 'convergence' between the real world and the online marketing Utopia of the late '90s? Belo, the Dallas-based newspaper and TV conglomerate, spent millions of dollars on the project, only to be ridiculed from the start and eventually becoming a sort of poster kitty for the Dot-Com Bust. Well, the device's inventor and chief cheerleader, J. Jovan Philyaw, didn't forget. His patent application, in progress since 1998, has finally been granted. The story comes from a Dallas alternative weekly, since the local Belo paper is still smarting from its $40-million-dollar black eye."

Comments

Schrodenger's cueCat

[Majik Sheff]

So, the cueCat was in a box (the patent office) and its state was unknown for years until someone finally opened the box and looked at it? I can only assume the cueCat was dead, but that assumption probably changed the outcome.

First again?

Re:Schrodenger's cueCat

[hansamurai]

First again?

You assumed you were first, and by doing that, you changed the outcome.

Brilliant!!

[TheDarkener]

A barcode scanner at every normal person's PC that "allows" them to view advertisements on products they've already purchased? Count me in!

A day late and $40 Million Dollars Short

[timpintsch]

Does anyone know if I can still pick these up for free at Radio Shack? I remember having a stack of them but my Grandma threw them away because she thought they were pens that were defective. No, really, she did.

I didn't get one

[Conspiracy_Of_Doves]

The plastic bag that my copy of Wired came in had a big hole in it when it got to my house. The CueCat was either stolen or it fell out.

/not really disappointed

Re:I didn't get one

[Stele]

Perhaps it became self-aware and clawed its way out. Did you ever think of that?

Re:I used one

[Anonymous Coward]

What happens when your Access DB is what needs to be recovered from the backup tapes? What then?

Still have mine....

[SomeoneGotMyNick]

What do I do with the box of these that a frustrated Radio Shack manager gave me?

I went in asking for one and he told me I can't have one unless I take his entire inventory of them. I ended up with dozens of them.

On a side note, I then went to the bank and asked for a dollar, but they didn't give me a boxful of them... no fair...

Re:Maybe I should take advantage of the situation.

[morgan_greywolf]

Ummm....Most authors only get paid if their books actually sell...(Hence the reason JonKatz lives in abject poverty.)

i still have mine

[circletimessquare]

it looks like a sex toy

all its good for anymore

i guess

i said i guess!

Re:I used one

[morgan_greywolf]

What happens when your Access DB is what needs to be recovered from the backup tapes? What then?

He gets stuck in an infinite loop!

Re:Crap patent

[timster]

Maybe their business plan is to sue tinyurl?

Re:Maybe I should take advantage of the situation.

[netglen]

Oh no! Are you saying that the book that I read "Writing Dummy Books for Dummies" was inaccurate on how much money I can make?

Re:Maybe I should take advantage of the situation.

[interstellar_donkey]

You should have looked at the book next to it on the shelf, "Reading about Writing Dummy Books for Dummies". It explained in great detail that it's usually a bad idea.

Sorry, But I Can't Un-Think This

[ewhac]

Why do I get the feeling that the :CueCat could find new life as a support peripheral to some stupid new Facebook "application"? "Here are the barcodes from everything in my room! L0lz!!1!!"