[wilsynet]

They're suing Samsung because Apple views Samsung as being a strong competitor who has leveraged Apple intellectual property without legally acquiring the rights to do so.

It would be foolish to sue everyone at the same time.  This isn't an Apple specific practice -- all sorts of companies do it this way.  They start with a limited number of cases and then expand.  Having said that, I should note that Apple is also suing HTC.

The Dutch court ruled that Apple's slide-to-unlock patent was not sufficiently different or novel versus the slide-to-unlock functionality in the Neonode Nim Windows based smartphone.  Note that the Dutch court did not find that the Neonode entirely implemented the Apple slide-to-unlock, but that it was close enough that Apple's additional improvements could not be considered novel.

For what it's worth, Apple may not have known about the prior art demonstrated by Neonode.  Apple was granted a patent for swipe-to-unlock shortly (within months) after the Neonode Nim was released as a commercial product.

But Apple is asserting 4 different patent claims against Samsung, not just this one.

Whether US courts agree with the Dutch court will be left to US courts to decide.  Surely you're not advocating that US courts should take the decision of a Dutch court as law?

[wilsynet]

Hm. You're rather overstating my thoughts on this, but I suppose that could be yet another reason not to buy an iPhone, since Samsung makes the memory in it.

Well, John, what are your thoughts on this then?  If I'm overstating them, please do me the honor of clarifying ...

Wilson

[JohnR]

"A" court has found Apple's patent not to be legitimate, a point I made in response to your statement that the courts will decide whether or not it is. That's all, please stop trying to put words in my mouth.... thanks

[skunark]

Do you think "slide to unlock" is a fair patent? And have you used "slide to unlock" on an Android ICS phone?

It's no worse than the 1-click patent that Amazon has.. Apple did license that.

[JohnR]

For what it's worth, Apple may not have known about the prior art demonstrated by Neonode.  Apple was granted a patent for swipe-to-unlock shortly (within months) after the Neonode Nim was released as a commercial product.

I don't know what source would be authoritative, but my understanding is that the patent was filed (not granted) several months after the Neonode. Whether or not Apple knew about it at the time of filing is irrelevant, isn't it?

The other thing about slide to unlock that I guess I don't get is that the Nexus version is more like drag and drop. Does someone have a patent on that?

[skunark]

Unless you deal with technology patents day in and day out, I don't you could really draw a reasonable conclusion from from the very slanted fan-sites.   There are some companies that just like to sue first and others like to strike back, doesn't necessarily make one worse than the other.   Microsoft gets $5 for every Android sold and for what, because the manufactures had to settle and MS allowed it?   

These lawsuits should remind everyone about the RAMBUS lawsuits almost a decade ago and there's been several corporations (even HDMI) that have published an "open" standard or even a "member" standard where that you essentially still have to pay the first developer royalities to manufacture a product you co-designed.

[wilsynet]

"A" court has found Apple's patent not to be legitimate, a point I made in response to your statement that the courts will decide whether or not it is. That's all, please stop trying to put words in my mouth.... thanks

What I was responding to was your statement that Apple is not playing fair.  Not sure what's not fair about what Apple is doing.  I'm not putting words in your mouth.  What words did I put in your mouth?

So the Dutch court has found a specific patent to be invalid.  There's still the other patents and the other courts.  I don't think there's anything unfair about that.

[wilsynet]

I don't know what source would be authoritative, but my understanding is that the patent was filed (not granted) several months after the Neonode. Whether or not Apple knew about it at the time of filing is irrelevant, isn't it?

I think I was merely pointing out that Apple is not necessarily a bad actor here -- that they may not have known that there existed prior art is a reasonable position.  That they believe that the patent remains legitimate in places other than the jurisdiction of the Dutch court is also a reasonable and non-evil position.

Now I'm not putting words in your mouth here.  I did not say that you claim that Apple is evil -- I'm only stating that in my view, their current position is not at odds with being non-evil.

The other thing about slide to unlock that I guess I don't get is that the Nexus version is more like drag and drop. Does someone have a patent on that?

Dunno, maybe it's Samsung.

[Jon L]

Just got a Nexus (Verizon) this week.  The 4.65" screen is SO MUCH larger and better than iPhone's 3.5" screen, it's not even funny. 

If the new Razr Maxx had the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, I probably would have gotten that instead, as it has the humongous 3300 mAH battery (vs. the usual 1800-1850 mAH) and still remains slim and solid, not to mention the best-at-present hardware.  It's simply awesome. 

Both of above simply spank the iPhone 4S.  No contest IMO.  iPhone 5 had better come up with larger screen and some serious upgrades to compete with the current Android phones.

[wilsynet]

Both of above simply spank the iPhone 4S.  No contest IMO.  iPhone 5 had better come up with larger screen and some serious upgrades to compete with the current Android phones.

Personally, I like the smaller size of the iPhone -- sure, I'm looking for great resolution (I think the iPhone still has better pixel density), but I'm not looking for a bigger phone.  But that's a preference thing, and the reasons you listed, those are great reasons to choose another phone over the iPhone.

[JohnR]

I do want a bigger phone. However, I will have to wait for a while. (We are so spoilt now!) I realized, after using the Nexus, that a bigger screen is actually really useful, I had gotten used to the constant pinching and moving on the iPhone but less is better. I also realized that my pocket will fit a much larger phone. For that reason and some others, before buying the N9, the Galaxy Note was a contender, but I decided to sit out the first version. And, apart from ICS I want the physical button to go away

Anyway, enough about phones for now.

[wilsynet]

If you don't want to buy an iPhone because you like other things more, I think that's cool.

If you state that the reasons for not getting one are because Apple is unfair to their competitors or that iPhone batteries catch fire ... Well, I think those reasons are specious.  Not just iPhone batteries catch on fire, other phone and laptop batteries catch on fire and explode too.  Not only does Apple play hardball with their competitors, other companies do so too.

But hey, it's cool.  Get a different phone.  But it seems unfair to bring up reasons of morality and safety unless you apply them evenly.

It's a free country.  Maybe you can keep bringing up specious reasons and I can keep putting words in your mouth ...

[JohnR]

Well, I don't like the Jobs tribute phone back. Spooky. I know it's optional, but the very fact that they exist puts me off buying the phone.

[wilsynet]

Yeah.  That's weird.  I had to look up what you were talking about.  It isn't an Apple offering though -- just some weird, spooky fan boy.

[skunark]

Just got a Nexus (Verizon) this week.  The 4.65" screen is SO MUCH larger and better than iPhone's 3.5" screen, it's not even funny. 

If the new Razr Maxx had the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, I probably would have gotten that instead, as it has the humongous 3300 mAH battery (vs. the usual 1800-1850 mAH) and still remains slim and solid, not to mention the best-at-present hardware.  It's simply awesome. 

Both of above simply spank the iPhone 4S.  No contest IMO.  iPhone 5 had better come up with larger screen and some serious upgrades to compete with the current Android phones.

Larger screen does equal decreased battery life.   I actually would prefer a smaller phone than the current formats.   

[skunark]

Well, I don't like the Jobs tribute phone back. Spooky. I know it's optional, but the very fact that they exist puts me off buying the phone.

This whole thread puts me off really..  Seems we are reaching towards the heavens for excuses and bad ones at that.   I would not have even commented on this thread if you stated that you had an iPhone 3GS from the start.  Clearly you aren't happy with it, so shop around and pick another brand. 

And as for being a computer wiz for using a smartphone, I know a two year old that has no problems playing various games on his mom's iPhone and a 93 year old grandfather able to check his email from his iPad.  I don't consider either one as a computer whiz. Will they be able to update it when the next patches comes out.. probably not with the 2yo as he doesn't know what "software" is and why it needs to be updated.  The grandfather will update it if he sees the update prompt. 

[JohnR]

This whole thread puts me off really..  Seems we are reaching towards the heavens for excuses and bad ones at that.   I would not have even commented on this thread if you stated that you had an iPhone 3GS from the start.  Clearly you aren't happy with it, so shop around and pick another brand.

Um, the Jobs tribute thing was a joke in response to wilsynet... Just to clear up a couple of points, I did say on the first page of the thread that I have a 3Gs, and that it's dying, through no fault of its own. I said in the very first post why an iPhone was already out of the running - if the battery thing is specious, OK, but the "blue tick" given by the carrier with the best coverage in rural areas was not, at the time of the post. That, however, is not actually what the thread is about, it's just the context. But with regard to picking the second phone, I said earlier that I decided to buy an N9.

Hope that helps, sorry I made you puke

[JohnR]

It's actually more important for a smart phone to get security updates than ever before.   I don't think you have really thought this through, but more or less have the desire to use it as an appliance instead of a computer.  The smartphones are indeed a computer by any definition you can come up with.

Yes, but so is my watch. It doesn't have a network connection, though. My next camera might. So I do think there's a question about whether they need to be "managed" like a computer, or like an appliance. As you've pointed out in your last post, a phone can be managed like the latter, and I think that's good. Advantage Apple.

Do you own a Kindle? I wonder what that's like in this regard. (I've been asked to buy one...)

[wilsynet]

Batteries catching on fire is not limited to iPhones.  I think we can be fairly certain that this is a pretty rare event.

Turns out the iPhone fire that happened on an airplane wasn't Apple's fault.

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/299453,botched-repair-likely-cause-of-rexs-smoking-iphone.aspx