>The innovation here is the use of transparent materials so hide the solar panel under the LCD thus maximizes the surface area without interfering with the design, something very important to Apple and their customers.
Another bullshit patent, and there is no innovation here. There are watches by Bulova that already hide their solar panels behind the watch face. I'm sure that is only one of many examples of products that already carry this "innovation" Apple is claiming. And it only takes one to invalidate a patent.
This patent application should be thrown out. Apple can seriously go fuck themselves.
@Razor. Really? Bulova has an LCD watch face that has solar cells under it? Google can't find it. What I did find is a watch with a face that IS a solar cell...
If Apple (or anyone for that matter) can produce a usable LCD or OLED screen and put the solar cells UNDER it and actually produce electricity that seems pretty innovative to me...
What CraigJ said. Not to mention that companies file patents primarily for THEIR OWN protection. There are way too many patent trolls out there, if they don't patent it, odds are someone else will, and THEN they'll turn around the sue Apple's pants off.
Clearly you've never worked in the tech field. Every single company, regardless how evil or benevolent they are, files RIDICULOUS numbers of patents, almost all to prevent someone else from patenting and suing.
So while you may think "this isn't innovation", some patent troll will patent it ANYWAYS.
apple can fuck off. solar cells are already on calculators etc. they are trying their arm. don't get me wrong, i am an apple geek at the best of times, they are 1337, but this is just ridiculous
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I said it would be good to use solar power to give extra juice to a processor, instead of depending only on the battery
>The innovation here is the use of transparent materials so hide the solar panel under the LCD thus maximizes the surface area without interfering with the design, something very important to Apple and their customers.
Another bullshit patent, and there is no innovation here. There are watches by Bulova that already hide their solar panels behind the watch face. I'm sure that is only one of many examples of products that already carry this "innovation" Apple is claiming. And it only takes one to invalidate a patent.
This patent application should be thrown out. Apple can seriously go fuck themselves.
Hey Apple! Good luck with that...
http://www.konarka.com/
@clak
I'll admit I prolly am. I'm just sick and tired of companies that are filing bogus patents constantly. The US needs some serious patent reform.
@Razor. Really? Bulova has an LCD watch face that has solar cells under it? Google can't find it. What I did find is a watch with a face that IS a solar cell...
If Apple (or anyone for that matter) can produce a usable LCD or OLED screen and put the solar cells UNDER it and actually produce electricity that seems pretty innovative to me...
What CraigJ said. Not to mention that companies file patents primarily for THEIR OWN protection. There are way too many patent trolls out there, if they don't patent it, odds are someone else will, and THEN they'll turn around the sue Apple's pants off.
Clearly you've never worked in the tech field. Every single company, regardless how evil or benevolent they are, files RIDICULOUS numbers of patents, almost all to prevent someone else from patenting and suing.
So while you may think "this isn't innovation", some patent troll will patent it ANYWAYS.
apple can fuck off. solar cells are already on calculators etc. they are trying their arm. don't get me wrong, i am an apple geek at the best of times, they are 1337, but this is just ridiculous