Apple patents a Maximus-alike keyboard, iMac MacBook dock

Apple's always enjoyed patenting the near-absurd, just to get us speculating in the wrong direction or to give its thousands of patent lawyers something to do during a slow design cycle. We can't really imagine Apple has this pair of "products" prepped and waiting in the wings of Macworld, but it's still fun to look. First off we have a MacBook dock that conveniently looks just like an iMac. Not much explanation is needed, you just slide the laptop into the side of the iMac and start desktoping away on the big screen. The second patent deals with a quite familiar keyboard concept: OLED screens in every key. It's not the first time an Apple patent has overlapped with a Lebedev design, but who knows how it'll go down if Apple tries to build one of these Lebedev-ish ideas -- Apple patented this keyboard concept about a year after the Maximus concept was first shown off.

Read - iMac MacBook dock
Read - Apple Maximus

[taoprophet420 Posted Jan 3rd 2008 12:22PM]

Looks like the dock could be the next apple display. I is way past time for an upgrade to it.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2008 1:27PM]

I actually like the idea of iMac Dock with a MacBook/Pro. Personally, I like working on desktop much more than laptops. I like to have the keyboard away from the screen and close to my hands and I like the bigger screen. However, I also love the mobility of laptops. So, Having a laptop and a desktop is not so practical in terms of data sync (don't like to spend time moving data between computers). Having a iMac dock can save money, instead of buying a desktop and a laptop I only need a laptop and the dock.

After 20 years of being a PC user I came to the conclusion that the only upgrades you can do to your PC are adding more RAM, upgrading HD, or adding a CD/DVD-ROM. Four years ago I built my own PC using the best components available (CPU only cost me $1400) and a year later it became obsolete (had to change the motherboard to upgrade the processor). I now have an 20" iMac that can do everything I want and I didn't need to upgrade my hardware to upgrade to Leopard. No more ugly wires running all around too.

[FUCanon Posted Jan 3rd 2008 1:49PM]

Don't any of you remember the Duo and DuoDock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_Duo ? I always wondered when the idea would re-appear at Apple. I personally think this is a great idea. Slot loading a MacBook slim into a 20/24" LCD Display with a optical drive, keyboard, mouse and a full complement of ports and accessories already plugged in. Need to hit the road, just hit the eject button and all your data comes with.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2008 1:51PM]

Here is some properly nice proof of the new Slim MacBook. A genuine apple image of it!

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/01/imac-dock.jpg

[Shenaniganz08 Posted Jan 4th 2008 5:26AM]

Look I don't want to start calling you names, but i have to admit gizmodo's drawings are a bit.. shall we say misleading... please read the article more carefully

"The complete patent text and diagrams, along with our own step-by-step rendering, leave no doubt about how this works"

IF you read the patent and look at the drawings you will see that the laptop being inserted has an optical drive... something the "ahem" rumored thin macbook doesn't have

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 4th 2008 5:37AM]

Yeh i saw that as well. Although the engadget image is the one put forawrd in the Apple patent. I am not an Apple fanboy nor never will be. but is Apple do come out and make an ultra mobile laptop which is more powerful than the solar powered calculators we have to use now. Then I may well consider buying one

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 3rd 2008 8:39PM]

"Apple patents a Maxiumus-alike keyboard, iMac MacBook dock"

Important detail: Apple HASN'T patented anything, they've applied for a patent.

There's a huge difference, and many patent applications are not granted (or when they are granted, are restricted from the original claims based on prior art).

[rjm1 Posted Jan 4th 2008 10:31AM]

Unless I'm mistaken, these are patent *applications* from Apple - not actual patents. There's a big difference. You guys know the difference at Engadget, so why do you keep saying things like "Apple patented this...", when you know all they did was apply for the patent. Get it right.

[boybunny Posted Jan 4th 2008 4:11PM]

Apple are at it again. Trying to patent the obvious.

Well I have prior art on the keyboard Apple. I will happily testify in court if you are stupid enough to take anyone to court for your obvious OLED keyboard.

My prior art cannot be proven until the first of November 2007. That was the first time I discussed the topic online. In a PC World review titled "The 10 Worst PC Keyboards of All Time".

Of course this has been a subject that I have discussed with other computer users since 1995, and other companies have even taken LED, OLED, LCD keys so seriously that in 1998 or 1999 one company was producing screens for such a keyboard but no one at that point wanted to produce the keyboard. It would not take me forever to find the company in question and alert them to Apple's patent attempt.

So Logitech, Belkin, etc. If you feel the need to finally create a keyboard that changes the keys depending on the typing mode, or the emulation mode, and can receive custom data supplied by the user via the USB port, there ARE people like myself who have prior art. Apple has just proven that it IS a good idea to your stuffed shirt brigade.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2008 12:50PM]

You realize, of course, that you patent the implementation of an idea, not an idea right? So, you can't patent the idea of a wheat thresher. You can just patent how your specific wheat thresher works. If I come up with a design that is significantly different but still accomplishes the same task (separating grain from stalks and husks), I can also patent it.

If Apple's OLED keyboard's implementation differs enough from Art Lebedev's keyboard, they'll be awarded the patent. If not, they'll buy rights from him, or whoever else they need to. That's the nice thing about having billions of dollars in the bank and no debt. Everyone has a price.

[boybunny Posted Jan 6th 2008 8:25PM]

killmoms

You seem to be unaware of cases like Quantel vs Adobe. Please have a look to see how published public discussions can destroy a patent case taken out by the patent holder when the idea has been out in the public prior to the patent application.