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Apple patent turns video games into comics

This might be the wackiest patent that I've ever seen Apple apply for. The company has recently put in a patent to describe the process of making a digital comic book out of a video game playthrough. The idea here is that you'd play through a segment of a video game (Mass Effect is the one used in the example), and then Apple would collect information about your character and the way that you played the game. It would then use that information to turn the experience into an e-book, which could either be sold digitally or printed.

Say what? I guess that's cool, but this just seems like Apple is laying down a quick patent on a pretty harebrained idea; it doesn't seem like a preview of an actual service that we'll eventually see implemented on the Mac. Then again, Apple has worked pretty closely with Comic Life in the past, and it has connected the popular comic creation app to both iPhoto and MobileMe. Maybe it's looking at extending that service further.

Another (presumably more practical) patent has Apple examining improved equalizers on iTunes and in the iDevices. This one I can get behind. The EQ that's there right now works, but the patent involves more dynamic adjustments and some user-free audio enhancement. Again, Apple patents ideas, not actual products, but there's still a possibility that we'll see either or both of these ideas implemented in the future.

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This might be the wackiest patent that I've ever seen Apple apply for. The company has recently put in a patent to describe the process of...
 

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macserv

Prior Art: 1988 J. Baskin et. al. for MacMillan Toys.

August 15 2010 at 12:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brett

I'm so torn... uprank for the first half or downrank for the second half?

August 13 2010 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

You obviously don't have kids who love video games. They're so into their games that if given the opportunity to create their own comic at a decent price (the key here), they will. Secondly our city just had a comic book convention and I couldn't believe there were enough people to make it fly. Man was I wrong. Go figure. But Apple doesn't miss a heart beat.

August 13 2010 at 1:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
toddw

This is a pretty wacky patent in my opinion. I'd be surprised if they actually followed through and this thing saw the light of day.

August 13 2010 at 1:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

This week's equalizer patent is a continuation patent from 2004. It's old news. If you're really interested in an equalizer patent that's far more current, then check out this report:

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2009/11/apple-plans-touch-based-graphic-equalizer-for-media-players-more.html


August 13 2010 at 11:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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