Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Files for Patent on 'iGroups' Proximity-Based Social Networking
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
They should have called it iMob. Imagine what could be done with this by protesters... WTO, Iranian Democracy, Chinese Democracy, etc...
That this seems to require physical proximity is very cool... One does wonder what prevents disruptive people from poisoning the group however... Is there any kind of moderation? At least in the US where civility is nearly dead it seems mandatory to have moderation of some sort
That this seems to require physical proximity is very cool... One does wonder what prevents disruptive people from poisoning the group however... Is there any kind of moderation? At least in the US where civility is nearly dead it seems mandatory to have moderation of some sort
At that point it is just a routing problem. Look up ad hoc wireless networks. The government has been researching this for years as a way to provide battlefield connectivity. Think of each soldier as connected through all other soldiers to finally some command module (on a tank for example) that then has the power to send the info back to command. Soldiers don't need to be within range of the tank directly in order to communicate as long as they are within range of another soldier who can route them to the end result.
I'll have to read Apples patent in detail, but it seems like there would be a TON of prior art.
Good luck on this one guys!
There is prior artwork for mobile devices linking via physical proximity going back to the beginning Cyberpunk days of the late 80s. Even to site this example, the early Industrial Music scene had things like this for a good while at some indie concerts.
Also, a demo like this was done at a CTIA show years ago. They may get away with a few claims and I'm sure it could be done right now but not that original.
There is prior artwork for mobile devices linking via physical proximity going back to the beginning Cyberpunk days of the late 80s. Even to site this example, the early Industrial Music scene had things like this for a good while at some indie concerts.
Also, a demo like this was done at a CTIA show years ago. They may get away with a few claims and I'm sure it could be done right now but not that original.
Yeah, so this is a good idea. Is it really patentable? Should it be patentable? I wonder if there is some prior art? Let's face it, there are too many patents being given out.
You don't get it, they're not patenting a social network, their patenting the method for multiple phones to connect in an adhoc manner and share, contacts, messages, images and locations.
You don't get it, they're not patenting a social network, their patenting the method for multiple phones to connect in an adhoc manner and share, contacts, messages, images and locations.
last weekend, while at a show, i shot some pictures with my phone of the band, uploaded the pictures to the event group on Facebook, and wrote a message on the event's wall.
Yes - pretty much all of the mentioned things are useful...
...if you receive your token for being at the concert and use that special code AFTERWARDS.
Call me old fashioned - but when I go to a concert, I don't want the perfect 'sound from the source' via headphones on my iPhone. I want it LIVE. That's the reason for going there in the first place.
But you didn't do it in the same manner as the patent application states.
Patents aren't granted just for ideas, they describe a specific method of implementation.
Well.....um.... Yeah, talking to people can be very awkard and scary.
Why talk when you can text?
Well.....um.... Yeah, talking to people can be very awkard and scary.
Why talk when you can text?
Next time you are in a club, look around and notice all the faces basking in the glow of their phones and ignoring the people around them. That's what is scary.
Do any of those circular things on the front give evidence for a camera????? these patent things confuse me or i'd try to look it up myself.
yes, but it doesn't say that the camera will be on the front as stated on page 2 of this thread.
Haha, yes to both!
I'm funny, I like to ACTUALLY interact with other humans!
This makes me very curious about what is coming in 4.0 though!
thanks. sorry, i missed that post. Interesting why they would change the placement to the centre if it's on the back.. here's hoping for a front facing camera iPhone 4 in June...
I think using a rock concert as an example makes no sense.
I am there to enjoy the music not "communicate" with other people and fumble around small devices. Geez, that would REALLY subtract from the concert.
Should have picked a different example......
A political campaign speech/event would have been a much better example. For example a news group could start a group and get live opinions that they could broadcast as part of the coverage of the event.
Could also be good for games such as capture the flag
After thinking more about locations on the diagram I tend to think that some are just hypothetical or not really representations of actual locations but rather just representations of the existence of those components of the phone. The actual locations of many of those components would not be important as far as the patent application goes.