Wait, Did Apple Just Patent the Ultrabook?

[leakingpaint]

[citation][nom]Pinhedd[/nom]Yeah really... Don't bite the hand that feeds[/citation]

Apple didn't seem to mind biting Samsung and Adobe...

 

[aggroboy]

[citation][nom]GozerHozer[/nom]Friday Rant..As IT director for an Oil Company in Alberta, Canada; [/citation]
Ah O&G, easy money, the good life.

 

[Guest]

This is just one more reason that I refuse to worship at the altar of the Cult of Apple.

 

[tntom]

I would not be surprised if Apple bought AMD and then tried to sue Intel back into a mindless OEM chip or fab provider, who was at their beck and call, like they are trying to do to Samsung. All the while saying, "how dare you step in front of me and shade my limelight".

 

[ewood]

[citation][nom]Anomalyx[/nom]This. Although in a different industry in a different country, nobody here uses Apple products except for a few executives. Unfortunately, we (I.T.) have to support them because they're executives. The executives did decide to issue iPhones to some employees, but every single one of them still uses their personal phone, and only carries their iPhone to give the appearance of using it, to please the higher-ups.Apple products don't work well in an enterprise environment. They're fine for the email-checker and facebook-surfer types of people, but they seriously lack any capability beyond that. In fact, all our executives that use Macs have to virtualize Windows for every single work-related application. Kinda makes you wonder why they wanted one in the first place, if they have to virtualize the entire time.[/citation]
cause its shiny and they dont have the slightest idea what 'virtualize' even means

 

[Hammerxc]

My wife isn't happy, but I've decided we are never purchasing another Apple product again (unless they end this foolish patent trolling).
I'm pretty influential at my place of work, and will steer away from anything Apple.
I also belong to many associations/boards with other organizations, with strong input in technology. No Apple from here forth. I supported the incorporation of the i-Phone over Android for a large roll out 2 years ago. That will end.
Apple take note, there's more than one way to lose a customer.

 

[andystanley]

If apple sued intel,that is advancing in dangerous waters for them. Is it not possible intel would stop making cpu's for them??? And in the macbook air they rely on the cpu as well as the intel HD graphics. That could really hurt apple...

 

[Console_Gamer]

I wonder if the Patents and Trademark Office uses Apple products...

 

[Cheeba Hawk]

Screw Apple. People need to stop buying their products. It's a rip off and suing everyone claiming they did it "first". If this goes down I hope Intel stops making CPU's for them.

 

[garrick]

Wait that Mac design looks oddly similar to my Asus notebook just a lot thinner. I'm surprised the patent office gave the patent to Apple since the design of a laptop is pretty much set and the only real difference here is the thickness of the laptop.

 

[Guest]

Wow, people can write anything these days can't they? The reason for this type of patent is to protect their own property. Not from PC makers but from people who want to make a knock off or fake version of this device.

The whole "Apple came up with it first" thing is more than nauseating

 

[robochump]

Considering the fact that many PC companies "borrow or copy" Apple designs, this is not surprising. lol

 

[kartu]

[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]On one hand, the whole patent thing is harming consumers.On the other hand, if patents weren't protected and profitable, fewer companies would be investing in hi-tech R&D, ...[/citation]
Mentioning R&D in this context is insulting humanity.

 

[robochump]

[citation][nom]garrick[/nom]Wait that Mac design looks oddly similar to my Asus notebook just a lot thinner. I'm surprised the patent office gave the patent to Apple since the design of a laptop is pretty much set and the only real difference here is the thickness of the laptop.[/citation]

Lol...You mean the Acer's S3 Ultrabook? Which came out after MB Air and looks exactly like a MB Air?!?

Apple haters are funny. Y'all just hating because Apple is a huge successful company. You haters make it seem like Apple is forcing you to buy only their stuff!?! Wow, what happened to being proud of your own US company?!? Japan never dumps on their own Corps. They support them. Sad really.

 

[theco0n]

The wise scholar is here!

 

[kenyee]

you can't patent a shape

 

[kcorp2003]

alright, this seems like a smart move by apple but its really a pain in the neck for us. i'm sure apple knows this. since its their "unique" look or design that separates them from the rest in terms of apple style, they sorta have the right. However they are other types of ultrabook designs that can squash apple design. I scene a few prototypes already to know that apple doesn't have it all.

 

[sacre]

I'm done, no more Apple products. Instead of competing they're just sueing their competition into hell by ways of patents.

no longer is it a battle of competition, its a battle of patents and who can get banned first. What happened to providing for the customer?

Google knows where thats at. Apple? No, can't even fucking customize your iphone unless you crack the fucking thing.

 

[AndrewMD]

People might not like what Apple just did, but they did create this class of computing device. HP, Lenovo and others all had the ability to design really nice designs but they decided to build cheap ones..

Why is it that Apple can use materials other than cheap plastic to make computers? Did they buy all the aluminum in the world so no other manufacture could use????????

I want to see companies like HP, Lenovo, Acer, go away..

I am using an Asus laptop and it is using metal frame and covers and it feels solid.

 

[AndrewMD]

@ sacre - what do you mean they are not competing? Do you think it is fair that one company does all the research to see what customers want just to have another company copy the look and style?

Even fashion designers go after cheap knock-offs to keep their image clean...

 

[eddieroolz]

Well hey, they did come up with the design and implemented it in a product, after all.

 

[jurassic512]

Only in America. smh

 

[teh_chem]

[citation][nom]robochump[/nom]Lol...You mean the Acer's S3 Ultrabook? Which came out after MB Air and looks exactly like a MB Air?!? Apple haters are funny. Y'all just hating because Apple is a huge successful company. You haters make it seem like Apple is forcing you to buy only their stuff!?! Wow, what happened to being proud of your own US company?!? Japan never dumps on their own Corps. They support them. Sad really.[/citation]
Think about the consequences though--I agree, no one is "forced" to buy an Apple product. But the problem isn't being forced to buy Apple products, the problem is that when Apple is granted patents in some piece of technology, it uses it to exclude anyone else from having something remotely similar, and generally refuses to license it for other tech. companies to use. That is why people hate Apple so much--because their primary business decisions revolve around stifling communal innovation. They wish to preserve their own possessions and squeeze every dime out of it and benefit only themselves as opposed to truly contributing to the technology industry, allowing fair use of what they develop much in the same way that they've used what others have developed to get where they are, and in the end benefiting everyone (as opposed to just themselves).

Taken to the extreme, you could say that anyone who wants to buy an ultrabook could be forced to get an Apple product if this sort of thing is tolerated. In the end, it is just as good as forcing people to buy Apple if patents are granted and used like this.

The problem is that Apple is entirely hypocritical. There have been so many documented instances of out-right theft of technology that they used in some form or another. So many licensing deals they've used. But look at what they do in the end: refuse to even license their technology (I'm not even talking about giving it away for free). Because they lead their business with brand-recognition and are obsessed with it. That's counter to how technology-innovation functions.

 

[ammaross]

Late to the party eh Toms?
Oh, and prior art: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=1970

 

[del35]

I hate the ultrabook form factor, but I hate Apple more.