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Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

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Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#111

Post by axod »

ThinkWriteMute wrote: post #108
axod wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn't a netbook+ChromeOS win? I disagree @ iPhone. That was revolutionary. It was the first pocket webbrowser that actually worked well and rendered websites properly. >> "And remember, it was pretty 'meh' before the app store." Again, difference of opinion. I couldn't care less about the app store. Why would I download software approved by Apple, when I can just use the browser for most things?

Netbooks suck to use, I know because I'm using one right now. Small, cramped, hot, ugly.

And you're thinking removing the keyboard will make it suck less?

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#112

Post by axod »

bphogan wrote: post #109
axod wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, I may buy an iPad to play with. But here's the crutial point - I can't see it being useful to my kids, or my mum, who are most certainly in the market you describe. My mum has a macbook, which serves her fine. My kids have Netbooks with Ubuntu netbook remix which also is great for browsing the web. I just don't see how the form factor makes sense. I can just see the write-ups now - highly irritating to use for…

Yeah but that's your family. In my house, Kid #1 slings a macbook and a netbook with no problem. Kid #2 is 2. She loves looking at pictures on the iPod. Kid #2 will be hacking soon enough. But that's the environment I created, and I guess it's just like yours. Kid #1's friends have computers, but they don't use them like we use them. They use email and Facebook. (Yes, I know, I already covered Flash games previously,…

Yeah I would be in total agreement if they'd come out with a macbook mini, slimmed down small macbook. It's just the form factor that I think is a big mistake. I think we agree on the software side.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#113

Post by ajross »

stcredzero wrote: post #83
bad_user wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Artificially limiting the capabilities of the hardware (people pay for) with the interest of keeping control, can't possibly be in the same league as "shiny toys that don't do exactly what you want". People also lose the perspective of scaling the current trends set by Apple and others to everything ... what would happen if all the documents within your computer would be DRMed? What would happen if all personal PCs h…

No one is forcing you to be in the iTunes store and write iPhone apps. As for all personal PCs having only software approved by a central authority -- all electrical appliances are approved by UL. I don't see that as having resulted in much evil. To get to drive in the US, everyone is approved by their State. I don't see that as being very evil. The former is opt-in and arranged by insurance interests. The latter is…

Sorry, but by filing this lawsuit, Apple is trying to force us to do exactly that. Or at least, force us to stop using HTC phones that "look like" an iPhone.

You're appealing to choice in your argument, but by asserting patent rights Apple is saying that there is no choice.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#114

Post by dannyr »

stanleydrew wrote: post #84
ewjordan wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a real shame, too - it's so easy to hate Microsoft when it gets hostile and starts abusing its position, because their software generally makes you want to scream. Apple, on the other hand, puts out stuff that is a genuine pleasure to use, but controls it in increasingly infuriating ways. What's a geek to do? On the other hand, I wouldn't be too quick to avoid iPad startups; even if it feels "wrong", your reason…

if must-have software starts showing up on Android, it would really help. You mean like Google Voice and Google Maps Navigation? Unfortunately that doesn't seem to have helped much.

"You mean like Google Voice and Google Maps Navigation? Unfortunately that doesn't seem to have helped much."

Android is a few years behind IPhone but is gaining traction. I seriously do not feel like Android needs much help. All it needs is just time and have Apple continue to try to put tight controls on its ecosystem.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#115

Post by codebaobab »

pg wrote: post #31

If this had happened a day earlier I don't think I would have posted that RFS. Apple is inching ever closer to evil, and I worry that there's no one within the company who can stand up to Jobs and tell him so.

I must confess that I was very surprised to hear that Apple initiated a lawsuit against HTC and I am wondering if there is some backstory that we don't know.

I am not going to try and argue that Apple is some kind of altruistic, saintly company. But Apple's recent history lead me to believe that they viewed patents as defensive, not offensive weapons. Yes, they sued Nokia, but only after Nokia sued them first.

So questions that come to my mind include: Why HTC? Why now? Why hasn't Apple sued Palm? (Surely the Pre infringes on something!)

And is there any significance to the fact that the suit was filed with the ITC?

If Apple really is going to go on the patent offensive, I will be very disappointed.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#116

Post by bphogan »

Kadrith wrote: post #60
bphogan wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing I can say in response to this is that I see that my dad uses his iPhone to surf the web much more than he uses his computer, and he's interested in a bigger screen to do so. He's in his 60s, and he's actually not buying another desktop computer (his is 11 years old) because his iPhone does what he needs, and more, plus he's tired of viruses and spyware. (Yes, we know it's not a target yet, but a closed…

How would your father update the iPad without a system running iTunes? That is the only major thing I do not like from what information has been released.

Exactly. I think that could very well kill it for most people, but he already has an ipod and a computer fast enough to run itunes to sync. But those folks that don't? Hopefully Apple wises up on this one. Of course we all know why they won't. - they suport you playing mp3s on your iPod, but they'd rather you bought from them through iTunes, which you certainly will be able to do on this device.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#117

Post by pg »

hacking_hamster wrote: post #95
pg wrote: post #31

If this had happened a day earlier I don't think I would have posted that RFS. Apple is inching ever closer to evil, and I worry that there's no one within the company who can stand up to Jobs and tell him so.

PG, I am working on a startup in a controversial field. I'm excited about figuring out how to solve the problem that is inherent in the field. I believe our solution will bring great value to the industry but sadly, it might be exploited - albeit legally - by unscrupulous parties and still bring us revenue. It is this last part that I'm conflicted about. I truly believe in many of the hacker principles (that are also…

I thought about it, but withdrawing an existing RFS is a more drastic step. I'm not trying to start some kind of boycott; I'm just personally not very pleased with this move.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#118

Post by s3graham »

whalesalad wrote: post #106
jrockway wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This has been the case since they implemented PT_DENY_ATTACH. Revolutionaries that throw hammers at screens do not artificially limit their operating system.

For those of us nubs who don't know what PT_DENY_ATTACH is, I did a little bit of research and have come to this conclusion: It's a flag that prevents a debugger from attaching itself to the process, aka preventing gdb from attaching to iTunes.

I believe more importantly when people got all huffy about it was disallowing dtrace to attach.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#119

Post by zecg »

codebaobab wrote: post #115
pg wrote: post #31

If this had happened a day earlier I don't think I would have posted that RFS. Apple is inching ever closer to evil, and I worry that there's no one within the company who can stand up to Jobs and tell him so.

I must confess that I was very surprised to hear that Apple initiated a lawsuit against HTC and I am wondering if there is some backstory that we don't know. I am not going to try and argue that Apple is some kind of altruistic, saintly company. But Apple's recent history lead me to believe that they viewed patents as defensive, not offensive weapons. Yes, they sued Nokia, but only after Nokia sued them first. So que…

Because now people are buying a lot of HTC's (Android-powered, I'd wager) phones. Duh.

Re: Apple Sues HTC for Patent Infringement

#120

Post by bad_user »

stcredzero wrote: post #83
bad_user wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Artificially limiting the capabilities of the hardware (people pay for) with the interest of keeping control, can't possibly be in the same league as "shiny toys that don't do exactly what you want". People also lose the perspective of scaling the current trends set by Apple and others to everything ... what would happen if all the documents within your computer would be DRMed? What would happen if all personal PCs h…

No one is forcing you to be in the iTunes store and write iPhone apps. As for all personal PCs having only software approved by a central authority -- all electrical appliances are approved by UL. I don't see that as having resulted in much evil. To get to drive in the US, everyone is approved by their State. I don't see that as being very evil. The former is opt-in and arranged by insurance interests. The latter is…

> all electrical appliances are approved by UL

You sort of prove my point ... there isn't a market in improving/modifying electrical appliances by third parties ... especially since they also come with an EULA nowadays.

> To get to drive in the US, everyone is approved by their State.

That's not the same ... the government is (theoretically) working for the people. Getting a license is required for driving on public roads only ... and they do that to insure that the public roads are safe within reason.

The difference here is one of great importance ... the government is (theoretically) trying it's best to give licenses as non-discriminatory as possible. And if they aren't doing a good job at that, you can fight back.

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