Samsung: Apple Stole the iPad's Design From Univ of Missouri Professor

TheBoat writes with a bit from BGR on the Apple vs Samsung case: "We're starting to see a theme develop here. Now that it's Samsung's turn to present its case in the San Jose, California patent trial that regularly has the tech media abuzz, the company is taking an interesting approach. Rather than start out by arguing that its various Android smartphones and tablets do not copy Apple's designs or infringe on its patents, Samsung is arguing that Apple's IP is invalid to begin with. On Monday, Samsung argued that Apple's pinch-to-zoom patent was stolen from Mitsubishi's old Diamond Touch and on Tuesday evening, Samsung made a similar argument regarding the design of Apple's iPad. Samsung on Tuesday presented the jury with videotaped testimony from Roger Fidler, head of the digital publishing program at the University of Missouri. In his testimony, Fidler stated that he began work on a tablet design in 1981. 'Apple personnel were exposed to my tablet ideas and prototypes,' he testified, adding that Apple staff saw his designs in the mid-1990s."

Comments

And watch the fanbois swoop...

[DeathToBill]

...with tales of how Apple had released the F700 way before Samsung started making phones. How Apple had invented the Diamond Touch decades ago. Apple built Roger Fidler from the ground up in 1979.

Honestly, the barrage of bizarre crap that goes on these threads takes astroturfing to a new level.

Re:And watch the fanbois swoop...

[alen]

apple losing the trial would be worth it just to see what macdailynews.com would have to say about it

Re:And watch the fanbois swoop...

[camperdave]

It's all in the way you present it. For example:

Hillary, an amateur genealogical researcher, discovered that her great-great uncle, Remus Rodham, a fellow lacking in character, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription:

"Remus Rodham; horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."

In Hillary's Family History, she cropped Remus's picture, scanned it in as an enlarged image, and edited with image processing software so that all that's seen is a head shot. The accompanying biographical sketch is as follows:

"Remus Rodham was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

Not surprising

[Hentes]

Many professors draw white rectangles on their blackboards.

Re:Not surprising

[Rosy At Random]

Ah, but are they _rounded_ white rectangles?

Paramount should sue Apple

[oh2]

Just watch some Star Trek TNG episodes and see everyone use thin and flat touchscreen computing devices with rounded corners.

Re:Translation

[should_be_linear]

Time to sue YouTube for making them look like idiots.

If Apple loses because of Fidler

[davidwr]

U. of Missouri grads and employees can forget about getting job interviews at Apple, and Apple employees can forget about being allowed to collaborate with researchers at U. of Missouri.

Walter Isaacson

[Dr. Evil]

He said it best:

Their meeting was in Jobs’s conference room, where Gates found himself surrounded by ten Apple employees who were eager to watch their boss assail him. Jobs didn’t disappoint his troops. “You’re ripping us off!” he shouted. “I trusted you, and now you’re stealing from us!” Gates just sat there coolly, looking Steve in the eye, before hurling back, in his squeaky voice, what became a classic zinger. “Well, Steve, I think there’s more than one way of looking at it. I think it’s more like we both had this rich neighbor named Xerox and I broke into his house to steal the TV set and found out that you had already stolen it.”

Re:Probably right

[zill]

Patents prior to 1994 were 17 years, not including the submarine.

Damn those submarine lobby groups, getting their industry special privileges. /s

Re:And yet

[hackula]

APPLE: So...um, our patent is for.. like... a um... rectangle screen... with like... ornamental curvy...um... corners.
USPO: GRANTED!
APPLE: ...um....thanks.