Fryer Art Threatens Apple Patent Application
from the oh-the-puns dept
One slightly cool little feature of Apple's new Intel-based laptop is the connector for its power cord. Instead of being a plug that fits into a socket, the connector -- called MagSafe -- is held in by a magnet, so if it's yanked on or tripped over, it comes out without breaking anything. Steve Jobs was quite proud of the new connector, noting that it was "patent pending", but similar connectors have been used on deep fryers and other kitchen appliances for some time now. The idea is that should a child reach up and grab the cord, it will just detach, instead of showering the kid with hot oil. While the consequences of yanking a MacBook Pro cord probably aren't so dire, Steve's hopes for a patent aren't looking too likely.
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Probably a design patent
What you are thinking of is a utility patent. And I am sure Jobs doesn't mind if you make that mistake.
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It's About Time
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No Subject Given
Innovative? Not really.
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Re: No Subject Given
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No Subject Given
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prior art
1). This is the Steve Jobs "reality distortion field" on the high setting. Take an idea from a kitchen appliance, call it new and then walk across the stage as if across water.
2). Call something new, even if it's been done many times before, and since it's now been done by Apple, it's the best new idea of the century.
I hope the original inventor gets a nice royalty for his idea.
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Re: No Subject Given
Steve was obviously frying up some chicken nuggets one night and thought "hey -- this is pretty cool!"
Just because he's the first guy to take a deep fryer power cord and attach it to a laptop doesn't mean he should get a patent for it.
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Re: prior art
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always read the patent first...
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Re: always read the patent first...
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Talk about an “Ancient Suggestion”
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Re: always read the patent first...
under constant pressure to reduce cost.
I've had executives of a large US corp
shouting F*CK YOU! IF YOU CAN'T DO IT
WE'LL GET SOMEONE THAT CAN! During a
teleconference over a three cent reduction
in a bill of materials.
When you run the company you can say, "hey,
this is cool, lets add this" and no one has
a seizure over the cost. For a deep fryer
the cost is outweighed by the potential for
injury and being sued (in Europe at least
in the US they just put really short cords
on the appliance.)
So anyway... Jobs adds a feature that keeps
dopes from busting their laptops and wows
the crowd. Whoopie.
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Re: It's About Time
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