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Controversy Over Apple Travel Patent Application

They stole the design. I don't care if the App actually makes Pizza, it's the same f'n design. Stolen.

Hell, the App Store concept and even its ICON, was stolen from the very first 3rc party iPhone developers....Installer.app
 
Lynxpoint said:
I think laziness is the only crime here. A click-wheel of some sort or another has been on many devices, how different could they all be and still be a dial? The drawing could at least have been slightly different from the app in question, but using the screenshot when Apple has plenty of graphic designers that could create a mock-up easily enough is laughable. Someone got caught taking short-cuts.
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Maybe someone at Apple likes the "Where To?" app and wanted to give them a little tribute (the name is right there)? I mean, why not, it's just a patent diagram. It's not like it's an interface patent.
 
Stella said:
According to the developer, Apple are stealing.

But its *Very* low to use someone else's GUI. Can't Apple create their own mock up?

If this was your application I doubt either of you would be as forgiving.
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So according to your logic, that showing someone else's work in a patent application is equal to stealing (which you say Apple are doing), let's image that this patent was filed by FutureTap. Would you then be screaming that they are a terrible and immoral company because they are obviously filing a patent containing a device that looks suspiciously like Apple's iPhone?
 
pixelcruncher said:
This is what Apple does. Remember that iBooks was essentially a straight rip of Classics (who had asked Delicious Library for permission to use the similar interface)? Remember how Dashboard ripped off Konfabulator?

3rd party developers will always be able to innovate faster than Apple, which shifts coders from project to project depending on what Apple needs. Why waste time developing an innovative, unique interface when releasing iAds is far more important to Apple and they can take the best ideas from third party developers because they have a giant legal team that can keep things tied up in courts for years?
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There were earlier incarnations of the bookshelf metaphor than Delicious Library. It's an obvious metaphor, as is simulated page turning.

Delicious got a lot of undeserved mileage from this.
 
I don't consider this stealing, IMHO. It's like a two books having the same title, but very different content.
 
pmz said:
They stole the design. I don't care if the App actually makes Pizza, it's the same f'n design. Stolen.
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THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO PATENT THE DESIGN!

learn how to read people. my god. apple just used bad judgement in using where to's interface to show how something could work... the interface design has absolutely NOTHING to do with the patent.
 
Oh, for goodness sake.

They're using one of the apps available on the iPhone to illustrate some functionality. They're not trying to patent that particular interface.

They do this all the time in their ads and no one thinks they're taking credit for those apps.

Maybe someone should actually read the patent before launching accusations?
 
This whole thing and the confusion causing people to misconstrue the story would be over if Apple just changed this:

With the issue being noticed by others and still no response from Apple...
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Early response = swift end to controversy.
 
Tyre said:
So according to your logic, that showing someone else's work in a patent application is equal to stealing (which you say Apple are doing), let's image that this patent was filed by FutureTap. Would you then be screaming that they are a terrible and immoral company because they are obviously filing a patent containing a device that looks suspiciously like Apple's iPhone?
Click to expand...

If this was your application I you'd be as forgiving.
 
justflie said:
Were they planning on buying the company and just forgot to mention it? lol. Ridiculous.
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i guess you just forgot to read the patent... if you had you would realize the interface has nothing to do with the functionality they are applying the patent for...

lol. Ridiculous.
 
These comments are hilarious. Did anyone actually read the patent?

Apple are just using examples of well known apps screens in the patent. They are not patenting them. They are patenting an API/Framework which other apps (as seen in the patent drawings) could benefit from.

Man, people are dumb.
 
Morally bankrupt

fribhey said:
you need to read the article again. apple didn't steal anything. you are overreacting just like the app's developers and are flinging false accusations based on quick judgements and lack of knowledge.
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They're copying someone else's copyright artwork without permission. In whatever context (patent application, website, whatever) that is legally shady and morally bankrupt.

Apple's biggest problem are apologists like you who will defend whatever they do, no matter how shady or disreputable. This only encourages them to feel they can get away with ignoring the rights of partners, developers and users. Apple seriously need constructive criticism right now, and I commend macrumors and this developer for providing it.
 
Stella said:
If this was your application I you'd be as forgiving.
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yeah because FutureTap is going to be furious over the boost in sales this non-story is creating :rolleyes:

stupid apple for generating more income for FutureTap.
 
If that patent application is authentic, this looks really bad for Apple. Any one has the link to the USPO website?
 
Stella said:
If this was your application I you'd be as forgiving.
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Your question doesn't make sense, since it assumes that Apple did anything wrong. I would have nothing to forgive them for since, once again, they are not patenting my work.

If you file an application for tires and include a Prius in the diagram to show how they work, you are do not owe Toyota an apology. You are not patenting their work.
 
guet said:
They're copying someone else's copyright artwork without permission. In whatever context (patent application, website, whatever) that is legally shady and morally bankrupt.

Apple's biggest problem are apologists like you who will defend whatever they do, no matter how shady or disreputable. This only encourages them to feel they can get away with ignoring the rights of partners, developers and users. Apple seriously need constructive criticism right now, and I commend macrumors and this developer for providing it.
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hey check it out, FutureTap is using apple's copyrighted image of the iphone on their website to sell their product:
http://www.futuretap.com/home/whereto-en/

Apple's biggest problem are people who overreact and act like the sky is failing over stupid pointless things.
 
fribhey said:
yeah because FutureTap is going to be furious over the boost in sales this non-story is creating :rolleyes:

stupid apple for generating more income for FutureTap.
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The developer is quite pissed off, Ambela thought it was a big enough deal to make it more public. Maybe its not a big deal for you, but for others, i.e,. the developer, it is.

Apple are lazy, they couldn't even be arsed to create their own mock up for a patent application.
 
fribhey said:
THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO PATENT THE DESIGN!

learn how to read people. my god. apple just used bad judgement in using where to's interface to show how something could work... the interface design has absolutely NOTHING to do with the patent.
Click to expand...

Irrelevant. They're not trying to patent the design, true, but they DID use a copyrighted design in their patent application WITHOUT permission from the copyright holder. You can't just use someone's work like that.
 
Sigh, are you guys really that ignorant? You do know how idiotic you all seem, spewing off without ACTUALLY reading the patent. Here, just read this comment that sums it up perfectly:

Guys, read the patent.
They're not patenting what "Where to" does (finding the closest "X")
They're patenting a way to determine you've taken a flight and then do something after that.

They've used "Where to" as an example of the kinds of things that could be done with this technology (ie, pull up relevant information once it is determined you've arrived at the destination) , but they're not patenting Where to's technology.

Similarly, I wouldn't be surprised if you found images of other company's websites in Google's patents. They're not "stealing" other website designs, just using them as an example.
 
LTDR: IF you think Apple is stealing anything here, you've been mislead completely.


I have been forced to recognize that the public is generally ignorant of things when it comes to technology.

So, I do blame every bit of media that is making hay out of this as if it were news for misleading people.

Ortwin Gentz really should be ashamed of himself.

Credit to MacRumors for at least pointing out that this is not Apple stealing someone else's idea. (And by the way, ideas are not patentable, applications are not patentable, and user interfaces are usually not patentable. Certainly a wheel of buttons is not pattentable and isn't patented here.)

It is amazing the nonsense the media will spread about Apple whenever they can find an excuse.

Worse they don't seem to care if they are doing it by deliberately misleading the public.

Shame on everyone who reports this as if it were some kind of a scandal or theft on Apple's part.

Illustrations in patents are for illustration purposes only.
 
fribhey said:
hey check it out, FutureTap is using apple's copyrighted image of the iphone on their website to sell their product:
http://www.futuretap.com/home/whereto-en/
Click to expand...

You got proof that this is image is copyrighted by Apple? How do you know it's not a photo they took themselves, or licensed the image from a graphics designer?

Apple's biggest problem are people who overreact and act like the sky is failing over stupid pointless things.
Click to expand...

That's called karma. Which company was it again that always cried about other people COPYING them? Eh?
 
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