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Apple Granted Broad Patent On Wedge-Shaped Laptops

Posted by Soulskill on Friday June 8, 2012 @05:41AM from the call-egypt-for-prior-art dept.

Nick Fel writes "Apple has been granted a broad patent (PDF) on the wedge-shaped design of the MacBook Air. The design has been copied by most ultrabooks, and their manufacturers are likely starting to feel a little uneasy about the news."

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Re:Can be invalidated if design has practical util by Ed+Bugg · 2012-06-08 05:59 · Score: 4, Funny

That and according to this Wikipedia article: "Design patents cover the ornamental nonfunctional design of an item. Design patents can be invalidated if the design has practical utility (e.g. the shape of a gear)." So let's figure out how to show "practical utility" for a wedge shape.
It's a Mac... It's only functional use is as a door stop. The wedge shape has been standard for door stops for eons!!!!

--
-- Ed Bugg --You have freedom of choice, but not of consequences.--