Apple Orders Technicians to Feign Ignorance About Mac Malware

**stealthify** · 07-06-2011, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by BigTyla

You screwed up by saying they make an effort to be different. There are differences in the Galaxy S, however subtle they may be. There's only so many ways you can produce a phone while meeting certain form factors. The smaller phones get, the more homogenized they become.

The Droid pictured above is also a "small, thin black rectangle with buttons." Should Apple be suing Droid as well? Do you see how asanine that is?

It would be an absolute travesty for Apple to win this lawsuit. I can't even begin to imagine the reprecussions this would have throughout the tech community. You'll have microchip producers going after each other because a competitor's chip looks too similar.

Hate to say it Shaun, but you and Apple are totally off base on this one.

I don't see how I screwed up, Tyler? The point was to be MORE than subtly different. If Toyota came out with a car that could easily be mistaken for a 3000GT (same taillights, sail panels, bumper, etc), would Mitsubishi go after them? I think so. Apple took the time to come up with a phone with pleasing aesthetics, Samsung leeched on that idea and tweaked it subtly. But not enough, and that's why this is an issue.

There are MANY ways to make a unique looking phone, just as there are many ways to make a unique looking car. While the overall concept will be the same (speaker, microphone, camera, screen, etc), it is how closely one manufacturer makes their product to look like another that inspires these patent lawsuits to come up.

As far as the Droid comment goes. No, Apple should not sue Motorola over that. It looks like a completely different phone. And that is why Apple is NOT suing them, no matter how well of a seller the Droid was.

You're currently in the mindset that this article is about Apple telling Samsung to stop making smartphones. That would be a travesty. The good news is that they are not. They're just telling Samsung to stop using their styling cues, especially in combination with one another to make it essentially look exactly like an iPhone 3G/3GS. This is where Apple has grounds to stand on.

In closing, Samsung will continue to make smart phones. They will NOT look like they were designed and made by Apple (with a glossy beveled back, a mute switch in the same exact location, a chrome bezel on the front, etc). The world will be fine, and competition will continue to thrive. That's all there is to it.

**IPD** · 07-06-2011, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by stealthify

Or, maybe these two manufacturers are selling so well because they're modeling after Apple?

While the Samsung argument is obvious (I mean look at the damn thing!), I'm not as well versed on the HTC patent infringement suit. However, it should go without saying that Apple isn't suing them because they are making a smartphone (as a device), they're putting their foot down on some very specific copying that has to do with patents that Apple was legally awarded PRIOR to these manufacturers copying them. If my memory serves me correctly, HTC had around 20 patent infringements that could have had to do with anything that Apple was granted a patent to. How generic these patents were, I have no idea. But in the end, the court will decide better than I ever could.

wait...you just said they're not cloning apple, because the phones are sufficiently different--and now you're saying they're "modeling after apple"? which is it?

**stealthify** · 07-06-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by IPD

wait...you just said they're not cloning apple, because the phones are sufficiently different--and now you're saying they're "modeling after apple"? which is it?

You said that HTC and Samsung happen to be two of Apple's largest competitors, and that is why you suspect Apple is going after them.

I said that perhaps the reason that HTC and Samsung have become such large competitors of Apple is BECAUSE they copied a number of Apple's registered patents.

No flip-flopping here.

**IPD** · 07-06-2011, 11:58 AM

Apple Sues Motorola over Multitouch in Android Phones - Mobile and Wireless - News & Reviews - eWeek.com

apple isn't suing motorola? lol!

here's a test. type "apple sues" into google, and see what comes up. in fact, try and find tech companies that apple ISN'T suing currently.

**stealthify** · 07-06-2011, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by IPD

Apple Sues Motorola over Multitouch in Android Phones - Mobile and Wireless - News & Reviews - eWeek.com

apple isn't suing motorola? lol!

here's a test. type "apple sues" into google, and see what comes up. in fact, try and find tech companies that apple ISN'T suing currently.

When someone makes a hot product, people will copy it and/or certain aspects of it. In the short amount of time that we've had this caliber of smartphones, it would make sense that certain manufacturers would be quick to copy JUST so they can hit the market faster. You'll see this trend with ANY emerging technology.

But as I said, Apple didn't sue Motorola for the Droid, they had an issue with them infringing on a single patent (multi-touch) that they were legally granted and therefore expected to defend.

**IPD** · 07-06-2011, 12:07 PM

i'm sorry, but apple might as well claim it has a copyright on making a song about telling someone you love them--these patent suits are just that rediculous.

**BigTyla** · 07-06-2011, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by stealthify

You're currently in the mindset that this article is about Apple telling Samsung to stop making smartphones.

No I'm not. I'm in the mindset that that portion of the lawsuit is completely asinine, and it is. It's almost as bad as the failed Apple "Appstore" lawsuit. That was a real laugher too!

**stealthify** · 07-06-2011, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by BigTyla

No I'm not. I'm in the mindset that that portion of the lawsuit is completely asinine, and it is. It's almost as bad as the failed Apple "Appstore" lawsuit. That was a real laugher too!

You want to know some real asinine patents? Try these on for size:

'1-click purchasing' - Amazon
'Page up/page down' on your keyboard - Microsoft
'Doodles' on Google's Homepage - Google
'Feed' for statuses/updates - Facebook

The list goes on.

You guys really should get off your high-horse. You make it sound like Apple is the first and only company to defend their patents. I suppose your vitriol should be pointed towards USPTO, they're the ones approving this stuff.

**BigTyla** · 07-06-2011, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by stealthify

You want to know some real asinine patents? Try these on for size:

'1-click purchasing' - Amazon
'Page up/page down' on your keyboard - Microsoft
'Doodles' on Google's Homepage - Google
'Feed' for statuses/updates - Facebook

The list goes on.

You guys really should get off your high-horse. You make it sound like Apple is the first and only company to defend their patents. I suppose your vitriol should be pointed towards USPTO, they're the ones approving this stuff.

If you think any of those is anywhere close in insanity to the attempt by Apple to patent the term "Appstore" then you are lost.