Elan sues Apple for multitouch patent infringement

Elan wants to stop apple from selling the MacBook, iPhone, and iPod Touch until everything is sorted legally. Do you think Elan has such an influence to be able to do that? Let's hope that steve and his lawyers will come with an arrangement with Elan.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/08/elan-turns-the-tables-on-apple-sues-for-multitouch-patent-infri/

 

Not a chance in hell, to be honest. And I don't even like "Multitouch".

 

It isn't about Elan's influence, but the merits of Elan's case.

 

That's what i meant. To be able to win a case against synaptics for the same multitouch patent infringement makes Elan a danger to apple's products.

 

not going to happen...in worst case apple will just buy them...

 

I'm guessing Elan will of course try to stop Apple from selling its devices. And Apple will find a way to keep selling them cause they have more invested than synaptics.

 

I dont know what you have against it but I think its the best invention in the last decade.

I freakin love multitouch with the finger gestures, I think most of the time beats an external mouse.

This is why there is a big demand for an external apple aluminum keyboard with a multitouch built in to the right side of it. I would definitely get rid of my external mouse for one of those.

 

This is a highly interesting development - though improbable, what if Elan manages to push through a cease-sale? Never mind the customer, think about the stock and the shareholders...

 

I don't like it because of the repititive strain from using such things. And when adding even more "gestures", the repetitiveness gets even worse. It's all fine and dandy for a little while, but all of a sudden you have RSI.

Btw, I prefer trackpoint over both mouse and touchpad. Trackpoint>Rollerball>"rollerbar">mouse>touchpad>multitouchpad.
Whatever the "multitouchpad can do, it's better to use shortcuts.

 

I see myself doing multitouch gestures while bootcamping windows!!! I sure am addicted to multi-touch now!!! Apple rocks!!!!

@surfasb: Yes that's what will probably happen. Apple is also used to lawsuits from many companies.

 

Or in reverse:
"I see myself looking for "Start" in OS X!! Microsoft rocks!!!"

Anyway, I still don't see them winning anything in court. If reading about these cases have taught me anything, it is "he who has the most money will always be right".

 

hehe! Your right.. Apple has the upper hand on this case.

 

Maybe we should root for the underdog? =P

 

yuck... don't know how you can stand that... Trackpoint would be at the end for me... nasty stuff, i cant stand it.

Multitouch>trackball>mouse>touchpad>trackpoint

 

Nasty, huh? Try a good one, ha ha.

I have a trackpoint-only lappie on the way. Unfortunately easter is here, so DHL is not delivering. Have fun with RSI

Anyway, you forgot the "rollerbar":

http://www.posturite.co.uk/PosturiteSite/product/4501100.htm

 

I've gotten use to a trackpoint. I prefer it sometimes. It can be tough for people to get use to cause it is analog or pressure sensitive. I know people who would like it better if it was more like an 8 way directional pad.

 

trackpoint is the best for typing application with occasion use of the mouse since you don't need to move your hand around while typing, period.

multi-touch becomes handy when you are simply serfing the web though, scrolling becomes so much easier, trackpoint still does a decent job though, if they can get their software fixed.

i used a trackball for a few and loved the accuracy and no strain at my hand; but mouse is still more natural for gaming

disclaimer: YMMV and just my opinion; share yours and have fun

i'd like to see elan wins and apple end up paying for the fine; they had patent way too many things people had been producing.

 

Well, Creative (I think it was) won or got Apple to concede about the ipod menu system, so the biggest doesn't always win (same with blackberry two years ago)

I agree with the user on the trackpoint. I was a skeptic until I forced myself to use it on my thinkpad for three months. Now I hate using a touchpad, regardless of multitouch or not. It's just to much moving around using a touchpad - it's like going way over to use a mouse - i just can't be bothered - except on my MBP i have no choice

..and are you serious, hydrocyanic? the middle button on ultranav with the trackpoint is perfect for scrolling - way better than two finger scrolling. only place it doesn't work is, you guessed it, itunes.

 

^you forgot safari

anyway love both trackpoint and muliti-touch pad...but how is this related to apple subforum?

 

if i am not typing at all and simply browsing, multitouch offers 4directional scroll, forward/backward which is better than moving your last finger to the right bottom corner for that.

only thing multitouch isn't as good as trackpoint is the copy and paste, it is more accurate for me to use than a trackpad.

 

It really isn't. I brought up how much I disliked multitouch because people reading my reply shouldn't think I was an Apple fanboy, basically. It was preemptive, but turned out to spark a parallel discussion.
And now we're having a m.e.t.a discussion

(Why on earth does the word filter filter out the word "me-ta" (without the hyphen)!?

You can scroll up/down/left/right with a trackpoint too.
I haven't seen a trackpoint in the bottom right corner. Are you sure you're talking about trackpoints?

 

Trackpoints is less tiring to use. With touchpads (even with multitouch) you have to constantly move your arms back and forth to move the cursor. After using a trackpoint, I cannot be bothered using a trackpad. I just use an external mouse when I play a video game.

 

i have 1680 and 1920 horizontal resolution. I NEVER scroll left and right when browsing.

i still think it's faster (and less stressful) to move around the screen with the trackpoint. i wish macs had both. the pinch to zoom and rotating photos is definitely cool with multitouch

 

This could be a good thing for the whole industry and could blow a hole in it wide open. I really hope Elan will succeed in this so that it may open up the possibility for other manufacturers to use this technology. I wonder if this will perfect the Palm Pre or maybe by chance Palm has struck a deal with Elan.

Cant wait to get rid of iPhone for Pre. The ability to multi-task apps will be huge.

 

I would love to see apple suffer.

 

Apple does not need to suffer but this would be a great technology that could benefit the whole technology sector entirely.

 

Jailbreak and install "backgrounder" and save yourself the trouble.

 

Thanks but I really like the qwerty keyboard and a lot of the other functions that there new OS will offer.

 

pre has qwerty?

that's new to me

palm i heard designed the pre with some ex-apple employees

 

It has a keyboard. Not sure if it is qwerty but it will have physical buttons that make a huge typing speed increase. I dont care what others really say but buttons are cool.

 

Multi-Touch is king! It's one of those features that looks like a "feature" but not a benefit. First time I used it on my Macbook Air I can't get along daily without it. Apple will win this, not worried at all.
Wow, I knew this discussion would bring out the Mac hatin' PC lovin' fanboys. Nothing on the Windows forum interesting huh? Of course not.

 

Not really. Windows just works really well.

 

LOL, sorry I had trouble reading that without throwing out a chuckle.

 

Nobody made this an OSX vs. Windows discussion until you posted.

 

1)why is this topic still in apple forum?this should be in OT or history
2)and what about apple buying them?
3)killeraardvark,do you really own iMac?
4)I don't understand from where is this negative coming?apple did outstanding job in researching and implementing multitouch-why shouldn't it have patent for it?

 

I agree with Xirurg. Apple is one of the first companies which implemented multitouch. It should be granted this patent. I'm sure apple will strike back. The future of macbooks, iphone and ipod touch is at stake.

 

sound just like ipod has more market share with its touch control so they wouldn't need to honor creative... lol

if apple really did multitouch after the patent, of cause they should be penalized. in fact elan had spent 2, TWO years negotiating with apple in regard to this; hence the news today.

flash back 2years, if the juries are on elan it will be funny to see apple to cough up so much

sure apple can purchase elan, but seeing that asus uses elan's tech i wouldn't be surprised if they acted first and then sue apple for more money given asus's much larger resource.

 

Don't forget that apple has own mtouch patents.

 

http://i.gizmodo.com/5204941/microsoft-ordered-to-pay-388m-for-pirating-antipiracy-tech

yeah,right...

EDIT:also,if they win this,Palm will be next...

 

My brother gave me a G5 iMac.

 

and what do you think about it?

 

didn't forget anything, it just doesn't make it to my list, along with stuff like head/hand mounted motion devices and stuff...

I've used some trackpoint stuff, its a ton better than many many years ago when IBM first started making their pointers junks, but its still not good enough for me. Moving my hand and arm around is more natural to me, and not tiring or slow at all... the trackpoints I just can't use fast, even after trying for a few months... its just so unnatural to me for little precise movements. I'm so happy Apple doesn't put those on their laptops, even if 95% of their users wanted them and they didn't I'd still be happy.

 

It is a great system. I put 10.5 on it and it runs solid. I could not tell you a lot about it though. Rarely use it.


I think it would be best if Elan did not sell out and leased there technology to other companies.

 

if you have any questions regarding Mac OS,feel free to ask

Anyway,as I said,if they win this,they ll sue Palm since it uses same multi touch gestures.

 

Thanks a lot and I will if I do. You rock.

That would be fair. You cant go after one and not the other. Might have been better to go after palm first to help set their case law but why attack the small dog.

 

fair? yes!better for us?no!

Apple was the first one to make proper touch screen phone and multi touch trackpad,which emerged the wave of touch screen phones.IMO they deserve the right to continue their job.

Palm was an awesome company a while ago-I have 3 very old palms.Pre is an awesome product and ,probably,Palms last chance to survive!Being sued will kill them!

 

Well said. If this technology were to open up to other vendors though, it would drive innovation to the whole industry which would cause Apple to up the ante. I purchased the first gen iPhone and 3G 16 gig iPhone and the reason is that they were totally the best thing on the market and brought a lot on new features to the table. iPhone OS V.3.0 will bring all the features that I really wanted in a phone but at the same time I can now see the Pre as a superior product from what I have seen so far. Note: this is just my opinion and I do not want to start a flame war. It will be interesting to see all the new specs of the upcoming iPhone.

 

Right...but you should also see the other side of the coin- imagine you are CEO of Apple-you put XXXXX$ into research multi touch-how angry would you be if,after your hard work,some Y company came and just copied your ideas and create something similar but cheaper,since they hadn't spent money on research.Wouldn't you like to be protected by low?

 

You bet I would. At the same time I am sure that Elan has put time and money into researching this technology too. At the end of the day I am glad I do not have to fight these battles. I just want killer products. Right now iPhone is king. I just want to see others become king to drive innovation.