

Daring Fireball: Apple, Google, and Palm. - e1ven
http://daringfireball.net/2009/02/apple_google_palm

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JoelSutherland
It seems ridiculous that using two fingers on a screen can be patented. I
would think that the general public would agree.

I've thought that a great strategy for Palm would be to get sued by Apple.
Shouldn't that tarnish Apple's great image?

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andreyf
Out of the two examples he gives, you found that one to be more objectionable?
How about...

 _According to my source, in addition to multi-touch, the other feature that
Apple objected to was using a standard headphone jack. Apple apparently owns a
patent on controlling software using buttons connected by a standard 3.5mm
headphone jack (at least for music and video playback controls), and would not
grant Google a license to the patent. Hence the G1’s use of a proprietary
ExtUSB port rather than a standard 3.5mm headphone jack._

Oh, really?

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gamble
That seems extremely unlikely at best, verging on a conspiracy theory.

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andreyf
It seems plausible to me - they're talking about the buttons on the wire going
up to the buds communicating back to the device... I'm certainly no expert,
but I can't think of any other devices that do that via a standard 3.5mm
socket.

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briansmith
I doubt they have a patent on the headphone thing. My Nokia N-series phone has
a 3.5" headphone jack and it ships with an inline remote that is similar in
functionality to the controls on an iPod shuffle. My Sony and Panasonic
portable CD players from 10 years ago also had a similar thing.

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andreyf
_Apple apparently owns a patent controlling software using buttons connected
by a standard 3.5mm headphone jack._

Really, now? Really?

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cosmo7
Apple is the new Microsoft, Google is the new IBM, Palm is the new Apple.

