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Microsoft catches Apple with iPod patent claim

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16th Aug 2005
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Apple Computer may have beaten Microsoft to the punch with the 21st century's digital music icon, the iPod. But Microsoft's lawyers are putting up a good fight at the US Patent Office.

The Apple Insight website last week revealed that the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected Apple's October 2002 application for a patent on the Auto DJ element of the iPod's interface on the grounds that John Platt, a Microsoft engineer, had made a similar filing several months previously.

The dispute relates to the hierarchical interface, which shows the user a list of selectable items and moves to a second screen when one of those items is chosen. The patent office made a final rejection of Apple's application in July, leaving the company three months to appeal the decision.

In a public statement on the case, Apple noted that the commercial launch of the iPod in October 2001, well before the Microsoft application was filed. Since then Apple has sold more than 20m iPods, which helped to revive the company's flagging fortunes. If Apple loses its appeal, it may have to make royalty payments to Microsoft for every unit sold.

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By User deleted
07th Sep 2005 07:19

MS Acquires VOIP company .......
in response to Google - playing me to 'catch-up'

'....Microsoft has acquired San Francisco based Teleo, a developer of VoIP, PSTN termination and click to call functionality...'

Microsoft needs to be pro-active rather than re-active - stop looking over their should and start moving forward

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By User deleted
16th Aug 2005 19:53

Microsoft is a Predatory Company ......
which sits on the sidelines waiting for other to invent and then lays claim to their products

They need to knuckle down to some real innovation rather than harvesting others ideas.

Their track record in this area and collaborating with 'partners' is not strong - getting what they want and they disolving the partnership

i.e. just some
IBM OS2 - evolution of Windows
Intuit - evolution of MS Money
IE - missed the boat and then bundled free

The list is endless and the latest MS stated aim of using Intellectual Copyright as a revenue stream just demonstrates how devoid of creativity it has become

Less opportunism and more genuine ideas please

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