I love and have always loved Apple products but shit will hit the fan for them soon enough...
Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
61–70 of 260 posts
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
While this is true, there are bounds of I (heart) something_somethings and AFAIK, NYC does not go after them for infringement (I feel as though Apple's rendition is sufficiently different that it's not the same as the orig (hand lengths, motion, etc). Moreover, in the NYC case, I (heart) NY is trademarked and part of an advert campaign, so I can understand their defence of their TM. Did The Swiss RR get a design pate…
Yes, actually NYC (well, NY State Dept. of Economic Development) constantly goes after people for infringement of the "I heart NY" logo. They definitely do follow through. It's not about money being made, it's a legal necessity that a trademark owner needs to actively defend the mark in order to keep it.
Right, of course. I meant you could have a "J' (heart) Bruxelles" in the same design and not get sued, so long as Brussells hadn't had that TMed. At least I'd hope not.
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#63When I first opened the iOS6 timer and the stopwatch, and saw the neon style button, I was a bit confused.
It looks very nice but I thought it broke with design patterns of iOS in terms of color scheme, ambiance, typography (all cap text label), or even button size. It felt more like an Android interface than an iOS one. Anyone feeling the same way?
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#64There is a difference here (although I admit I'm experiencing some lovely schadenfreude glow over here). Samsung built camouflaged products that were designed to confuse buyers into thinking they were buying an iPad. Here, Apple has ripped off an iconic design, but there's little doubt that what they are selling is still an iPhone and not a Swiss watch. Still, trade dress (and accusations of douchebaggery) still appl…
Samsung has invested a ton of money in developing the Galaxy brand through billboards, TV ads and so on. While you can definitely argue that many of their UI elements bear a striking resemblance to Apple's, they take every opportunity to reinforce their brand name.
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#65No, no, no you guys don't understand. This is not a cheap rip-off. It's an homage and the Swiss will be honoured that their famous clock has been elevated to the high-art status of Apple design and innovation. The critical eye of an average iPhone user will appreciate the fine craftsmanship & precision of the painstaking work that went into translating the iconic clock into an exact digital replica.
Sorry, I don't understand the satire here. It sounds like you're mimicking the response to claims that Apple stole designs from Braun? But the two situations are nothing alike -- cribbing industrial design elements from defunct products is a far cry from duplicating a trademarked image more or less exactly.
It seems more likely you're trying to dig on Apple for going thermonuclear on trade dress while at the same time stealing somebody else's intellectual property. In which case you have it backwards, and the satire here should be something about how Apple has no right copying someone else's hard work just to make a quick buck, and that a numberless clock face with highly contrasting colors seems obvious now only because they went to so much effort to work it out.
Except that's not very funny, because it's exactly right. I doubt if even the most hardcore Apple fanatics would argue SBB doesn't at least have a case. So they'll sue, and Apple might pay a license fee, or change the clock, or argue that the clock has some reason for not being a valid trademark or infringing.
And my only question is, if that case goes to trial and SBB wins and Apple has to stop shipping that clock face and pay some compensation, will HN fill up with satirical posts ranting about how you can't copyright a minimal clock face in white, black and red, how this judgment is anticompetitive, stifling to innovation and will surely be thrown out in a higher court very soon now, how much an indictment it is of the copyright system in general?
Because that would be a funny joke. Seriously, this community has been weird about Apple of late.
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
So when Apple infringes on someone else's trademarked products, the affected party should be grateful ? Because it might be "free" advertising? Are you out of your mind? What's with the sycophantic comments all over this story excusing Apple's terrible behavior?
There is a difference between "homage" and "rip-off" Look at all of the designs that Dieter Rams did, that Apple used in their own products: http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secr... And look what Dieter things about this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/8555503/Dieter-R... Can you not see the difference between what Apple is doing and what Samsung is doing?
This clock is a "slavish copy" of the Swiss clock, down to the weight of each element and the presence of the red hand. You can't possibly say it's an 'homage' any more than running the Mona Lisa through a color Xerox would be.
Edit: It appears to be merely "almost" identical to the Swiss clock and instead is a slavish copy of the Austrian clock, given the weight of the minute hash marks.
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#67We have a proverb here in Spain that you can translate as he who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#68[deleted]
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can't downvote you. But I think that this is a prime example of the snarky comments that people are complaining about that are hurting HN's comment quality.
One man's snarky comment is another man's sarcastic wit.
Only when the comment is indeed intended to be a sarcasm. If you want to mark the comment sarcasm you have plenty of methods, e.g. .
Re: Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design
#70Its not a rip off.
Apple is doing great service by redesigning the Swiss clock design.
In fact the watch manufacturer is to blame for badly designing the watch before its time.
Apple is doing great service to humanity by redesigning this clock to its right position in the world they must be rewarded for it. Swiss clock maker must be punished for badly designing this watch which is rightly fully Apple's, stolen by this maker before its time.