MobileMe media sync detailed in Apple patent application
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Oct 19th 2009 3:26PM
posted Oct 19th 2009 3:26PM
What do you know? It looks like Apple's filed yet another patent application. The company's newest is named (in the short, pithy way that patents are named) Synchronization of Media State Across Multiple Devices. Combining the ubiquity of MobileMe with the media syncing that goes down when you dock your iPod or iPhone, the application suggests that soon you might find all your Engadget Show episodes automagically picking up where you left 'em when you switch devices -- without any lag time or any pesky cables. As Macworld points out, also included in the paperwork is distance tracking functionality -- just the thing for automating sync operations when two devices come within range (it's unclear whether this will be done via Bluetooth or WiFi). Perhaps this news isn't exciting to the couch potatoes among us (you know, because they never leave the couch) but all you TV addicts "on the go" must be psyched.
[Via Macworld]
[Via Macworld]
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I think Microsoft and Zune will have this done before Apple.
Wait... Was 'The Fall Guy' released in 16:9 widescreen format back in the 80's ? Doesn't appear to be stretched or zoomed. Hmmmm.... Lemme get Lee Majors on the phone......
You didn't think that one out, did you?
You didn't think that one out, did you?
they already do. its called windows live sync. it is able to sync all the files between any of your devices running the software. service runs in the background and just does its thing, it also supports sharing of libraries, essentially allowing you to "sync" your files to other people just by entering their live id in the web interface.
http://sync.live.com/
Funny story, the sketch of the device in the pic doesn't look too far from a Zune. But.. tis only a sketch of course.
you know, with all this patent applications from apple for sync'ing, maybe they can utilize that little WIFI connection on the iPhone to allow wireless sync'ing to iTunes. I hate plugging in my iPhone to transfer a track.
Is that the famous "cloud" in the middle?
I laughed when I saw the diagram. I'm sure tons of Apple fans are floating on cloud 225 over this.
Cloud 255 could take cloud 225 anywhere, anytime =P
Haha, yup. Maybe Apple should get MobileMe to, you know, work, before they try to push it to do more. MobileMe - Apple's greatest failure next to the puck mouse and newton.
The FALL GUY!!
Please say EnG added that.
I don't understand why it isn't Magnum P.I. or Knight Rider.
Hope noone logins in as guest on the severs....
my life is sad when I laugh hysterically at snow leopard jokes.
Shut up socrates, your one of the reasons my university life is so stressful. Take your philosophies and shove it so far up, it erases from the history book, and I don't have to study your bull anymore.
That's a cool concept. Few questions:
So you can resume what you were watching or listening to when go arrive/leave home?
Is it like UPnP/What is UPnP all about?
As much as I like apple, I do find it funny that spotify beat apple with the wireless syncing.
Spotify is just music. MobileMe is pretty much everything. Also, spotify doesn't sync with MobileMe, so they didn't really beat Apple to anything.
Too bad MobileMe costs too much to justify this.
I love Apple but yes, I would never pay for MobileMe. Same reason why I don't pay for Xbox Live or other paid services that should be free in the first place.
Just because something is a "service" doesn't mean it should be free.
I remember seeing diagrams and demos about this kind of thing before. With DLNA. Can't believe patents are awarded for this kind of conceptual stuff. If this filing is accepted, someone needs to be flogged.
did they leave a field for when it epic fails and doesn't work?
I donno. Ask your parents what they did about your life. Bazinga
see 245.
epic win. I'm laughing harder than 270 going into 275 xD!
MeSH rebranded
Is there anything listed in the patent to easily be able to remove the service from your Windows box, should you not want it?
If you don't want it, why would it be on your Windows box in the first place?
Anyone else use MS Visio? Take a look at those PC diagram shapes. They're stock Visio shapes. Ah the irony...
What irony? MS started out writing office software for the Apple back in the 80s
Total props to the Fall Guy. Unfortunately, I don't have any episodes on my HD.
...but I do have the theme song. Best dramedy theme song ever?
What the heck, there must be tons of prior art to squash this idea. Mythimport + RSS feeds comes to mind.
I bet you in 20 years AAPL will be racking in the $$$$ with all those crazy patents that we are looking at today and making fun of. Who would've thought of Windows Mobile or BlackBerry or for that matter iTouch and patent the idea 20 years ago??????
Good Going Steve Jobs, your kids Gran'kids are going to worship you way down the road...
Big brother is always watching
How is this patent going to hold when Zune,Windows(Media Center), and XBox has this covered? Though it would be nice for competition, I don't see this as a viable patent.
So what?
'Unwanted standard iPhone application icons can't be hidden. I'm never going to check stocks.'
How can that be done on WinMo?
WinMo doesn't have standard iPhone apps.
How can you bitch about iPhone OS when it's far superior to WinMo.
I'm not an iPhone freak, but a lot of the features and apps are a million times better than whats on WinMo.
And where is the relevance to the topic?
Maybe a 'Top 10 most requested features for MobileMe' might fit?
I'm sure you don't realise what Apple does.
Take out the most basic features of an iPod/iPhone and market them in an updated version of it.
People buy it then.
Whereas if they just made a perfect phone, they'd struggle to sell it in the future when it updates.
Why doesn't the iPod Touch have a camera?
Cause it's a great gaming device?
No.
Because next time they release a next generation Touch, they stick in a camera.
People go nuts and buy it.
People - listen up
A number of posts here say that there is prior art. But many here seem to be missing that this is about syncing playback state (among other things...yes). So if I pause the video on my phone, then when i get to my PC I start to watch the video and it automatically remembers where I left off on my phone and starts from that point in the video.
Now that seems like a shit patent to me because there is nothing to it beyond that obvious. Just a basic concept that combines existing concepts and it would have been done by a thousand other companies anyways (if it hasn't already been done). But such is the sorry, sorry, state of the patent system that they may very well have a lock on this for centuries to come (or whatever the damned limit is)
Question: can somebody post explicit examples of prior art for this concept? not just syncing media file (distributing or managing cross device DRM or blah blah) but synchronizing playback state across devices. Be explicit.
Just trying to get a coherent understanding on this point....
I actually may have just answered your question and didn't realize it. The Kindles all sync media state between devices. Kindle to iPhone to Touch and round and round we go. Granted it's book page info, but it certainly seems similar enough
In 2006, I was working for one of Europe's largest telcos. One of the R&D divisions demonstrated a capability they devised to "take your media with you". One of the more interesting features was what appears to be in this patent.
Using a few neat tricks (including a Location Based Service trigger), the 'system' would detect that you have left your primary viewing/listening device (i.e. PC, TV, HiFI - all IP enabled). You could then pickup where you left off on your mobile device. Just as clever was the reverse of this scenario (start watching a clip on your mobile, and pick the rest up on a more convenient device).
Given that everything done there was pushed towards a patent, I'll be surprised if this, as other comments have stated, isn't challenged...
I would love something like this with the eReader app. Sometimes I just don't want to take both the Touch and phone with me. I don't normally read or game much on the phone because of battery life. But, sometimes...and I'd love to be able to pick up the phone and pick up where I left off on the Touch. The Kindle app does do this, but I don't really like it as much.
I just like that cheap-looking tower computer.
Enough! Next time what Apple will pretend to patent? The breathing concept?
Anyway, this fantastic idea that Apple is trying to patent is already done by LinuxMCE by ages!!
They are trying to do the same thing that LinuxMCE does trough Internet instead of local LAN network.
By the way, LinuxMCE made the media following you trough your house rooms tracking your bluetooth phone!!
Please Apple, stop!!
I never spent much time in school...