News - Apple grabs patent for multi-touch technology

[HEXUS]

Legal ownership enough to go after the like of Palm Pre?

Read more.

[shaithis]

How the hell can they patent something as generic as that?

Surely, that's not worth the paper its printed on?

[kalniel]

Looks very specific to me, not generic. I think it's aimed at giving it some legal power over the devices that are designed to look just like an iphone and hence might mislead customers.

[danroyle]

were does that leave companies like LG as i have the cookie and it has alot of features similar to an iphone but cost a third of the money and i don't have to use CR** apple software.

[kalniel]

were does that leave companies like LG as i have the cookie and it has alot of features similar to an iphone but cost a third of the money and i don't have to use CR** apple software.

But does it have all of the features listed in the patent? There seem to be quite a lot of things that they are just patenting use of together.

[McPhee]

It'll be interesting to see how this affects competition. Hopefully they don't start sueing left right and centre

[Steve B]

were does that leave companies like LG as i have the cookie and it has alot of features similar to an iphone but cost a third of the money and i don't have to use CR** apple software.

Have you ever used an iPhone for a prolonged period of time?
I'm just curious as to your justification that apple software is crap.

[Funkstar]

Engadget get a hard time for just publishing puff pieces and slightly less than serious interpretations of press releases.

Yet as far as I can tell they are the only site that have actually gone and done some proper analysis on the Apple patent.

Have at it:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/a...epth-analysis/

[shaithis]

Interesting. Even after reading it I stick to my original statement.....it's all too generic

The angle of the finger when scrolling etc.....How else would you implement things like that on a touchscreen?

If they let people patent "ideas" like that, it's not surprising that there are so many lawsuits :S

[Biscuit]

apple software is good on apple hardware but i have never been a fan of using it on windows and i try to use the alternatives if i can. As for the iphone, a mate of mine has the HTC Touch HD and it looks better runs faster and is nicer to use IMO.

it won’t stand to have its intellectual property ripped off.

and of course apple have NEVER ripped anyone off lol