Nurse Chapel confronts Andrea the Android....Dr Kolbys high price inflate-a-date.
Posted on 02/10/2009 11:05:13 AM PST by webschooner
Multitouch support was dropped from the Android platform, and therefore the T-Mobile G1, after Apple requested it not be included. That’s the latest rumor, apparently confirmed by an unnamed Android team member, who described the arrangement as an attempt by Google to avoid the IP aggression we’ve recently seen between Apple and Palm.
While the G1’s capacitive touchscreen certainly recognizes multitouch input - as recent hacks have demonstrated - and earlier builds of Android code included what’s believed to be Google-written, but subsequently disabled, multitouch support, the functionality did not ship in the released device. At the time, this was generally put down to Google’s ambitious launch schedule, promising an Android device by the end of 2008, and that lack of timing meaning that multitouch fell by the wayside. However it now looks as though its omission was purposeful, with Google prioritizing their good working relationship with Apple - and, some might say, common foe in Microsoft - over the handset’s eventual capabilities.
The unnamed source also confirmed the rumors that Intel is expending great efforts in supporting Android netbook development, suggesting that the chipset company is keen to be further involved in open-source budget ultraportable hardware. While Intel’s specific plans are unknown, the Android team member revealed that there are many different Android-based netbooks - as well as other, non-phone and non-netbook hardware - in development at present.
I can understand why Google might ax multi-touch as a pure business decision. But if Apple has in fact pressured Google not to release multi-touch, I agree with one of the posters on the site after this article: " ... because Apple patented any process which involves putting more then one finger on a capacitive screen everyone is hostage to yet another frivolous patent which stifles innovation."
ping
Nurse Chapel confronts Andrea the Android....Dr Kolbys high price inflate-a-date.
Because Apple or any other company or individual has the ability to temporarily own and license, and therefore profit, from its innovations, innovation is rewarded and encouraged.
Or do you prefer Directive 10-289?
Point Three: All patents and copyrights, pertaining to any devices, inventions, formulas, processes, and works of any nature whatsoever, shall be turned over to the nation as a patriotic emergency gift by means of Gift Certificates to be signed voluntarily by the owners of all such patents and copyrights. The Unification Board shall then license the use of such patents and copyrights to all applicants, equally and without discrimination, for the purpose of elimination monopolistic practices, discarding obsolete products and making the best available to the whole nation. No trademarks, brand names, or copyrighted titles shall be used. Every formerly patented product shall be known by a new name and sold by all manufacturers under the same name, such name to be selected by the Unification Board. All private trademarks and brand names are hereby abolished.
Um, that’s the point of a patent.
If they want to use the idea, they need to pay money for it to the person or company that came up with it.
There is absolutely no reason that every car in the world shouldn’t use BMW’s Valvetronic system... except for those pesky little patents.
There is no reason why every jet engine in the world shouldn’t copy the GE neXT jet turbine fan blades... except for patents.
“because Apple patented any process which involves putting more then one finger on a capacitive screen everyone is hostage to yet another frivolous patent which stifles innovation.”
Yeah, and the Write brothers tried to patent flying.
>Yeah, and the Write brothers tried to patent flying.
Wright.
We’re talking about the ability to touch two things on the screen at the same time. Do you REALLY think that is something that should be even patentable.
The wright brothers tried to pattent flying. Thank God there were a bit sounder minds in those days.
John Browning patented two pieces of metal sliding against each other to pick up a third. Obvious... once someone pointed it out.
Your point is?
rong.
;)
Noticed the typo as soon as I hit post. Sure wish we had some sort of “edit” feature.
I've often thought the same thing.
We'd "loose" so many FReeperisms, though...
>rong.
>
>;)
>
>Noticed the typo as soon as I hit post. Sure wish we had some sort of “edit” feature.
You and me both!
Some things have no business being patented. The concept of the GUI, for example.
Even if some numbskull at the patent office did give it to you... :)
Jeff Han: Unveiling the genius of multi-touch interface design
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jeff_han_demos_his_breakthrough_touchscreen.html
Amazing demo of multi-touch applications, shown at the 2006 TED symposium. Bowled me over when I saw it a couple years ago.
Thanks to Webschooner for posting and the heads up.
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It’s a bullshit patent and you know it
I should patent the air that you breathe and make you pay me for a license to breathe it
Really?
Please point to a commercially sold device prior to the iPhone that used multitouch, if it’s so obvious and resembling bovine excrement.
Oh, by the way? Someone has already filed a patent on “natural respiration of a oxygen-nitrogen mix” and has agreed to grant me a free license if it is granted. :D
You, on the other hand....
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