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 Patent: Visual Buttons?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
it looks like Apple is moving to "own" the touch screen interface. Good for Apple. I'm not sure how it will benefit everyone else unless they buy an Apple product. The whole patent thing is out of control.
But it looks good for OS 11. Touch screens will rulez. Just like on Space Wars or Star Battles or whatever.
But it looks good for OS 11. Touch screens will rulez. Just like on Space Wars or Star Battles or whatever.
Im pretty sure its gonna be low resolution displays, so you probably wont notice so much.mprenfro said:if I understand this right, this means we are actually touching the screen.
Won't it get messy or have a lot of fingerprints or whatever.
I hate dirty screens. Am I the only one?
Unless its on the iPod of course..
ibook30 said:
amols said:
I'm thinking a really simple iPhone.Macnoviz said:Sounds like iPhone to me
15 keys (3 across, 5 down)
- Phone mode: numbers, *, #, send/end etc
- Music Shuffle mode: >, >>, <<, ||, stop etc
Plus a really simple 3 line display.
Of course, would they make a simple phone?
I see no reason to add any more buttons to the laptops. Why would I want to take my hands off the keyboard to press a shortcut button when I can do the same thing on the keyboard in 3-5 keystrokes?
slffl said:
I agree. I have one of those ergonomic microsoft keyboards on my PC which has a shortcut button to mycomputer, outlook, IE etc.. I never use 'em. On mac I just use quicksilver as a launcher. Don't see the need for more keys.
iSight screen
I remember reading an article about a technology were sensors are embedded between pixels. The result would be a screen that could look at you. You would be able to look the person you are video chatting with in the eye.
Just a thought
I remember reading an article about a technology were sensors are embedded between pixels. The result would be a screen that could look at you. You would be able to look the person you are video chatting with in the eye.
Just a thought
bassman said:
Apple filed a patent about what you are talking about... review patent application 20060007222
(note this is separate from the patents related to this thread.... however one could see them being used together)
slffl said:
Assuming you are referring to the folks talking about OLED keyboard...
The general point isn't more buttons but instead make existing buttons (keyboard keys) display what they are currently configured to trigger (either static configuration or dynamic in response to current usage mode or state of modifier keys).
GregA said:
If Apple does make a phone it will likely be simple... likely close to what you state. It will likely have few physical inputs (no sliding out keyboards, etc.) but those physical input would likely be multitasked to support different operational modes of the device (phone, music player, etc.).
If they leveraged displays integrated with the physical inputs then the visual appearance of the physical input can change to reflect what it currently does based on the current operation mode.
What I find interesting is in the picture, the laptop has two buttons. Considering the picture of what looks like an iPod appears to be 1G/2G, we can assume this was a few years back. Just strange they would use a two button picture, unless they are trying to throw people of the Apple scent.
ssteve said:
Well, I dunno... when they just spent the whole year bringing out the same computers in the same enclosures with different processors. Don't get me wrong, they're very impressive, but there has not really been anything that wasn't incremental in the last year or so. And Leapord didn't look that exciting. Some of the features (Backup management, multiple desktops) have been kicking aroung on windows for a while, even if they're less elegant or hidden in the control pannel.
And Tiger principally stole ideas from Konfabulator.
I'd say they stopped innovating a couple of years ago. When, roughly, do you think? Can we pin down a date? ;-)
///mdriver said:
Ryan5505 said:
Well I guess that is spotlight really. But I agree, its better to use both (quicksilver as a application launcher and spotlight to find files etc...)
I let spotlight do its thing (serching docs etc) but I set quicksilver to only search my applications folder. I use the ctrl+shift+space as the shortcut for quicksilver (ctrl+space is spotlight).
ha ha. Better late than never mdriver.
Funny how some people don't know about quicksilver. I couldn't live without it. Glad you guys like it. 
lord_flash said:
So, you don't think bringing over the essential "Mac user experience", the hardware AND the operating system AND all of your core software, to an entirely new processor architecture, new chipsets, with new board manufacturers, new suppliers, etc., while retaining the same form factor on the outside (completely retooling the insides) AND lowering the prices of the final product, all in less than a year, is innovating?
lord_flash said:
I agree on the Konfabulator, but as far as the rest of what you mention, I'd like to see you run a successful company and still turn a profit if you had to make changes like that as often as you demand.
Previous work.
I don't think that Apple can patent such device. Other things with the very same description already exist. For instance take a look at the Lemur Musical interface control device. There also has been numerous devices and parts and such that already do what is described in the patent.
I just don't think this one should pass. But ultimately, so many patents slip through easily.
I don't think that Apple can patent such device. Other things with the very same description already exist. For instance take a look at the Lemur Musical interface control device. There also has been numerous devices and parts and such that already do what is described in the patent.
I just don't think this one should pass. But ultimately, so many patents slip through easily.
All I'm wondering is why file a patent ...
... when there are already devices on the market that do what's described? I'd like to see the patent application, just out of curiosity. The text of the story suggests nothing new, only things that have already been done and sometimes even already brought to market.
... when there are already devices on the market that do what's described? I'd like to see the patent application, just out of curiosity. The text of the story suggests nothing new, only things that have already been done and sometimes even already brought to market.
I've been trying to get a hold of the OLED keyboard for sometime now if Apple released one I'd buy in a second because of the cool factor