Apple patents bolting a toaster to a refrigerator

"You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know those things are not going to be probably be pleasing to the user." Tim Cook, referring to laptop-tablet hybrids, April 2012.

Apple patent application, April 2013:



Apple tries for a patent on removable laptop touchscreens with wireless charging

Thoughts?

 

apple is the king of patent registration, have seen a few that is a pull by a hair

 

hmmmm, interesting... with the exception of the wireless charging these hybrids have been on the market for a few years. my first was an Iconia w500 from almost 3 years ago.

 

That is pretty cool. They could have registered it just to prevent another company from doing so ...

 

Only that there are companies already producing wireless charging tablets( ie HP touchpad) and hybrid laptops.
They're not bringing anything new to the table.

 

More of Apple patenting more stuff already used elsewhere. Surprise surprise.

They might make it, maybe not. I still remember Jobs bad-mouthing 7-inch tablets...

 

And then he died and then the Ipad Mini Came Out

 

This isn't anything new. Apple filed for a patent covering a biometric censor built into a small portable device (like an iPhone), they are trying to patent the design of an iPhone that uses a curved touch display all around the unit instead of physical buttons (replacing the volume and power buttons), and they even filed for a patent covering motion control in OS X and iOS. That doesn't mean those products will ever be released. Apple, much like other companies, like to have a pool of patents. This allows them the freedom to possibly release something along those lines and sue any company that violates their patents.

 

Who else is doing something like this?

The whole computer is still in the base unit.. the screen is just a screen powered by the base...

They filed this patent in 2011, why is it big news right now?

 

Panasonic in their Toughbook and industrial divisions have them on the market

ASUS, Lenovo and HP had them at CES 2012 as did a few others I believe. some of the screens were even wireless and touchscreen so you could detach the screen and walk around ( within 30feet I believe ) and the Lenovo version is on sale in China for certain as I saw one in H.K.

 

I haven't seen any yet doing this, can you point to one specific? I've seen several where almost everything is actually in the screen (CPU and such) and just do wireless data transfer from the base keyboard unit.

Also were any doing this out before the patent filed a couple years ago?

 

when I get home I will try to link to the translated Lenovo one

2010 in the Panasonic Toughbook industrial division. they are very common in the oilfield and heavy industry. again I will find a link to their configuration ( they use a trackpoint and not a touchpad though )

 

My interest in this matter was less about the patentability of the design and more about a sea change in Apple's thinking about touchscreen laptops and convertible tablets. As part of a greater industry trend in that direction. People using Asus Transformers and iPads-with-keyboard-folios as mini-laptops instead of just media consumption devices. Windows 8 convertible tablets. The touchscreen on the Chromebook Pixel. And now this.

 

I tend to agree, it seems to be a fairly reactionary response. And oddly to everyone I know, including myself, we find the guts in the screen and extra battery and ports in the base a more usable configuration ( except they don't balance quite right normally )

 

Although it really isn't a "sea of change" for Apple. They are doing what they have always done: patent technology. There have been many, many patents issued to Apple. Some involve touch screens, some involve motion controls, and others go directly against the words of Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. Apple not releasing something doesn't mean they aren't researching it. That might be way they never release a product/feature; they came up with a solution (and want a patent) but it isn't something that is well implemented or good enough for the everyday user. This patent is nothing more than an indication that Apple is still conducting research. It doesn't mean they are changing their direction with regards to touch screens, tablets, ultrabooks, or anything else like that. I don't want to sound negative but this patent application doesn't mean anything. Apple could release a product like this down the line but the patent is not a direct indication of anything.

 

Agreed. This is more indicative of the sad state of IP (civilized patent trolling) than anything which is in the works for one company or another. Sadly, there's no other way to do business without being sued for billions at every turn. I can't really blame Apple or any other company for playing the game.