Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple's 'Communicating Stylus' for Capturing Digital Versions of Handwritten Notes Wins Patent

stewy said:
Really? This is a joke right?
Click to expand...

maflynn said:
Does this mean we'll be seeing a stylus on iDevices in the future? Seems like a 180 degree change in direction from their prior position.
Click to expand...

My understanding is, it's not a stylus to be used with our iDevices, but a (sophisticated) pen with interchangeable tips that one would use normally on paper or a whiteboard, with an exact copy of our text or scribbling wirelessly going to our iDevice for sharing or editing at a later time. That's somewhat different from those cheap, flimsy and somewhat cumbersome stylii, to be used on your iDevice, that seem to get misplaced all too easily.

Could actually be a very useful accessory, if it ever comes to market.
 
Rogifan said:
I'm not sure what's unique about this to award it a patent. But Apple has at least 20 patents/patent applications for some sort of smart pen. How long does it take for them to bring something like that to market? You want to really kill off Microsoft Surface? Introduce proper pen support for iPad.

----------



Yes for the majority of things one does on an iPad a stylus is not needed. :)
Click to expand...

They are clearly waiting until they get patents to release new features.
 
Tycho24 said:
I agree with you that trade dress is VERY important & worth protecting probably even more than hardware or software features... as many purchases come down to the visual appeal of a product. Insightful post & I'm happy to concur.

Unless of course, you did not mean it & were dragging out the most tired old trope for a lame flogging of a long deceased horse in an effort perhaps to successfully post the least humorous and least original comment of the day... If that's what you were after, then I'm happy to say: please let the deadest of dead unfunny memes lay.
Click to expand...

Awwwwwww, it'll be ok. :rolleyes:
 
flottenheimer said:
So, in one scenario, this special pen would let me write on paper – with ink – resulting in both a paper and a digital copy of the note? Correct?

If the price wasn't too steep, I'd really, really like that.
Click to expand...

Yup, I frequently grab my clipboard with a pad of paper to draw pictures and lay out my thoughts away from the computer. To have those thoughts neatly digitized for me automatically would be amazing!
 
AppleScruff1 said:
Exactly. We already have 10 built in.
Click to expand...

Love to see you at painting class.

Everyone else will be using fine crafted tools (brushes) designed over years to allow fine control, fine lines, and all manner of brush strokes to be artistically created.

Whilst you will just stick your finger in the paint like a child and slap the pain on the canvas :)

And all those professional computer artists and designers, using expensive wacom devices, you should tell them they are doing it wrong. :)

Seems mankind has been wasting it's time developing tools that enhance what we can do with our bare hands? Humans the tool makers?

So you think it's all been a waste and we should of stuck with our bare fingers for everything?

Nice :)
 
LordBeelzebub said:
So for drawing apps you'd rather use your fingers for precise drawing than a stylus? Using your iPad in a business meeting with a Note taking app, you'd rather your finger to quickly write out notes rather then a stylus? For businesses that use the iPhone and/or iPad to complete financial transactions that require a signature, it's better to write with a big ol finger than a stylus? For students who use it for school...the list goes on and on why a stylus is 10 times better than using a finger for many reasons and situations.
Click to expand...

No, I wouldn't. But the almighty Steve would.

----------
Piggie said:
Love to see you at painting class.

Everyone else will be using fine crafted tools (brushes) designed over years to allow fine control, fine lines, and all manner of brush strokes to be artistically created.

Whilst you will just stick your finger in the paint like a child and slap the pain on the canvas :)

And all those professional computer artists and designers, using expensive wacom devices, you should tell them they are doing it wrong. :)

Seems mankind has been wasting it's time developing tools that enhance what we can do with our bare hands? Humans the tool makers?

So you think it's all been a waste and we should of stuck with our bare fingers for everything?

Nice :)
Click to expand...

But I was talking about using fingers instead of a stylus since Steve was against using a stylus. This is MR, common sense tends to fly out the window at times. I thought the sarcasm was obvious. :D
 
An incredible, amazing iStylus? Oh wait this is Tim's era, it's an amazing, incredible AppleStylus
 
How is this in any way different from the Crosspad, the joint venture between the Cross Pen Co and IBM around 1998? The Crosspad did exactly what the displayed sketch depicts except that one had to hook it up to a PC via serial cable to see the notes/sketches. I'd think anything IBM was involved in would have been patented out the wazoo in all variations.
 
maflynn said:
Actually Samsung has had styli for quite some time. They won't be copying apple since they beat apple to the punch by years.
Click to expand...

Apple had the Newton stylus-based Message Pad in the 1990s. Was Samsung selling a stylus-based pad before that? Actually the first Newton was released even before 1990.

Apple's Newtons were produced around the same ancient era when the Palm Pilots were popular.
 
MEMSMaster said:
How is this in any way different from the Crosspad, the joint venture between the Cross Pen Co and IBM around 1998? The Crosspad did exactly what the displayed sketch depicts except that one had to hook it up to a PC via serial cable to see the notes/sketches. I'd think anything IBM was involved in would have been patented out the wazoo in all variations.
Click to expand...

How is this different? It's Apple.:D
 
kdarling said:
Interestingly, Cross filed for a trademark on the term "IPAD" in 1997... which apparently was the working name before switching to "Crosspad".

The trademark states that it was for "a personal digital notepad and stylus".

They abandoned the trademark in 1999.
Click to expand...

So Apple didn't come up with the iPad name on it's own? :eek: :D
 
Kenrik said:
College Lectures - all of the professors whiteboard notes saved onto every iPad in the room instantly. Kinda sounds like a killer app.
Click to expand...

We're talking about meetings mostly where a whiteboard is used for say brain storming or changing designs, formulae, etc. It does it in real time. BTW I couldn't find that app on the App Store. Is it a photo of the whiteboard? Is it a regular whiteboard as opposed to a Smartboard? Also this stylus can be used anywhere even in the air.
 
Sandstorm said:
Fingers crossed this means Apple is considering stylus... I absolutely, totally would love and use stylus input on an iPad (Pro?) for various creative purposes.
Click to expand...

You know you can buy any cheap smartphone stylus to do what you want right? They sell them at the 99 cent store.
 
AppleScruff1 said:
So Apple didn't come up with the iPad name on it's own? :eek: :D
Click to expand...

DUDE, Apple doesn't come up with ANYTHING on their own! They steal features from jailbreak tweaks and android features! Apple hasn't invented anything since the very first touch screen phone! Tell me I'm not the only person who actually see's this.

So apple makes this patent, for something that has already been invented, so that other companies won't be able to compete or even make anything similar. What a bunch of bastards apple is. Why don't they patent their damn ugly faces?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFeC25BM9E0
 
occollegeboi420 said:
You know you can buy any cheap smartphone stylus to do what you want right? They sell them at the 99 cent store.
Click to expand...

For some reason a large number of MR posters seem unable to destinguish between a cheap capacitative pens and and more advanced digitizing approaches. This issue has been around since the early wacom devices over twenty years ago. get a clue
 
rowspaxe said:
For some reason a large number of MR posters seem unable to destinguish between a cheap capacitative pens and and more advanced digitizing approaches. This issue has been around since the early wacom devices over twenty years ago. get a clue
Click to expand...

Why don't you stop being rude to me? Get a clue? Why don't YOU get a clue and spend your money more wisely on something other than an iPhone.

If you had a CLUE you'd know that this thing that apple is "patenting" has already been invented.

The only people this will benefit are artists and designers who need to use fine points. But the REAL artists and designers are not doing their work on a FREAKING iPAD!!! Maybe if you're an amateur or novice.
 
Last edited:
AppleScruff1 said:
Awwwwwww, it'll be ok. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Thanks!!! =)
I know.

We will both go on & live our lives. Not EVERY post of yours will be embarrassing and sad... & not EVERY post of mine will be snide in annoyance. We can live on in peace. ✌
Some of our posts will be informative... some will be contemplative... some will be reactive...
Some will be clever; some will be absurd.

Let's not pretend like just because your poor attempt at a joke briefly struck a nerve as the ten thousandth time somebody has painfully dredged up a stupid and meaningless "rounded corners" comment WELL past its "best consumed by... " date, that I need a coddling reassurance. I'm not pretending that your comment was made out of hatred of Apple... or anger at the legal system... or ANYTHING other than a brief lapse of taste & tact.
Please award me the same courtesy and don't make assumptions about me, sir.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back