Apple Finally Scores An iPod Patent... Oh Wait, No They Haven't
from the it's-about-time dept
In the last few months, all of the news about patents and the iPod were about other companies scoring patents related to the iPod. However, it looks Apple has finally succeeded, if only on an accessory to the iPod. News.com is claiming that Apple received a patent on a car iPod dock that fits in a cupholder. The patent number given in the article doesn't seem to work. The only thing I could find is this patent that was granted back in April, but which sounds similar. Update: Well isn't that just like News.com to get it wrong. The reason the patent number didn't work is because it's a patent that has just been published not granted. So, Apple hasn't yet scored the patent at all, and some in the comments are already noting prior art.
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iLock?
http://www.zakzak.co.jp/top/2005_09/t2005090910.html
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Link to the Patent
It looks very similar to TuneDok Car Holder for iPod
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"Patent" Number
You can look up published applications on the USPTO website at:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html
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