http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/ Engadget Comments for Apple updates patent for touchscreen device http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/Oct 26th 2006 11:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/Oct 26th 2006 11:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/
This is a Patent application, not a patent. There is a big difference. A patent application is submitted by an inventor to the Patent Office. The Patent office reviews the application to determine if the inventor has a useful, novel, and nonobvious invention. As a matter of course, the application will be published after 18 months. This does not mean that Apple has a patent yet. There still is much more for Apple and the USPTO to do before this application would be issued as a patent.

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how can you hold the unit... iPods have a curved edge between the back and the sides and sharp edges between the top and the sides.. and the soft buttons are on the top.. so there shouldn't be any trouble holding it and not pressing buttons.. the buttons are not on the side.

this is a little more substantial than the iRiver.. for one, the buttons and their position change in relationship to what's on the screen should be enough to get a patent even if iRiver patented what they did..]]>Oct 27th 2006 1:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/
I have a few extras up my sleeve when it comes to navigation when it comes to side navigation like this, something things that are not in the sketches from apple...]]>Oct 27th 2006 5:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/Oct 27th 2006 1:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/
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I'm not only sick of it, it's also stupid. I used to work in the research department of a major mobile phone manufacturer, and we churned out patents just like this one on a weekly basis. What do you think how many went into products? Roughly 5%, I'd guess. Most of the time, a patent is just a means to protect yourself for the future, just in case you ever want to produce a product like that. In fact, most of the time it's not even about wanting to have a product like this yourself, but about having a large patent portfolio that you can exchange with other companies in lieu of license payments.

So the point I am trying to make is: A patent application very often has NOTHING to do with a company's product plans.]]>Oct 27th 2006 3:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/
This is not the 6G iPod IMHO but an addition to the top end of the iPod line-up. Why? Because the full screen and advanced control system are clearly a high-end feature. Apple can charge more (probably 449 or 499 depending on HDD size.) Also, I don't think that Apple will stop offering an iPod with a physical control wheel. This still is one of the defining features of the concept and just makes using it so easy. The new device can no longer be controlled with just one hand.

I'm only wondering whether it will have WiFi. Clearly Wifi would make the large screen useful for Web browsing but without a touch screen it would be difficult to input text.
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You can't equate complexity with the probability that an inventor will get a patent. You have no idea what the scope of prior art is. That's what patent prosecution is for. There are other facets but I won't bore people with too much patent minutae.

My post was simply to point out that trumpeting a this as a patent is incorrect. Getting an idea of what Apple plans is fine. I just find the title for this blog entry to be incorrect (there is no patent, and there may be no patent).

BTW, Thank you Engadget for a great site.]]>Oct 27th 2006 6:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/Oct 27th 2006 9:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/
complexity.. it not that much more complex.. has 4 smaller, linear sensors similarly functioning to the click wheel.. and the software needs to be a little smarter.. well not really even the click wheel function was synced with what's on screen... hardware wise it's not really more complex... nah, i don't buy the more complex argument it's not really.. ]]>Oct 27th 2006 10:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/Oct 27th 2006 11:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/
This idea is in my opinion, crap, as it makes the device hard to hold and use correctly, and does away with a lot of the simplicity that makes the ipod what it is. I am glad that I realise that patents (and indeed, patent applications) have relatively little bearing on a companies actual output, and I hope apple go with the none-touch variety. That I would buy. This, no thanks.]]>Oct 27th 2006 11:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/26/apple-updates-patent-for-touchscreen-device/Oct 27th 2006 7:14PM