Apple wins two new patents including tablet proximity detector

A tablet that can sense when my hands are near would be very cool, but the post title mentioned a "TABLET proximity detector." That's what I want! I doubt I'll be able to afford a tablet anytime soon, but a cheap "tablet proximity detector" would help me find early adopters to pester for a test drive.

C'mon, Apple -- how about a little something for for us desperate moochers?

I agree airmanchairman.... email on a phone just made sense... it's not like RIM stole their idea... they just did the sensible thing. I'm sure we can sit in a room and come up with hundreds of ideas that we as a group have no intention or ability to bring to market and then claim all the people that do bring these ideas to market stole from us, even though they never did.

Just like Kodak's claim.... Apple just implemented what iPhoto does on a Mac.... but Kodak patented that (or similar processes) for use on small devices... who stole from who?

One could use the proximity detector as a way to transfer files from one device to another. Device locates similar device, access granted or not, file shared. Then you flick your file in the direction of the other device, and it gets transferred. Or perhaps something similar for multiplayer gaming. I can come up with a million other possible uses.

All that can be done with iTunes for Windows or for Mac in less than a minute by following very simple instructions:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-10056954-12.html

Prior art exists for both.

Even my gradma downgrades video quality in low-bandwidth calls, what to say about skype?

The other one looks just like that bubbles demo you control with your hands by putting a webcam over the monitor. Project natal is prior art too.

This just goes to show once again that allowing software patents is like the most stupid thing one could ever do in a legislation. How can you actually implement something so incredibly stupid into your legislation?!?

Martin nailed this one imo — the first patent mentioned is for mouseOver-like functionality in the tablet. I've written a new post describing it's importance looking forward as a proxy input device. (read: replacement for mechanical keyboards)

http://www.uiandus.com/blog/2010/1/26/almost-touching-the-tablet.html

Hope that helps!

Keith

Of course, McGraw-Hill's CEO admitted on CNBC that this device is running a derivative of the iPhone OS, and that they have been working with Apple for quite some time to develop textbooks and other content for it.

So, they got a patent for a tablet feature that exists in every other tablet? Has anyone ever used a tablet before? you can control the mouse without touching the screen with the stylus.

"so I'm not quite sure what a setup would be used for, but it appears that they're talking about controlling something on screen when you move your fingers close to it "

really ? not sure ?

what about handling "mouseover events" just lke ANY desktop computer ?
there are thousands of uses for mouseovers.

the most important one ? you just can't run the classic mac os x application s without them !

this is a very big deal !