Friday, April 27th 2012

Apple Seeks to Patent MacBook Air Design, OLED Brightness

Apple wants to hold patents to the wedge-shaped design of its MacBook Air, and an interesting technique to adjust OLED display brightness. The application for this patent passed through USPTO, on Thursday. The application describes claims over "wedge shaped top case", with a lid hinged to a base. The wedge-shape contributes to the user's impression of a device, its lightness, and its durability. Apple's MacBook Air bears this design, and reports indicate that so will the upcoming MacBook Pro series. Wired.com opines that the move is to block out partners of Intel's Ultrabook ecosystem from imitating the design.

Another more interesting patent application for a technique to adjust brightness of OLED displays. None of Apple's products, not even the iPod Nano, feature an OLED screen, yet Apple is frantically applying for the patent. While conventional LCD panels use an augmented illumination source (such as LED or CCFL), in OLED displays, there is no external illumination, and hence adjusting brightness is very tricky from a technical standpoint. The method Apple described in its patent claim consists of converting an image (frame) on a logarithmic scale along the palette, dimming it, and then displaying that dimmed frame. This patent could prove valuable for Apple, as the industry is beginning to transition from TFT-LCD to OLED flat-panel displays.
Source: Wired
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57 Comments on Apple Seeks to Patent MacBook Air Design, OLED Brightness

#26
Kantastic
April 27th is the new April Fools day.

If this isn't a fucking joke I'm going to make it my life goal to prevent all my relatives from buying Apple junk.
Posted on Reply
#27
largon
I try to favor companies that make good products and if possible, are not obviously trying to abuse 'n sabotage their workers, competion or customers. Intel and Apple are two bigs companies in IT I dislike due to this. Intel for their past(?) business practices, which is kinda a shame since their products are very good. But Apple, I dislike Apple for other reasons; firstly, their gadgets are not really any good. Secondly, Apple's products are way overpriced. Finally Apple's retarded patent practices makes them look very bad.

Intel I could buy in the future. They seem to have dropped their abusive ways (now that the competition is crippled).

But I don't see myself buying anything from Apple.
Posted on Reply
#28
Kreij
Senior Monkey Moderator
On topic : Apple has always based the majority of their marketting on their desgns and look. I would expect them to try to get patents to keep thier products unique in the market. I would do the same thing if a big portion of my marketting strategy was based on unique designs.

Off Topic : Goodbye old wedge top friend. :cry:
Posted on Reply
#29
xtremesv
FrickOk. Right. Some of it might be true (like the Galaxy thing) but iPhones and iPads? The reason both of them exploded the market was because they were SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MARKET. Did you use even a high end WinMo phone? When people had used those for a decade IOS came and blew them away, for very good reasons. It wasn't perfect but it was smooth and easy to use and you didn't have to use that stylus and it was like a fresh wind in their faces. The same with iPads. Tablets have been around for ever but they just weren't very good. They were clumsy and mostly aimed at the corporate sector. Then the iPad came and did things right for the consumers and it was a huge hit, again for good reasons. And if Apple stolen and copied everything they ever did, why did it become huge first when apple did it?

And others copy Apple because Apple is the target wether you like it or not.

And then we have the Apple Newton, which pretty much created the concept of the PDA.

So just shut up because Apple have made a lot of decent stuff and all the IOS devices are big and famous because they deserve it. Really, they do, and the market think they do. And why did Intel and whatever came up with the concept of "Ultrabooks"? Could it have something to do with the fact that there were good computers on the market that people wanted to buy that was light and thin and had a certain look? A market that could do with some competition?

I am sick and tired of the mindless hating.
The problem here is a problem of concepts. The true origin of ideas and then innovation. Apple made the iPhone and the iPad but didn't come up with the core ideas behind those products. No one can claim the purity of a concept, no such thing exists. Through history, people have built their creations upon the creations of others. To be completely fair we should patent everything humans have created so far.
Posted on Reply
#30
xtremesv
KreijOn topic : Apple has always based the majority of their marketting on their desgns and look. I would expect them to try to get patents to keep thier products unique in the market. I would do the same thing if a big portion of my marketting strategy was based on unique designs.

Off Topic : Goodbye old wedge top friend. :cry:
img.techpowerup.org/120427/wedgetoiletseat.jpg
When was that toilet produced, someone knows? That could be used as "prior art" to debunk Apple's intentions :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#31
Kreij
Senior Monkey Moderator
xtremesvTo be completely fair we should patent everything humans have created so far.
Do you work for Apple?!? :eek: :roll: (j/k)

There is so much patent litigation these days (by everyone), I've pretty much been completely desensitized to it. Let them sue. I don't care anymore.
Posted on Reply
#32
Stephen.
What do they want next? the world? why don't they go patent Planet Earth, better yet the Universe or Galaxy while they are at it.
Posted on Reply
#33
EpicShweetness
I don't wanna rant but seriously what the fuck! So a laptop a certain shape and weight is a patent from Apple? Who thought of this bullshit?

Couple days ago went with my step mom to get something for my dads B-day. The only electronics store was an Apple store, fuck me! Went in there and was stoped by a "Apple Genius" when I was check'n out the Ipad3. Ok first off I was comparing it to the Transformer prime 32GB. I found one for $400, the I-pad was $600 wtf! The Apple "Genius's" response it has the most advanced technology and easiest ..... blah blah fucking parrot. Done! Grab the gas an matches!
Posted on Reply
#34
Kreij
Senior Monkey Moderator
st.boneWhat do they want next? the world? why don't they go patent Planet Earth, better yet the Universe or Galaxy while they are at it.
God holds those patents. The Apple litigation team is not prepared to do battle at that level.
EpicShweetnessI don't wanna rant ...
Then why did you?
Such conflicting emotions hiding in the bowels of our members' brains. lol

Okay, here's a question. Why does anyone here care if Apple is granted this patent?
Posted on Reply
#35
Steevo
TheMailMan78Wow someone makes software that has become trendy and you wish eternal damnation on his immortal soul? Overreact much? :laugh:

Apple is so defensive of patents because of the amount of industrial incest that goes on today. Apple creates a trend via product and marketing and EVERYONE copies them. So now they have just become super defensive. Its not right but anyone in their position would do the same thing I think.
No, its his treatment of humans in the factories that make the overpriced plastic garbage most of us want him to burn in a lake of fire and sulpher (tm) for all of eternity, giving away little while being regarded as a genius by masses of blithering idiots with marshmellow cream for brains.
KreijOkay, here's a question. Why does anyone here care if Apple is granted this patent?
Prices go up for us when normal companies are forced to pay more to worthless companies like apple, or competition goes away when they are closed down due to the generous bribes to officials make sure the litigation goes their way.
Posted on Reply
#36
sykozis
TheMailMan78Wow someone makes software that has become trendy and you wish eternal damnation on his immortal soul? Overreact much? :laugh:

Apple is so defensive of patents because of the amount of industrial incest that goes on today. Apple creates a trend via product and marketing and EVERYONE copies them. So now they have just become super defensive. Its not right but anyone in their position would do the same thing I think.
Apple also has a habit of applying for patents on technology they've had nothing to do with.... Apple allied for a patent for using multiple OLED screens to produce 3D images, yet Apple was in no way related to the development of OLED screens according to the information I can find. So, why can they file for a patent that's specific to a technology they have no claim to?
Posted on Reply
#37
aayman_farzand
I love the design of the MBA and hate the fact that Ultrabooks had to blatantly rip off it. If this patent had been applied for before the release of the UBs or at the time of MBA's debut then no one (but haters of course) would have an issue with it.

...but why now? A lot of the products are already out, so I don't want the patent to pass completely cause it'll other the other companies and slow down the growth of UBs (yes even despite the fact that they copied it).
Posted on Reply
#38
Kantastic
aayman_farzandI love the design of the MBA and hate the fact that Ultrabooks had to blatantly rip off it. If this patent had been applied for before the release of the UBs or at the time of MBA's debut then no one (but haters of course) would have an issue with it.

...but why now? A lot of the products are already out, so I don't want the patent to pass completely cause it'll other the other companies and slow down the growth of UBs (yes even despite the fact that they copied it).
Other companies didn't copy jack. Apple ripped off the entire laptop/notebook concept from the genius that invented the first laptop. If anyone should be sued, it's Apple.
Posted on Reply
#39
Steevo
aayman_farzandI love the design of the MBA and hate the fact that Ultrabooks had to blatantly rip off it. If this patent had been applied for before the release of the UBs or at the time of MBA's debut then no one (but haters of course) would have an issue with it.

...but why now? A lot of the products are already out, so I don't want the patent to pass completely cause it'll other the other companies and slow down the growth of UBs (yes even despite the fact that they copied it).
Sorry, but thie idea of a thinner lighter laptop is what ALL laptop makers have been doing for years.


And actually if anyone has a right to sue, its IBM/Lenovo



en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThinkPad

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThinkPad_X_Series#X60_and_X60s

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThinkPad_X_Series

2005 VS 2008


Sorry, but mac is worthless.

So you would rather NOT have any competition to drive prices lower and performance higher?


Genius.
Posted on Reply
#40
micropage7
KreijOn topic : Apple has always based the majority of their marketting on their desgns and look. I would expect them to try to get patents to keep thier products unique in the market. I would do the same thing if a big portion of my marketting strategy was based on unique designs.

Off Topic : Goodbye old wedge top friend. :cry:
img.techpowerup.org/120427/wedgetoiletseat.jpg
unique design should based from research and development not by using law and say we patent that innovation.
some apple's design not far from their competitor. so if apple 'copy' the design then patent that what would you do?
it aint fair or in other words is selfish
Posted on Reply
#41
bostonbuddy
Apple is going to patent flat rectangular phones
Posted on Reply
#42
entropy13
Looks like the heretical populace are suddenly showing themselves here.

Hail to the Holy Apple!
Posted on Reply
#43
Morgoth
Fueled by Sapphire
i dont like appels i prefer banana's
Posted on Reply
#44
Octavean
The Atari 400 and 800 used a wedge design. So did the Commador 64 and some early TI systems. The Colecovision PC add on too. The Apple IIe and other Apple designs didn't,....it had some odd cut off shape. Apple is actually decades late on the wedge design,....

I don't hate Apple, I use some of their products but not exclusively. Still, I'd like to tell them were they can stick there wedge design patent application,....
Posted on Reply
#45
sykozis
aayman_farzandI love the design of the MBA and hate the fact that Ultrabooks had to blatantly rip off it. If this patent had been applied for before the release of the UBs or at the time of MBA's debut then no one (but haters of course) would have an issue with it.

...but why now? A lot of the products are already out, so I don't want the patent to pass completely cause it'll other the other companies and slow down the growth of UBs (yes even despite the fact that they copied it).
I have issue with any patent of this type. I also have issue with patents filed purely to prevent competition or innovation, which is Apple's typical motivation. Maybe if Apple actually created something new or unique, it'd be a different story. Problem is, Apple is the least innovative "tech" company in existance....yet claim to have created every market they've entered into. I'd honestly be surprised if Apple even has 1 patent that wasn't filed for based on "proof of concept"....
Posted on Reply
#46
Delta6326
I think people should be more worried about how crappy of a drawing and laptop design that pic is...
Posted on Reply
#47
EarlZ
So Apple is getting ready to jump into the OLED tech?

Either they have found a very good manufacturer for it or they are gambling with a very great screen but has tons and tons of manufacturing inconsistencies, coming from a S8500, Galaxy S, Galaxy S2, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab7.7, I know first hand.
Posted on Reply
#48
F1reFly
Apple products have a great user experience. That's all i care about.
i pick up Android and Windows stuff and they have too many inconsistancies when using them, from stutter scrolling to various other quirks not to mention cheaper quality parts, you can often tell that no one before production of these various mobile devices ever sat down with the product and tried to perfect it.
what Apple innovates or not or what patent they have doesn't mean crap to a product that has a great feel and does what is expected with consistancy. Something that my Windows laptop has never had nor my Android phone...at least when i buy something Apple, i know what i can expect. i don't have to research 200 models from various companies just to use the same apps and OS they all offer.
My ipod and ipad to this day, have literally outlasted with consistant performance and quick access from a great feeling UI than any MP3 player and touch device that i've ever owned, which was quite a few more than i'd care to admit.
That alone speaks volumes more than what Patent they are abusing or what they stole from some company that obviously couldn't do enough with on their own.
Posted on Reply
#49
sykozis
Problem is, Apple likes to use patents to hinder innovation/competition...not promote it. Would be quite a bit different if Apple's intention was the contrary of what it's been proven to be.
Posted on Reply
#50
Steevo
F1reFlyApple products have a great user experience. That's all i care about.
i pick up Android and Windows stuff and they have too many inconsistancies when using them, from stutter scrolling to various other quirks not to mention cheaper quality parts, you can often tell that no one before production of these various mobile devices ever sat down with the product and tried to perfect it.
what Apple innovates or not or what patent they have doesn't mean crap to a product that has a great feel and does what is expected with consistancy. Something that my Windows laptop has never had nor my Android phone...at least when i buy something Apple, i know what i can expect. i don't have to research 200 models from various companies just to use the same apps and OS they all offer.
My ipod and ipad to this day, have literally outlasted with consistant performance and quick access from a great feeling UI than any MP3 player and touch device that i've ever owned, which was quite a few more than i'd care to admit.
That alone speaks volumes more than what Patent they are abusing or what they stole from some company that obviously couldn't do enough with on their own.
While I cannot disagree with the smooth factor of Apple products, their performance and cheap quality parts is utter crap. If you are comparing a I phone to a equal priced and featured phone from samsung, moto, or HTC you will be sorry to know they almost all use the same manufacturers and parts.

Screen, Gorilla glass.
ARM Processors.
Samsung (ARM) or Nvidia GPU
Memory is generic
Micro SD doesn't become magic when inserted in a Apple


Just make sure to hold your phone this way or use a cover, that is if you want it to work.
We have no Wifi issues.
Macs Don't need anti-virus.
Macs take care of themselves.
Macs don't break.

YOu can justify to yourself your purchase however you want, but don't try and pawn it off on the rest of us here as being a superior device, its not.
Posted on Reply
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