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Apple's 2006 Ideas for DVR and Television Interface Reappear in Newly-Granted Patent

R

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
Still find it amusing that people actually think it'll be called iTV, despite that name being taken over 55 years ago, and being the name of a string of registered companies in the UK, Europe and the US.

It's called AppleTV for a reason. If they could have used 'iTV' as the name, dont you think they would have done it from the get-go... :rolleyes:
 
J

Judas1

macrumors 6502a
Aug 4, 2011
794
42
Menus overlayed on top of the video source...how ingenious of Apple. Damn Apple, you smart. Oh wait, everybody's been doing it. Some even have this thing called transparent menus so that less materials is being blocked.
 
tdtran1025

tdtran1025

macrumors 6502
Dec 26, 2011
275
0
Lose the remote, no sweat, just use any iOS device. Run out of local storage? It will upload recording to iCloud. The eco-chain gets more encompassing. It's scary!
 
J

jacknv2

macrumors newbie
Jun 11, 2007
11
0
For this to actually work, Apple will need to grab the cable companies by the balls just like they did with AT&T and the original iPhone. Apple will need to have control over cable provider content listings, on demand, etc and route it all into a better Apple-ized UI... cutting out the archaic cable box and all of the crap that users currently are faced with. Instead of "DVR" think about how cool it would be to have something like iTunes Match for TV. You choose a series to "record" but rather than a huge recording taking up space, you get the iTunes version of the show that you can watch on any device. If they can get features like that, then maybe they could actually revolutionize the TV industry.
 
G

GQB

macrumors 65816
Sep 26, 2007
1,196
109
I still get confused.
Did the Motorola cable boxes come over to Google with their purchase of Moto Mobility?

---edit---
hmmm... did find this... from March.

"Google is looking to unload the set-top box business it will inherit from Motorola Mobility even before it closes on the $12.5 billion acquisition, The Post has learned.
The move appears to be an about-face from last August, when Google CEO Larry Page, in announcing the deal, suggested the business would play a role in his plans for revolutionizing the living room.
Google isn’t the only player looking to get out of the business. As The Post reported exclusively last month, Cisco is also seeking to sell Scientific Atlanta, which along with Motorola has had a near duopoly on the set-top box business."
 
basesloaded190

basesloaded190

macrumors 68030
Oct 16, 2007
2,693
5
Wisconsin
rmwebs said:
Still find it amusing that people actually think it'll be called iTV, despite that name being taken over 55 years ago, and being the name of a string of registered companies in the UK, Europe and the US.

It's called AppleTV for a reason. If they could have used 'iTV' as the name, dont you think they would have done it from the get-go... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I find it even more amusing that people get upset about other people using that name. Who cares what people call it? It's like people calling an iPod Touch an 'iTouch'
 
SockRolid

SockRolid

macrumors 68000
Jan 5, 2010
1,560
118
Almost Rock Solid
Remember: this patent was requested years before Siri.

Therefore the newly granted patents could be a head fake by Apple. Part of a 3-step plan:

1. Get patents on TV-related technology that they will never implement.
2. Sit back and watch would-be competitors scramble to do something similar (yet somehow non-infringing.)
3. Release a vastly better implementation that leapfrogs the old patented technology and competitors' products.

Apple's solution would of course use other patented technology, possibly filed under a more far-reaching category than just "television interface." Apple would thus have patents on the best technology (used in the television product they actually do release) and the second-best technology (the patented technology all the would-be competitors try so hard to mimic without infringing.)

This would leave the competitors years behind, with brand new products based on obsolete technology.

Does that sound like a good plan? I think so.

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basesloaded190 said:
I find it even more amusing that people get upset about other people using that name. Who cares what people call it? It's like people calling an iPod Touch an 'iTouch'
Click to expand...

And anyway, all the iDevices have two-syllable names: iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad.

If Apple really wants to remake the TV industry in their own image, they'll need a more clever name than "iTV" for their television set. And it will need to be two syllables.
 
Drunken Master

Drunken Master

macrumors 65816
Jul 19, 2011
1,060
0
nutmac said:
While on-demand programming is a superior way to watch pre-taped programmings, DVR is still useful for recording contents not available as on-demand as well as live programs (e.g., news, sports).
Click to expand...

You think nerds watch sports?
 
B

backwardsrain

macrumors newbie
Jun 15, 2012
25
0
tdtran1025 said:
Lose the remote, no sweat, just use any iOS device. Run out of local storage? It will upload recording to iCloud. The eco-chain gets more encompassing. It's scary!
Click to expand...
I bet it wouldn't come with a remote. It would be redundant. Just use the iOS device you've already got. And for people who don't already have one...well, why are they buying an Apple TV?
 
K

Kludge420

macrumors regular
Apr 20, 2009
114
0
"A video device displays video in one of a plurality of contexts in an onscreen display area. In response to the menu command, the video device generates a menu overlay within the onscreen display area while maintaining the video within the menu overlay, and generates within the menu overlay a context icon based on the selected context."

Wow, look, another patent that should not have been granted because it's an idea already in existence and not novel in the least. The patent office has got to be manned by imbeciles or crooks.
 
I

iMike208

macrumors newbie
Aug 13, 2012
15
0
Navdakilla said:
Really? mannn that ending disappointed me
Click to expand...

Of course, the first question that needs to be asked is if you understood the ending. And if the answer is "they were dead the whole time" then you didn't! :D Just rewatched the series this summer and the whole show totally held up very well. Great drama, great characters, great story and a "couple" loose ends.

And since this post got off topic, I'll say that I did stream some of my rewatch on my iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. lol
 
A

apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
7,802
Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
Seems like another bogus patent Apple should not be awarded to me? Will be interesting to see what DVR and interface tech they have claimed to of invented that doesn't already exist. Probably nothing.

No one is going to buy a TV for it's interface and DVR though, content is king and in that department Apple is lacking.
 
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prolific96

prolific96

macrumors newbie
Jun 23, 2010
4
0
Miami
Joe-Diver said:
Where is the content coming from?

That's the biggest thing.....not the interface or the device...which is important of course....but it's all about content.

Can they offer equivalent selection and competitive pricing to Dish, DirecTV, cable....????

I don't care how slick your device is. If you don't have anything I want to watch....you're out.
Click to expand...

This is why your going to see an "Apple TV" now and not 6 years ago. Eventually I think Apple is hoping to be your DirecTV or TimeWarner. They've been forging partnerships with large production companies by streaming movies and series' through Itunes already. It's only a matter of time before they acquire local broadcasts and stream them live over the web. The entertainment industry has been heading into the direction of web distribution and "on demand" access for consumers for a while now; and Apple has put themselves in great position to take advantage.

Apple is cleaning up your entertainment area. No more Coax run throughout your house. No need for a dvd or blu ray. No cable boxes. Everything will be built into the TV. And for people who don't have the money to purchase the presumable very expensive "AppleVision" will go the AppleTV route.
 
Hastings101

Hastings101

macrumors 68020
Jun 22, 2010
2,339
1,460
K
The people in those pictures are pretty terrifying lol

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Radio said:
Fail.

Tv is dead. Just like Steve jobs predicted. And coincidently is also dead too.

Rip
Click to expand...

Oh my god... maybe the same thing that killed TV... killed Steve Jobs
 
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