Apple has revealed some gaming accessories in the works with several patents of different designs. http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/04/whoa-apple-reveals-amazing-gaming-accessories-in-the-works.html Craig Rothwell (designer) and ZoDTTD are understandably rather pissed because it looks as though Apple has copied the "iControlPad" design and then patented it, lol. http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/iControlpad/news.asp?c=19637
I seriously doubt that somebody would go to all the effort of drawing 10 official patent designs and writing thousands of words all for the sake of an April fools
Quote (pocket gamer) "This was announced on April the 1st," Rothwell goes on, "and at first we thought it might be a joke aimed at us, but it's now been reported on several other sites, today, april the 2nd." This isn't an April fools.
Yeah I am surprised that Apple even applied for the double screen patent. I thought it would be too risky for them to actually make and sell something like this, with Nintendo and their DS - risky territory IMO.
I just found out that craig actually owns the IP and prior art to the "iControlPad". http://twitter.com/Craigix Looks like Apple could be in trouble here...
In which case the patent is invalid and he should contest it. There's no shortage of proof that his device existed long before Apple's patent was granted. It's his IP and Apple have absolutely no right to claim it as their own. They're going to be in even more trouble once Nintendo finds out about this. I mean come on, two screens, and the lower one just happens to be touch-sensitive? At least try not to make it look like a DS ripoff.
patent applications are relatively meaningless. the most trouble apple is in here is that they won't get the patent. apple tries to patent a lot of stuff. arn
Personally I'm still convinced this is April Fools. The whole thing sounds very un-Apple to me. If Apple were truly interested in something like this they would probably have added some additional control-methods to the iPad. The fact that other sites have reported the "news" after April 1st. could simply be down to those sites not catching the date of the original article either. This kind of thing happens every year...
Not really. If you've not already done so, look up the history of the GUI, in particular the bit where apple (and gates) went to see the xerox star....
TheFamousEccles is quite right. Apple have never been about blatant rip-offs. They have always been working hard at making the better mousetrap. The whole desktop analogy for instance is an element Apple deserves loads of credit for. Much like today, Apple saw the technology and humanized it bringing down the barrier between technology and the user.
Have a look at the site again: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/04/whoa-apple-reveals-amazing-gaming-accessories-in-the-works.html You really think that someone would go to all that effort of writing over 3,000 words and drawing all of those complex designs all for the sake of an April fools? If so they must have a lot of time on their hands. Plus it's April 3rd now, you'd think they would have taken it down or admitted it was an April fools by now.
