Apple contemplates head-mounted iPhone display, America cringes
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 4th 2010 7:52AM
posted April 4th 2010 7:52AM
We're pretty sure this isn't an April Fool's joke, and we're pretty sure that it could be. Essentially an iPhone dock that sits on your face like a pair of glasses, "Head-Mounted Display Apparatus for Retaining a Portable Electronic Device with Display" details a headset that contains a stereo display and either a camera or a window for your phone's camera. Also included in the patent application is a microphone, speaker, batteries, and an accelerometer for detecting the user's head movements. Something like this would be great for augmented reality applications -- and something like this would make ever getting a date that much more difficult. We'll let you know if this one ever makes it past the drawing board, folks.
I've seen this before...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyrjBMAa6xE&feature=player_embedded
@MorfiusX
If you think the iPad's screen will be stressful on your eyes, try wearing these out on the town.
@MorfiusX
Don't question Apple's innovativeness!!! :D
@weeman
Haha.
Seriously though, this is an April fools guys. Isn't it?
I just threw up
That description sounds really vague and general..... I think they just want to patent it just to have that patent. I doubt they'll ever produce something like that but other companies might and when that day comes.... Apple will have the patent to sue... =/ Pure evil..........
@Apple
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/diyer-concocts-homegrown-view-master-relies-on-htc-magic-and-go/
prior art bitch.
Considering that head-mounted displays that work with your iPhone already exist, I'd say that Apple is going to have some prior art to contend with....
@MorfiusX
not sure if you already posted that... I can't bring up YouTube these days. hmm. Maybe my ISP hasn't herd of net neutrality?
@macmann
It's an Apple Fools joke.
@MorfiusX
the person who posted that highest rated comment on your youtube link is nostradamus. no doubt about it.
@credo
Oh dear, there's prior art to that prior art. First I was involved in such a thing was back in 1996 , 14 year ago -spit-, yep them were the days
@Ridgecity
As long as others can't prove their ability to execute and Apple proves they no longer understand their customers, Apple will continue to be seen as an innovator and trendsetter.
From a pure hardware perspective I feel companies like Sony are far ahead of Apple. But they don't have the same pulse of the US consumer.
@weeman Yep, remember, before the release of the iPad? It was called, iSlate and tons of patent tech has been buzzing around the web, I remember one, which was the 'solar-powered' batteries, and some minority-report like effect on the cupertino tablet.. but of course, we all know, the truth today. http://bit.ly/ipads-early-conceptualization-inflated
@HighestRanked2
exactly as you said.
I fully agree with you.
Sony and the others have entire engineering teams designing new stuff.
only difference:
Apple's patents are made by random people drawing a thing that might look good, on the corner of a table cloth in the restaurant, and put a 3 lines description of it, translated by lawyers into a patent claim.
I have not seen many of these being more than that or having even a prototype.
well! I guess that might explain why people bash apple for it, and not sony.
@D1Only1
forgot to add:
patents are created to protect industry investment in R&D, thus allowing them to research more freely, and research more.
these patents are 10 minutes jobs, which are worth zero. how can a patent apply then?
that is the problem of patented ideas. which only seems to exist in the US (most of the other countries reject such patents. this also, blocks innovation, as other companies then cannot develop as much by fear of the big bully
i'm sry, but i have to ask this question once again. why do i have to activate a ipad/iphone? i can't find the use for apple of this procedure.... wheres the value of that activation for apple? i seriously can't find it. and why somebody has to do that in the apple store?!?! this is a serious question, because i don't understand that!
@dartox Stolen iPad/iPhones? Log the serials numbers. I don't know but could be it. Or they're following you, and everybody...
@dartox You lost me after "sry".
@PaulMdx It stands for "still really young".
@dartox Talk about a comment unrelated to the post...
@jellotime91
Yeah, but he's sry so it's OK.
@dartox it's part of the OS setup mode. among other things it checks that you have the most updated software, allows you to set up an id name for if you have more one device etc.
Also you don't have to do it in the store. I picked up two yesterday for the boss and they offered to do it so I could go to the workshop, start using it before I get home etc. but I told them that they were gifts so I didn't even want to open them so they just informed that I needed to plug it into itunes etc and off I went
although some stores it seems would prefer plugging it in before you leave in case you got one of the few but possible lemons. like a dead out of the box battery. then they can replace it before you even leave.
@Charlik: thank you, but i even don't understand that this activation is necessary for the use of the gadget. i had an iphone, and these software-updates would be also possible without the activation, so i don't understand this. it's not bad, but there must be another reason instead of the software-update and so on.
@PaulMdx and @Atkins: i'm sorry, but i'm an austrian (not australian!), so i don't know you won't say "sry" like we do in sms or other communication mediums.
@dartox For normal people across the globe, "sry" means "sorry" (in electronic communications). I hope that's what you meant.
@d0mth0ma5 Apple does nothing for stolen product. Not even log it in case notes. You lost it, that sucks. Should have been more careful. Also, all serial numbers are tracked/logged from manufacturing. The warranty is tracked from date of purchase, sent to Apple from the store you purchased it from.
@dartox It's not that people didn't understand that "sry" means sorry, it's that they were mocking you for using text shorthand where it's not required or welcome. When you use abbreviations meant for texts, it makes you look lazy, and your comments are easily dismissed by many.
@Jables237 I meant stolen from them, in transit etc.
Nothing like walking around with solid white/black headgear with the apple logo in the middle of your forhead.
There better be some absolutly mindblowing augmented reality apps befor I get this.
@TonyC223
I wonder how much will it cost? "Apple tax" included? Would be great for wearing at home, but wearing it out in public would be the social equivalent of riding a Segway ('gag' - what if someone did BOTH?)
@Sad Sack, this won't happen till the iPhone is not just a plain white back. It'll be in some far off future where the whole phone is touch like the magic mouse, and all can be transparent and what not. Nobody will have opaque glasses that rely on a camera for guidance. I have no idea what apple was thinking, does that need to be patented. Don't think it'll be stolen. It's a lemon. That being said Ill buy one for $40
I think that people of Apple generally try to put as many patents as possible, to have the exclusive control over anything they might think for their products... Even stupid ideas can help them as patents for this reason...
@Bobot
You're right! Apple's about to sue Oakley for "infringing" on its sunglasses patent!
@Bobot my thoughts exactly. They probably have a patent on drawing an apple on a piece of 8.5x11 paper. And that's quite a pain because Apple doesn't like to play fair.
If the augmented reality is *really good* who needs a date?
@ShadowMaker SdR The joystick of course.
@ShadowMaker SdR: Gives multi touch a whole new meaning.
I have absolutely no problem with Apple or any other company making patents (the system is there so why not use it), but WHAT IS THIS?
@Atkins Sounds like someone needs a lesson in legality vs. morality. Just because there is a system for something doesn't mean that abusing it is ok.
@morphoyle How do you define abusing it? The system permits this kind of action, so companies take it. These companies don't need to be moral, just to obey the laws.
@morphoyle "Sounds like someone needs a lesson in legality vs. morality." Here is one for you: There are two ways of making companies behave morally - laws and social pressure. A company may also behave morally of its own accord - to avoid social pressure, to have good public relations, etc.
Finally, iTan!
@Supply8
iShades!
@Sad Sack iShades!
Nothing says Geek more than a pair of Apple glasses!
@wolverine
But what if they look like shutter shades?
another product that'll fry your retinas...*sigh...
@gax907
Like the Death Stars?
Oh God.
Is it going to be called the ieye!!!