Apple patents movement-based gestures for shaking, rattling, and rolling with your portable devices

We wouldn't recommend speculating too much here, but a patent Apple filed back in October 2007 has surfaced, describing a "movement-based interfaces for personal media device." If that's not enough of an explanation, in a nutshell it's for interacting with a device by tilting and shaking. Chances are this is just for accelerometer-based commands like switching to landscape, steering virtual go-carts, and undo -- but hey, if the gang at Cupertino devise a way to control an iPhone entirely by waggle, we'll be more than happy to witness a demonstration.

[Via Unwired View]

[bluespirit Posted Apr 4th 2009 12:37AM]

I believe there are already many consumer electronic devices that can be controlled in some part by shaking and/or tilting them. I remember a sansa mp3 player that changed tracks when you shook it and a phone sony ericsson just came out with (the T707 I think) also something like that.

[nsdcx Posted Apr 4th 2009 4:02AM]

I'm guessing that Apple will attempt to sue Sandisk when (if) the next revision of the shaker comes out. They'll probably win too.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 4th 2009 12:42AM]

i think the etch-a-sketch did something similar for undo.

[Federaly Posted Apr 4th 2009 1:23AM]

Haha.

[SoCoolCurt Posted Apr 4th 2009 2:00AM]

i feel like Apple is a smart company so they may prove me wrong (and i'd be perfectly ok with that) but i just can't see the draw of gesture based interaction with your phone. i just get this mental picture in my head of some guy shaking and twirling his iPhone in an attempt to get it work, and all the while, making himself look crazy. sure movement based input helps when you don't have many buttons to work with but other than that, i personally feel it's pretty gimmicky.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 4th 2009 6:24AM]

It should dial your boss if you make a jerking-off motion.

[kitsVA Posted Apr 4th 2009 8:10AM]

My two-year old Sony Ericsson W910i already does this. If I shake it, it can change the music track, movements on even the flash based wallpapers, games, etc. Does, this patent mean they can go after SE?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 4th 2009 9:27AM]

this is crazy. just like apple winning the patent app for multi touch. its an obvious invention. like electricity. did anybody patent that? no, because it was obvious once understood, and people could use it. multitouch was around on atm in the 90's. apple should be sued by the company who DID invent multitouch. this shaking crap they just patented is also obvious, not to mention apple did not come up with it. the only reason apple got these patents is because they are apple. which is why i used to like them, and now i will not buy anything from them, regardless of how much better it is than another brand. they are becoming monopolized, and frankly, their inovation on amazing, high end products, has slowed down.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 4th 2009 12:51PM]

After seeing a few PRE demonstrations and videos it does not surprise me that apple is going this far - PRE will destroy them.......

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 4th 2009 1:10PM]

this patent was filed back in 07. don't think apple was thinking about the pre at that time. besides the latest nano has this shake crap in it as well.

[zephxiii Posted Apr 4th 2009 1:37PM]

I didn't think you could patent 'prior art'.

[tiffany98122 Posted Apr 4th 2009 1:38PM]

prior art, anyone?

[scoot Posted Apr 6th 2009 10:02AM]

Not patented -- applied for a patent. Come on Engadget! Get it right next time !