Apple Files for Patent on 'iGroups' Proximity-Based Social Networking

[MorphingDragon]

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I remember a time when people attended a rock concert to actually watch and listen to the band playing instead of fiddling around with their phones...

Maybe Im just young but I thought people went to rock concerts to get high.

 

[tsubikiddo]

If true, this is totally awesome function
I smell BBM is in some big trouble

 

[Baumi]

Maybe Im just young but I thought people went to rock concerts to get high.

Okay, that too - but try using an iPhone social networking app when you're high.

 

[cvaldes]

When I'm thinking of my next electronics purchase I'll be sure to think about letters of the alphabet to help me decide which product or brand I should choose.

Nope, your logic (and/or reading comprehension) is faulty.

Please go back and reread carefully.

I made no claims that people should base their purchases solely on alphabetical letters. I just pointed out that no other tech company's identity is so closely tied to a particular letter.

 

[InTheUnion]

For ages now I've wanted to know what the people around me are listening to (On the bus for example). Now it could actually come true.

 

[macsmurf]

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.

You get the token during the concert but you don't need to use it during the concert.

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.

Me too. However, some types of concerts such as stadium concert can result in crappy sound and they need giant screens to show people what is going on. Some people might find it useful in those settings. Personally, I don't attend stadium concerts for this reason.

I think the whole idea of adding value to concert going is very viable. Mainly because this is where the money is, nowadays.

 

[Funkmasta]

… and forget about the patent. I think this is a good example of something that shouldn’t be patentable. Nice idea, nice app, not suitable for patenting.

This is what drives me crazy about people who have no knowledge of the patent process or (seemingly) any kind of common sense.

The patent is for APPLE'S method of accomplishing a given task, and it's accompanied by pages and pages of documents detailing the process.

People read two lines of it and go "Well you can't patent an idea" well no s*** you can't patent an idea.

The threads on here about patents are ridiculous.

 

[MikeDTyke]

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.

Still wide of the mark.

The patent describes how people visiting an event can link up.
They on't have had to sign up to a social network in advance. It's like bonjour networking for humans.

M.

 

[Vmaatta]

This is what drives me crazy about people who have no knowledge of the patent process or (seemingly) any kind of common sense.

The patent is for APPLE'S method of accomplishing a given task, and it's accompanied by pages and pages of documents detailing the process.

People read two lines of it and go "Well you can't patent an idea" well no s*** you can't patent an idea.

The threads on here about patents are ridiculous.

Ok… I’m not into reading the whole thing I’ll give you that . But I did read longer than the first list where they say “method”. And reading the detail part I can’t help but feel that they are patenting the act of changing the tokens and not the actual method by which the tokens are exchanged. Software patents are a highly debated matter for a good reason.

Oh… And the app is still not available. My original point was that they could actually realize the idea.

 

[NT1440]

Ok… I’m not into reading the whole thing I’ll give you that . But I did read longer than the first list where they say “method”. And reading the detail part I can’t help but feel that they are patenting the act of changing the tokens and not the actual method by which the tokens are exchanged. Software patents are a highly debated matter for a good reason.

The point was that you can't claim an idea is off limits, but you CAN patent your own specific implementation of a feature. If one wants to have the same feature, and not get sued, all they need to do is figure out a different way of implementing it.

 

[Vmaatta]

The point was that you can't claim an idea is off limits, but you CAN patent your own specific implementation of a feature. If one wants to have the same feature, and not get sued, all they need to do is figure out a different way of implementing it.

… Please re-read my comment.

 

[casmith07]

If true, this is totally awesome function
I smell BBM is in some big trouble

Not sure why you're rolling your eyes, but yeah...this kind of seems like it'd be more like Blackberry Messenger.

I think everyone is getting way too hung up on the concert thing too - it's just an example.

Groups will be pretty good for some businesses that have iPhones as their enterprise phone solution, or for sharing contact information quickly at conferences and such. Kind of eliminates business cards, in theory. Then again, the vCard was supposed to do that.

Now in a different way...if only more phones will adopt the vCard standard so that you can just MMS your card over to new friends, colleagues, etc. I love that feature about my iPhone, but hate that my brother's crappy Verizon phone can't do the same thing, haha.