@garrenteed yeah tell that to apple. apple takes a ton from the open source community in everything they do, but give nothing back. very much just a bigoted taker.
Half of those patents aren't legitimate in the first place. The US patent office needs to stop issuing Apple BS patents for any obscure idea they can come up with that includes a child's drawing demonstrating the idea.
Now I'm an Apple fan but this is far more symptomatic of Apple's patent lawyers wanting a new hybrid Porsche than of any legitimate patent infringement claim.
@garrenteed You honestly think unlocking a device by sliding your finger across it is a "Hard Work" idea? I patented the quickest way to get to Walmart from my neighborhood. I think I will sue everyone who drives there using my route.
Technically, Apple would be liable to its shareholders if it did not defend its patents.
But the timing of this cannot be a coincidence. I believe the other shoe has yet to drop. Either Apple has something up its sleeve, or knows Google is going to blow something out of the water.
This is a proxy war between Apple and Google, no question. Remember peoples, the Korean war was a civil war funded by the US and the USSR. HTC will be heavily defended by Google, I'd even wager that the response (or countersuit) will be from the same law firms that Google uses.
@skyblaze I agree, this is completely ridiculous. I think I am glad I bought a Nexus One and didn't wait for apple to announce the new iPhone. I have a feeling they are spending more money in their legal department than in R&D. I guess I have a few more months to be sure, but even if the iPhone is slightly better than my N1, I will still prefer not to have a phone from Steve Jobs. I liked Apple 6 months ago, why did they become cranky and whiny?
Maybe we shouldn't have patents given away like candy? Seriously, this idea of Apple (and others) patenting every obvious idea is just holding back technological development. Apple didn't invent any of this, evolution did.
I'm a fan of Apple products, but the company can go F themselves.
Dear US Patent Office: Thanks for approving broad patents like this. You'll stifle innovation for the consumer for sure.
Dear Apple: Just because you can, does not mean you should. Your company has become one of jerks with a jerk mentality. If you can't win with superior products, then just sue. I don't even mind a patent or two in the list that are clearly your innovative ideas - but some of these are common sense.
Dear Consumers: How do we stop this crap? Writing our congressmen does not seem to work. The lobbyists have us beat there. I would say stop buying their products - but all these corporations are just as bad as one another.
This is serious news that could result in a WW1 style patent war where all types of companies could be drawn in either directly or by association.
Worse case scenario is that Android or HTC gets shut down, or Apple gets buried and discredited beyond repair. And this is only after what could be a bitter stalemate where everyone gets shutdown!
And this over some really silly patents dating back to the days of System 7!
"So, we failed horribly with the iPad, and want to make up for the money we should have gotten for that brilliant idea...I know! Let's sue HTC with the ridiculous patents we hold! This will just be more cash on the pile from the billions we have gotten from ipod/iphone sales and the billions of itunes songs we've sold!"
I've really lost any little respect i had left for apple from this event.
@rapidology Apple gives a lot back to the open source community. WebKit is a high-profile example. OpenCL, LLVM and clang are just a few other projects that Apple contributes heavily to.
You clicking your pen is nothing but a statement. Just like that guy who mentioned driving to walmart as a patent. Neither of those statements will bring you money and is not part of how you make your OS unique. Try thinking beyond the average Joe Shmoe who does not "own" an operating system.
While their are a lot of lawsuits out there you can't help but admit that a lot of these "OSs" look and act vaguely familiar.
Here's a suggestion. Google should purchase Palm just for the patents. I would buy google stock, just one share cuz I can only afford the one, just to help make that happen.
@garrenteed had work? some are hard work indeed, but they are so vague, it is ridiculous they were awarded. here is one, use it if you will, I give it to you, if Apple wins these general cases, then you can be millionnaire. Time it takes at the bottom should take you a few 100$ to get it rewritten in laywers gliberrish, so that you must pay them again if you are sued, or anyone can pay them to sue you. start:14:18 CET.
Process for controlling the recto/verso of an object in electronic devices using gestures. this apparatus describes how to "turn" any object in any electronic device* using gestures electronic device defines any device that contains electronic components. via any input device (a few examples after the column, but not limited to: touchpad, mouse, touchscreens...) , this process allows for any object to be turned verso, with no limitation into turning is recto again. the method uses a hold on the object (INSERT legal references to any patent for holding an object as left click down, or holding the finger on a device) and a swing in a heuristic semi circle.
end time: 14:24 NOTE: I have already included 1 minute for a quick sketch I did on my notepad (paper one) as seems to be the case to get a patent - where is the mandatory prototype gone?
this must be in caps: HARD WORK? come again on this one, willya
HTC/Android shut down..... in the US maybe, In europe (and most of the rest of the world) there are no software patents (just to avoid this kind of ridicules lawsuits)
@skyblaze Screw Apple and the US patent system, There should not be any patent for software engineering. This is just ridiculous. I am not against innovation but this is simply nutts. Embrace open source and boycott Apple.
@skyblaze I always take a deep breath before checking comments related to patent issues. Simply, cuz it's frustrating and amusing to see people without the slightest idea of how the patent system work, and start out bashing big corporates and the mostly innocent patent office.
Jeez, would anybody believe that the US Patent Office abides by one of the strictest patent rules in the world?? Talk to any patent attorney and ask how frustrated they are EVERYDAY dealing with the patent office to get something granted as patent.
In the case of Apple, if the FILING DATE of Apple's patent predates any "KNOWN" publication, patent, patent publication and the "CLAIMS" (you should check the FULL CLAIMS before arguing anything) are novel, then Apple is rightfully granted a patent.
And a patent isn't what everybody fantasizes it to be. As long as the CLAIMS (NOT an abstract idea, algorithm, natural phenomenon, etc.) predate any other known patent/invention/publication and is not an obvious variation of said teachings (patent, publication, etc.), then anybody can be granted a patent.
Patent infringements occur when an existing invention/patent by another that DOES NOT PREDATE the patent who claims infringement and is either identical or an obvious variation to the patented CLAIMS. So, the issue is whether the invention/patent by another with a LATER date is not an obvious variation of the granted patent or not. This is not some big corporate with lots of money stealing KNOWN ideas and crushing the little people.
The issue of big companies buying out ideas/people and taking credit is a different issue.
@rapidology "@garrenteed yeah tell that to apple. apple takes a ton from the open source community in everything they do, but give nothing back. very much just a bigoted taker."
What about the new/supported standards from Apple? Apple itself is developping standars like FireWire, WebKit, OpenGL, TrueType, Unicode and many other things, wich they often made Open-Source. Many standards became famous because of Apple; USB wasn't supported from the actual Windows Systems but Apple integrated it in their iMacs and made it popular, but I think the best thing Apple does is that what they do and their popularity. Everyone copies Apple and perfect it, make it better and so on, and we get a big market. Apple made one of the first affordable computer, made big steps with their OS wich M$ copied very much (not to say Apple didn't ever something like this earlier ;)), made early laptops, made the iPod, made the iPhone, the iPhone Touch, the iTunes Music Store and many more nice things wich boosted the market enormly. Or do you deny the iPhone, even if it wasn't the first touchphone didn't revolutionize the market, didn't establish a new generation of smartphones, didn't standardize an app store system? And I think the iPad will push the tablet's in a new era and completly change the way we work with computer (even with desktops/notebooks, like the new dell studio's). Oh, and excuse me for my english, I'm a german (IT-interested) Pupil ;)
Could it be because they all use basic ideals of good design?
OSX, Windows, and Ubuntu have similarities too. There's a taskbar of some sort at the bottom of the screen, there's a menu to launch programs. There's an open space where you can have icons that launch various programs.
I can leave my Windows computer and pick up Ubuntu and have a similar enough experience. Does that mean someone's coping someone else? Should someone get sued?
@DeFlanko I already beat ya to the punch. I already canceled my contract with AT&T and am going back to verizon and going to get the nexus 1 when it come out hopefully this month.
@Urkel best comment of the day, My Point exactly, Evolution has obviously passed over the USPTO entirely as they are still approving concepts that are the only logical next step for any sort of technology...... i could have thought of swipe to unlock when i was 6 if you showed me a touchscreen phone and pitched the problem of locking the screen to me..........
What some companies will do to avoid competition....... lol "think diffirent" ..... Right....
@ivealwaysgotmail You've just proved the point. The problem is (1) your nor anybody else came up with the idea before Apple (This is assuming the Patent Office "rightfully" granted Apple the patent). (2) And that the Patent Office did not find any other known teachings that could be an obvious variation.
If all above conditions are met, Apple is granted a patent. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Now, if you ask me if the particular Patent Examiner might have overlooked possible teachings (not doing a good job), and wherein in light of said teachings the Apple's slide to unlock claims may not be an obvious variation...
Then I'd say MAYBE not. However I'd have to do some research and have to actually prove with sound evidence (teachings) that it was known in the public or is an obvious variation of said evidence BEFORE the filing date of said patented claims.
Well, I'm not going to go through all that, plus it's precisely the courts' job, which we pay enough tax money for. But if anyone else can prove the above, be my guest and help the court in making the right decision.
They are not the bad guy. And they are NOT scared. The iPhone has sold more than all android phones combined. Separately it's sold more than all Palm Pre's and probably Pixis sold to date.
So from a sales perspective Apple doesn't have shit to worry about. Why you Apple fanboys keep insisting that Apple is worried about the Nexus One is beyond me.
Bottom line though is that Apple has laid out a CLEAR legal basis as to why they are suing...
You can bitch all you want but at the end the day that's the facts.
If you want to be mad at some be mad at the Patent Office.
@rapidology http://opensource.apple.com/ check that before you say something like that. Apple is a HUGE participator in the open source community. E.g. The print server that every somewhat every linux box uses;common unix printing system(CUPS) is written by apple
During his WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs touted iCloud as a service that will sync many of your Apple devices, for free. Macs, iPhones, iPads, and even Windows computers can synchronize documents, contacts, calendar appointments, and other data.
The most commented posts on Engadget over the past 24 hours.
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ridiculous. just ridiculous.
@skyblaze
also, super excellent balls to the wall effort here, nilay. ask josh for a raise. tell him skyblaze sent you.
@skyblaze
not that ridiculous, really. you wouldn't want someone taking your hard work and money. the question is if these are legitimate claims.
@garrenteed
They must know how Nokia feel now. :(
Informative Stuff...Thanks Nilay
@garrenteed
yeah tell that to apple. apple takes a ton from the open source community in everything they do, but give nothing back. very much just a bigoted taker.
@garrenteed
Half of those patents aren't legitimate in the first place. The US patent office needs to stop issuing Apple BS patents for any obscure idea they can come up with that includes a child's drawing demonstrating the idea.
Now I'm an Apple fan but this is far more symptomatic of Apple's patent lawyers wanting a new hybrid Porsche than of any legitimate patent infringement claim.
@skyblaze
Yet again reaffirming the case for patent law reform. Some of these patents are ridiculously broad.
@garrenteed You honestly think unlocking a device by sliding your finger across it is a "Hard Work" idea? I patented the quickest way to get to Walmart from my neighborhood. I think I will sue everyone who drives there using my route.
How greedy can these companies get?
@skyblaze Apple are pathetic, and by the looks of things so is the US Patent office for allowing half of these things to be allowed.
@skyblaze
I agree, it is ridiculous, but....
Technically, Apple would be liable to its shareholders if it did not defend its patents.
But the timing of this cannot be a coincidence. I believe the other shoe has yet to drop. Either Apple has something up its sleeve, or knows Google is going to blow something out of the water.
This is a proxy war between Apple and Google, no question. Remember peoples, the Korean war was a civil war funded by the US and the USSR. HTC will be heavily defended by Google, I'd even wager that the response (or countersuit) will be from the same law firms that Google uses.
@garrenteed
"
@skyblaze
not that ridiculous, really. you wouldn't want someone taking your hard work and money. the question is if these are legitimate claims.
"
I agree! In what way, shape, or form, is some thing being taken from someone? I am confused. Can you legitimize that something is being taken?
It's remotely possible that something was long ago duplicated, repeatedly, but that still isn't "taking."
@skyblaze apple will win this because they are more mainstream than htc!
@skyblaze
Apple has seriously turned into some patent trolls, if this keeps up I will never buy another Apple branded device again.
@skyblaze
This is what our Patent Office gets paid to do? Seriously?
I'm literally stupefied.
@elijahblake
By the looks things it would be granted, duh!
I'm going to patent using two hands to type when I reinvent the keyboard and then sue Smith & Corona, Brother, and Dvorak.
@skyblaze I agree, this is completely ridiculous. I think I am glad I bought a Nexus One and didn't wait for apple to announce the new iPhone. I have a feeling they are spending more money in their legal department than in R&D. I guess I have a few more months to be sure, but even if the iPhone is slightly better than my N1, I will still prefer not to have a phone from Steve Jobs. I liked Apple 6 months ago, why did they become cranky and whiny?
@skyblaze
Just makes me what to dump my iphone for a mytouch.
@skyblaze first thing that came to mind, Apple is the new Microsoft
Maybe we shouldn't have patents given away like candy? Seriously, this idea of Apple (and others) patenting every obvious idea is just holding back technological development. Apple didn't invent any of this, evolution did.
I'm a fan of Apple products, but the company can go F themselves.
Dear US Patent Office: Thanks for approving broad patents like this. You'll stifle innovation for the consumer for sure.
Dear Apple: Just because you can, does not mean you should. Your company has become one of jerks with a jerk mentality. If you can't win with superior products, then just sue. I don't even mind a patent or two in the list that are clearly your innovative ideas - but some of these are common sense.
Dear Consumers: How do we stop this crap? Writing our congressmen does not seem to work. The lobbyists have us beat there. I would say stop buying their products - but all these corporations are just as bad as one another.
Ugh.
Jobs is a hipocrite.
"Good artists copy great artists steal"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0DUg63lqU
@Kbalz
This is serious news that could result in a WW1 style patent war where all types of companies could be drawn in either directly or by association.
Worse case scenario is that Android or HTC gets shut down, or Apple gets buried and discredited beyond repair. And this is only after what could be a bitter stalemate where everyone gets shutdown!
And this over some really silly patents dating back to the days of System 7!
@skyblaze
"So, we failed horribly with the iPad, and want to make up for the money we should have gotten for that brilliant idea...I know! Let's sue HTC with the ridiculous patents we hold! This will just be more cash on the pile from the billions we have gotten from ipod/iphone sales and the billions of itunes songs we've sold!"
I've really lost any little respect i had left for apple from this event.
@rapidology Apple gives a lot back to the open source community. WebKit is a high-profile example. OpenCL, LLVM and clang are just a few other projects that Apple contributes heavily to.
@elijahblake
You clicking your pen is nothing but a statement. Just like that guy who mentioned driving to walmart as a patent. Neither of those statements will bring you money and is not part of how you make your OS unique. Try thinking beyond the average Joe Shmoe who does not "own" an operating system.
While their are a lot of lawsuits out there you can't help but admit that a lot of these "OSs" look and act vaguely familiar.
@Kbalz
I don't think they cover every time a small company sues a big one, but every time a big company sues a big company they do.
Here's a suggestion. Google should purchase Palm just for the patents. I would buy google stock, just one share cuz I can only afford the one, just to help make that happen.
@garrenteed
had work?
some are hard work indeed, but they are so vague, it is ridiculous they were awarded.
here is one, use it if you will, I give it to you, if Apple wins these general cases, then you can be millionnaire. Time it takes at the bottom
should take you a few 100$ to get it rewritten in laywers gliberrish, so that you must pay them again if you are sued, or anyone can pay them to sue you.
start:14:18 CET.
Process for controlling the recto/verso of an object in electronic devices using gestures.
this apparatus describes how to "turn" any object in any electronic device* using gestures
electronic device defines any device that contains electronic components.
via any input device (a few examples after the column, but not limited to: touchpad, mouse, touchscreens...) , this process allows for any object to be turned verso, with no limitation into turning is recto again.
the method uses a hold on the object (INSERT legal references to any patent for holding an object as left click down, or holding the finger on a device) and a swing in a heuristic semi circle.
end time: 14:24
NOTE: I have already included 1 minute for a quick sketch I did on my notepad (paper one) as seems to be the case to get a patent - where is the mandatory prototype gone?
this must be in caps: HARD WORK? come again on this one, willya
@air0804
HTC/Android shut down..... in the US maybe, In europe (and most of the rest of the world) there are no software patents (just to avoid this kind of ridicules lawsuits)
@DeFlanko Now, now, lol. Let's not lose focus here. :P
@skyblaze
Screw Apple and the US patent system, There should not be any patent for software engineering. This is just ridiculous. I am not against innovation but this is simply nutts. Embrace open source and boycott Apple.
@skyblaze
I always take a deep breath before checking comments related to patent issues. Simply, cuz it's frustrating and amusing to see people without the slightest idea of how the patent system work, and start out bashing big corporates and the mostly innocent patent office.
Jeez, would anybody believe that the US Patent Office abides by one of the strictest patent rules in the world?? Talk to any patent attorney and ask how frustrated they are EVERYDAY dealing with the patent office to get something granted as patent.
In the case of Apple, if the FILING DATE of Apple's patent predates any "KNOWN" publication, patent, patent publication and the "CLAIMS" (you should check the FULL CLAIMS before arguing anything) are novel, then Apple is rightfully granted a patent.
And a patent isn't what everybody fantasizes it to be. As long as the CLAIMS (NOT an abstract idea, algorithm, natural phenomenon, etc.) predate any other known patent/invention/publication and is not an obvious variation of said teachings (patent, publication, etc.), then anybody can be granted a patent.
Patent infringements occur when an existing invention/patent by another that DOES NOT PREDATE the patent who claims infringement and is either identical or an obvious variation to the patented CLAIMS. So, the issue is whether the invention/patent by another with a LATER date is not an obvious variation of the granted patent or not. This is not some big corporate with lots of money stealing KNOWN ideas and crushing the little people.
The issue of big companies buying out ideas/people and taking credit is a different issue.
@skyblaze agreed...
I would like to know where are the Apple fanboys that criticized Nokia so heavily when Nokia sued Apple...
Come on fanboys... Does this look like a foolish attempt to hold the only important market share that Apple has? To me it totally does...
@iamPro
FUUUUUUUUU
@emanas
That reply was very informative... of you.
@rapidology
"@garrenteed
yeah tell that to apple. apple takes a ton from the open source community in everything they do, but give nothing back. very much just a bigoted taker."
What about the new/supported standards from Apple? Apple itself is developping standars like FireWire, WebKit, OpenGL, TrueType, Unicode and many other things, wich they often made Open-Source. Many standards became famous because of Apple; USB wasn't supported from the actual Windows Systems but Apple integrated it in their iMacs and made it popular, but I think the best thing Apple does is that what they do and their popularity. Everyone copies Apple and perfect it, make it better and so on, and we get a big market. Apple made one of the first affordable computer, made big steps with their OS wich M$ copied very much (not to say Apple didn't ever something like this earlier ;)), made early laptops, made the iPod, made the iPhone, the iPhone Touch, the iTunes Music Store and many more nice things wich boosted the market enormly. Or do you deny the iPhone, even if it wasn't the first touchphone didn't revolutionize the market, didn't establish a new generation of smartphones, didn't standardize an app store system? And I think the iPad will push the tablet's in a new era and completly change the way we work with computer (even with desktops/notebooks, like the new dell studio's). Oh, and excuse me for my english, I'm a german (IT-interested) Pupil ;)
@techi25
Could it be because they all use basic ideals of good design?
OSX, Windows, and Ubuntu have similarities too. There's a taskbar of some sort at the bottom of the screen, there's a menu to launch programs. There's an open space where you can have icons that launch various programs.
I can leave my Windows computer and pick up Ubuntu and have a similar enough experience. Does that mean someone's coping someone else? Should someone get sued?
@Shelbz Apple hasn't "turned into" patent trolls... they have been all along. Anybody remember the GUI patent suits in the 1980s?
@DeFlanko I already beat ya to the punch. I already canceled my contract with AT&T and am going back to verizon and going to get the nexus 1 when it come out hopefully this month.
@Urkel best comment of the day, My Point exactly, Evolution has obviously passed over the USPTO entirely as they are still approving concepts that are the only logical next step for any sort of technology...... i could have thought of swipe to unlock when i was 6 if you showed me a touchscreen phone and pitched the problem of locking the screen to me..........
What some companies will do to avoid competition....... lol "think diffirent" ..... Right....
@ivealwaysgotmail
You've just proved the point. The problem is (1) your nor anybody else came up with the idea before Apple (This is assuming the Patent Office "rightfully" granted Apple the patent). (2) And that the Patent Office did not find any other known teachings that could be an obvious variation.
If all above conditions are met, Apple is granted a patent. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Now, if you ask me if the particular Patent Examiner might have overlooked possible teachings (not doing a good job), and wherein in light of said teachings the Apple's slide to unlock claims may not be an obvious variation...
Then I'd say MAYBE not. However I'd have to do some research and have to actually prove with sound evidence (teachings) that it was known in the public or is an obvious variation of said evidence BEFORE the filing date of said patented claims.
Well, I'm not going to go through all that, plus it's precisely the courts' job, which we pay enough tax money for. But if anyone else can prove the above, be my guest and help the court in making the right decision.
Apple Sues Android,
Unicorn tears pour down quickly,
The patent world is dead.
@skyblaze
Apple is always the bad guy no matter what huh?
Really what has Apple done here that is so wrong?
They are not the bad guy. And they are NOT scared. The iPhone has sold more than all android phones combined. Separately it's sold more than all Palm Pre's and probably Pixis sold to date.
So from a sales perspective Apple doesn't have shit to worry about. Why you Apple fanboys keep insisting that Apple is worried about the Nexus One is beyond me.
Bottom line though is that Apple has laid out a CLEAR legal basis as to why they are suing...
You can bitch all you want but at the end the day that's the facts.
If you want to be mad at some be mad at the Patent Office.
@HerbieDerb While I understand what you're trying to say, you do know that you are taking that out of context right?
@rapidology if you HAVE to give it's not open-source.
@rashad1 That was the case a year ago but now It is much worst..
@rapidology
http://opensource.apple.com/
check that before you say something like that. Apple is a HUGE participator in the open source community.
E.g. The print server that every somewhat every linux box uses;common unix printing system(CUPS) is written by apple
@Mike I think it's funny that Walt Mosspuppet went on a rant about this yesterday in regards to Facebook being allowed to patent "The Feed".
Now Apple is wielding it's vague patents around like an innovation destroying club.