• Not this shit again: Apple awarded patent for wedge laptop design
    106 replies, posted
[quote] Two days ago, Apple was awarded a patent for a wedge design by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent is in regards to the company's MacBook Air laptop, which features the wedge design in question. Apple was awarded [URL="http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=D661296&OS=D661296&RS=D661296"]patent D661,296[/URL] for an "ornamental design for an electronic device, as shown and described" in its patent application. Apple had filed for the patent in October 2010. The full patent award filing, which features design illustrations material to the patent, [URL="http://www.freepatentsonline.com/D661296.pdf"]can be seen here[/URL]. Little description exists for the patent; the terse description that accompanied the design illustrations was primarily primarily for the sake of clarity: "The gray shading on the electronic device represents a metallic-looking surface. The relatively light gray shade lines on the surface portions indicate contour and not specific decoration. The broken lines are are for the purpose of illustrating portions of the electronic device and form no part of the claimed design." Essentially, what the filing states is that only the general wedge design in combination with a metallic-looking surface is what Apple was claiming to patent. No information on the design's dimensions, how it is built or what differentiates it from similar designs, such as the MacBook Air's unibody case, are part of the patent. While the design illustrations provided in the patent clearly show a MacBook Air, the patent is clearly broad enough that it can be applied to any and all laptops with a wedge design similar to the MacBook Air. [B]The patent has a 14 year limitation, meaning other notebook manufacturers won't be allowed to use a similar design until June 5, 2036[/B]. Numerous ultrabooks have since adopted a similar design style. With the patent, Apple can now attempt to halt other manufacturers from selling or releasing any current or future devices featuring a similar design.[/quote] Source: [URL]http://www.neowin.net/news/apple-awarded-patent-for-wedge-laptop-design[/URL]
Fuck off Apple
I own a wedge design laptop. Awesome, it means the value will skyrocket soon.
[QUOTE=Zanfall;36242928]The patent has a 14 year limitation, meaning other notebook manufacturers won't be allowed to use a similar design until June 5, 2036[/QUOTE] Oh right, I forgot that we're living in the year 2022.
you have got to be fucking kidding
They could seriously change the god damn angle of one of the corners and then have to patent it because they're too fucking paranoid.
Why do those people even allow Apple to make all these patents
The patent system wasn't made for this kind of shit
Lawsuits incoming!
bye asus nice knowing you :C (my old seashell EEE had a wedge design)
I'm genuinely speechless at just how idiotic this is.
[QUOTE=kidwithsword;36242961]Oh right, I forgot that we're living in the year 2022.[/QUOTE] Oh shit, I didn't even notice that. Either somebody fucked up and added 10 years to the current date or the source runs on some sort of mutated Valve Time.
Eventually they'll just patent quadrilateral electronics.
Can we file a dispute on the patent?
[QUOTE=areolop;36243075]Can we file a dispute on the patent?[/QUOTE] It's possible to appeal a patent.
:suicide: God damn it this shit again?
[QUOTE=Panda X;36243088]It's possible to appeal a patent.[/QUOTE] Well ASUS, HP, Dell, Intel, etc. Should all appeal that shit.
Patents with general or vague things like this shouldn't exist.
You should not be allowed to patent fucking simple geometric shapes.
This is hilarious. Lawsuits ahoy! I think every laptop manufacturer has made at least ONE macbook air clone at some point since that macbook air was announced in 2008. It is not the biggest deal either. As I said in another thread, there are plenty of awesome thin laptop designs that do not involve wedges. [img]http://www.lenovo.com/shop/WW/products/splitter/notebooks/ideapad/u-series/gallery/U300s-3L.jpg[/img] oh and Voodoo did some good stuff before HP ate it [img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/06/6-27-08-envy133.jpg[/img] also sorry if you hate orange
"This just in, apple patents the colour white from being used in any products."
no wonder everyone is making orange laptops
"Apple Patents the black, gloss screen"
[QUOTE=areolop;36243236]"Apple Patents the black, gloss screen"[/QUOTE] Forcing everyone to move to matte screens wouldn't be all that bad.
Apple patents patents.
"Apple patents camera-in-phone"
[QUOTE=vexx21322;36243224]"This just in, apple patents the colour white from being used in any products."[/QUOTE] Colours are trademarked/copyrighted. you can't use Coke Red. You can't use Tiffany Blue. at least not commercially without giving them money. The list does go on. I won't be surprised if Apple trademarks a specific white.
What's it take to get hired as a Patent Troll at Apple?
At some point someone will stop granting these patents. I mean its not the best thing to make laptops that look exactly like a macbook air but they should not be banned and the makers should not be sued.
I like Apple's products and all but holy shit the company needs to stop acting like toddlers.
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