The problem is the overly generous patent system. Futurologists at the various companies concoct ideas of what might be round the corner and patent concepts, before they have even reached the RnD stage.

Its the same in the drugs industry... by all accounts there are plenty of cures out there, but some big pharma companies have patented and copyrighted processes and compounds, meaning other companies cannot do similar research.

I don't care how altruistic you think these companies are, drugs/tech or other wise, it is all down to the effect on the bottom line. [read: greed - if I can't work on it now and profit, I will make damn sure you can't either].

Maybe Nokia have a few tech patents that others have used, but I think Apple are just sueing everyone they can in order to counter sues coming there way. All this sueing will just get to such a point that they all get thrown out IMHO with maybe a few millions being exchanged between them...

The HTC hardware is actually miles better.

Apples method of selling seems to be:

shit hardware + bathroom tile look + bucketloads of smugness = quality unique product that everyone needs.

I think Apple is becoming the Microsoft of the Mobile phone world. Its growing into a dominant position on the back of technologies taken from others, but better implimented. As its power in this market grows it is trying to block any compertition and control its market. The way it is attacking Adobe, and ignoring Flash, dispite it being a very important part of the interent (although flawed it cannot be denyed that many websites are built with it). Now it goes after Android, as it sees the OS begining to take the lead in innovation. I expect they are trying to find ways now to block cross platform development to ensure exclusivity. As a Nokia owner I am looking on at the sidelines, at the end of this year I expect to jump on Android or Apple....its going to be an interesting time to watch..... Apples next gen need to be a big leap, and maybe they are hoping to delay HTC with defending this case, when they should be trying to find new ways to keep ahead...

Looking at your posting history it seems obvious that you have a hatred of Apple products. So much so you even feel moved to use the "roll eyes" smiley.
Interesting.

Its not some irrational hatred, I just dont think they are as great as people have been led to believe.

You only have to look at the iPhone hardware, its actually pretty dire and without the hard work of developers and Apples marketing its just another touch screen device.

Despite releasing 3 different versions of the phone, the camera and processor is still streets behind the competition.

Yes, the patent system hasn't really adapted itself to the modern technology world. At least the length of time a patent runs for should be curtailed to just a few years. I understand they can run for up to 20 years from the point of filing.

It's clear to see that it is irrational.

You patrol every Apple thread on a (pointless) hate campaign. . .that doesn't seem to be working.

Refused a job at an Apple Store by any chance?

Either way it seems bitter. . . .people choose the products they want and there's nothing you can do about it - so try to enjoy your own life rather than spending your time trying to change the world - and failing.

Actually two threads, one of which I started. Hardly a patrol or any kind of campaign

Stating the obvious - "people choose the products they want and there's nothing you can do about it" - doesnt make anything I am saying wrong.

I applaud good well designed, well made products, but the iPhone is not one of them.

How can a phone costing such a vast amount of money still call itself sophisticated or modern with only a 3mp camera?

How is it modern or sophisticated to lock users out of choosing what they want to install on the device they own?!

Rather than attacking me, why dont you tell me why I'm wrong.

please you guys dont reduce this email to iphone hate vs iphone love. this thread relates to the patents and Apples lawsuit. I'm not a big fan of the iphone, nor of Apple who have become the sort of corperate monster that they used to be fighting against IMO. However, to stay on topic, this is going be be a mess with Nokia suing Apple, Blackberry suing motorola, Apple suing HTC and Nokia, Kodak suing too....as has been said the only winners here are the lawyers.

I have tried this plea in a few threads I have started, but once the red mist comes down and the name calling starts, there's no stopping them.

Apple are getting too big for their boots now and are suing everyone left right and centre just because everyone else is catching up in the touchscreen stakes and functionality.

Personally I'd like to see Steve "Creepier-than-a-cult-leader" Jobs get his ass handed to him on a plate by the courts and told to shut up and stop trying to prevent market competition!

Oh he will.

Like has been said, they cant sue for something they don't own. Apple bought the rights to the touchscreen tech then nicked every other part of it pretty much apart from their base OS, hence why they are being sued by nokia and kodak.

HTC are streets ahead in terms of tech on their devices and the android system is imo anyway much better than the iphone OS. But each to their own.

They don't stand a chance with this suit.

He's said the same to me when i disagree with him so i wouldn't worry about it lol

Didnt Xerox sue Apple after Apple stole some of their stuff?!

Well said. It's as sad as an extremely sad thing to see people get all 'emotional' (for want of a better word) over a brand of mobile telephone. Get a grip people otherwise the next thing that will happen is a big crowd of you will gather together to whoop and cheer when the head of your favourite company introduces another minor upgrade to something you don’t need. If you want to be a fan or support something try a local sports team as I am sure they could do with your dosh.

Apple have no reason whatsoever to be getting worried, and you do seem to have some anger management issues.

The problem here is that the US patent system is totally screwed, they'll grant damn near anything, prior art or not. From what I've read of these patents, they should never have been granted.

You do seem to have a lot of negativity towards Apple. I'm far from a fanboy, but can appreciate the simplicity/elegance of design and the clean UI.

I will ask the question - why is "everyone" gunning for Apple when they're such a small player in the mobile market? They're far from being the market leader - thats clearly Nokia/Symbian.

Android is going to have more than its fair share of problems though - massively confusing product ranges. Which one do you buy when there are so many slightly differing models?

Not angry at all! Just expressing my views

Jobs is the creepiest of the creeps though. And Apple seems to have turned into something more of a cult than a technology brand which is, I think, what makes me so uncomfortable!

Firstly, if Apple wishes to keep its patents then it has to defend them legally.

Secondly, Apple has invested millions of dollars in research and development and also spends large amounts on getting the patents themselves so they (Apple) have every right to defend their patents anyway. And I am sure Apple must do it as a duty to its shareholders to protect shareholder wealth.

Having said that, competition is good for the consumer and these patents try and prevent competition. However, Apple is merely protecting its assets. It is a problem with the patent system, although things between Google and Apple are heating up so that probably had something to do with it as well.

Thats about right. As i said before, design something to look like a bathroom tile and fill it with shit technology and it sells!



Yeah like Apple has never stolen technology from anyone else! What a joke!

This was inevitable really. I mean, do you think HTC et al (and Google) would be making the kind of smartphones (and OS) they are today if the iPhone had never existed? It was obvious Apple were going to have their toes trodden on and come out swinging at some point.

And patents do have to exist and be defended.

If you design a product that has aspects that push beyond what has gone before, you will have to price it at a level that recoups your significant R&D costs. If patents didn't exist, you'd simply have others copy it and with virtually no R&D costs, undercut you. There'd be no incentive for anyone to innovate anything.

Yes, it all looks very childish when they start suing each other for the slightest little thing, but that's inevitable. What's the alternative?

do you think the iphone would exist without the many smartphones that came before it?

Did these many pre-iPhone smartphones look and work like iPhones? The majority of post-iPhone smartphones do. Coincidence?

they had touch-screens, cap or res, they had apps (although not as well orginised), they had cameras, gps, wifi, 3g, video, music playback. like the ipod, the iphone is simply an unoriginal idea presented in a better package. the iphone offers nothing new in terms of technology, in fact in many ways its behind others (camera res is poor and no flash, video, MMS and 3G not on the first model dispite is being the norm elsewhere)...

These claims don't seem to be about the touch screen as such, just the heuristics they developed to interpret movements?
Why are people pointing out the origins of touch screens? I had a SonyEricsson P800 year ago, if that mattered.