Comments on: New Apple patents include tactile/haptic feedback, fingerprint ID and RFID tag readers

By: christexaport

christexaport — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:08:49 +0000

The fingerprint input method is pretty interesting. I did some research, and apparently, Apple sees this as the future of inputting data on a touchscreen. I think it is limiting, since it assumes a user as x fingers, it seems cumbersome, since it’ll obviously require two hands, and privacy issues come up when such a connected device’s app can store your fingerprint data. It doesn’t sound intuitive, but you never know. I bet QWERTY didn’t seem intuitive either.

By: christexaport

christexaport — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:04:14 +0000

@ Vance Decker,
This is TACTILE haptic feedback. What is so funny is this is what sound like a copy of a Nokia patented technology called Haptikos, which they’ve already shown in a working device over 2 years ago. Not only does the device screen make noises and vibrations to signify activity, but with tactile haptics, the screen forms actual bumps to form buttons, a braille screen, if you will. This would negate the need for a keypad altogether if done right. Designers could simply draw their own custom controls.

By: Vance Decker

Vance Decker — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:16:35 +0000

Is this Mac Drone Sarcasm?

There are lots of phones with haptic feedback.

By: MarinerMB

MarinerMB — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:49:24 +0000

Its strange to hear so many people excited about fingerprint technology etc on our phones… Guess the government thought it would get too much slack if it put a chip into our arms. What’s next?

By: Hhill

Hhill — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:03:42 +0000

Huh huh, good one.

By: ~Phel

~Phel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:43:28 +0000

You guys may have not know this but….apple actually invented the cell phone as well as the english written language and mathematics….

By: toursux

toursux — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:40:27 +0000

nokia phones are fugly!

By: toursux

toursux — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:38:39 +0000

hah apple will never be as big as microsoft!!!q

By: anonymousTSR

anonymousTSR — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:19:17 +0000

@@IphoneGS,

I agree, all these people are bitching about these patents but really people, no one gets to complain from now on unless you provide a comparison that’s worth while…

… Oh wait, you can’t. Bottom line, Apple has one of the most solid touch screens on the market and they know what they’re doing… Plus, now that Steve is back, we don’t have to worry about Apple creating stupid shit anymore, like the new shuffle… Hopefully.

Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Findlay United States

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:19:35 +0000

a couple of applications spring to mind
Retail…….medical…

RFID’s in stickers, tags, labels…

The application displays products which bounce to the server or via 3g to warehouse or suppliers…
Include the barcode reader and you’ve got something really universal

I thought that would be obvious…

By: mondo cane

mondo cane — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:18:27 +0000

Take a look at this link:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=21&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=5717423&OS=5717423&RS=5717423

It would seem like someone beat Apple to the punch.

By: Tinker

Tinker — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:41:15 +0000

This has been mentioned on other blogs, this looks like something has been already patented.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=21&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=5717423&OS=5717423&RS=5717423

By: Angel

Angel — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:33:00 +0000

@slimjim lmao….. flash..
Who cares apple? not this guy. At least this is better then them announcing WE NOW HAVE COPY AND PASTE!!….Blackberry FTW

By: christexaport

christexaport — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:07:03 +0000

if you do a little research, you’ll find Nokia is 4 times as popular as Apple for mobile devices, selling as many smartphones as Apple, RIM, and Samsung combined! Who’s popular? There’s a difference between media hype, popular impression, and facts, and the facts don’t lie. 40%>10% all day long, and with 4 to 6 new touchscreen devices launching this year, Nokia’s marketshare will rise again. Apple is a decent contender, but not even sniffing Nokia’s global shadow. Nokia is the 5th most respected and recognizee brand IN THE WORLD. Just the facts,my friend.

By: chris

chris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:09:27 +0000

Apple is revolutionary in a sense that they take existing products and technologies and implement them in a way that is both useful and just makes sense. Like someone said, multi-touch was around before the iPhone, but the way Apple incorperated it into iPhone OS was considered revolutionary. This is why apple is so popular today. They can bring existing but not widly known technology to their products and market it in a way that makes it easy for anyone to understand and use. Someone also said Nokia is innovating with their Haptikos tech. Nokia would be as popular as Apple if they had an operating system to match their awsome phones. Symbian is basically dead. There really isn’t any excitment over symbian because it’s a dinosaur, it needs to be done away with and replaced by a new and fresh OS that is similar to WebOS or iPhone OS.

Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

By: coryB

coryB — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:34:48 +0000

Think I’ll still stick with my trusty Blackberry

By: SlimJim

SlimJim — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:20:36 +0000

Next Apple patent…camera flash…

By: AgBand

AgBand — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:18:53 +0000

@ Cliff:

Because people can. It’s the beauty of having freedom of speech.

And I wouldn’t say that I don’t like Apple or it’s products since I am typing this on my Mac while listening to my iPod. I like what I use, but I also understand that Apple isn’t the greatest thing ever and that Apple is not as revolutionary as the apple fanboys try to lead others to believe.

By: Resi

Resi — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:17:21 +0000

It doesn’t matter if they improve it or even add a keyboard. The iPhone has proved to become a hot-selling product and continues to do so.

Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).

By: mi_canuck

mi_canuck — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:13:39 +0000

let’s they bring an HD screen (ie. 960 x 640) along with this!

By: Cliff

Cliff — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:11 +0000

If you so many of you don’t like Apple or it’s products, then why comment on an Apple article?

By: christexaport

christexaport — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:58:14 +0000

Since you iPhans think Apple is so far ahead of the game, read this:
http://www.symbian-freak.com/news/008/07/more_details_on_nokia_haptikos_tactile_touchscreens.htm
Now they’ve already made a working prototype on one of its web tablets… 2 years ago!

By the way, Nokia’s N97? It has haptics already, albeit not on the level of Haptikos, which will be a watershed moment for touchscreens and thin devices.

Now fingerprint detection via a touchscreen? That’s scary technology.

By: AgBand

AgBand — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:32:18 +0000

@ Nimrod:

Not so much.

By: celz

celz — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:18:12 +0000

i get great customer service, quality, and innovation at http://www.xda-developers.com.. apple has some greatt innovations and im glad but u guys sometimes forget the stuff with wm.. For people in the US at least wm has had the first app to broadcast a 3g signal to multiple wireless devices simaltaneously, the first to allow server side rendering browsers like skyfire and opera mini these are way faster than webkit or ie, a real flash web browser skyfire and mach 5, the first to online sync contacts, files, pictures, the first with real tv out great for gps in the car and web browsing at home.. i could keep going..

By: RM

RM — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:10:17 +0000

I don’t know…these strike me as overly complex solutions to touchscreen problems.

Gestures could easily replace fingerprint identification, and seem more intuitive than long/short/medium pressing your finger.

And voice recognition could do the same in place of a complicated haptic feedback system…

By: Nimrod

Nimrod — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:08:38 +0000

Thats because Apple brings it to a whole new level and then (re)introduces it.

By: AgBand

AgBand — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:04:37 +0000

That’s precisely my thought..Apple does create some revolutionary products, but in the grand scheme of things, most of their stuff isn’t so revolutionary as it has been done before. Haptic feedback has been done before, but when Apple does it, it is considered innovation. Multi-touch has been done before but when Apple does it is considered to be innovation. Just because a company can do a few things well, does not make every little thing they do innovative or revolutionary

By: at&t4lyfe

at&t4lyfe — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:44 +0000

Apple=quality. Regardless of what you say about the other companies in the wireless industry. You really cant get better customer service and quality from one company like Apple has managed too.

By: commentatorace

commentatorace — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:57:48 +0000

buttons on the side of the phone Len? Apple will do that and claim it’s never been done before in that way….

By: Len

Len — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:52:39 +0000

Hmm, fingerprint id input method. That would probably cause more problems and frustration if it were ever implemented. Gestures would make more sense than having to remember which finger does what. Apple could maybe create some convenience keys on the sides of the iphone.
Think BlackBerry (Bold): I can change volume, skip/rewind tracks by holding the volume up/down buttons, and pause music (mute button) all while in the holster. Don’t have to take it out to look at what I’m doing/pressing.
Touchscreens are cool and can give you a lot of neat stuff, but the limitations are also huge. Haptic feedback is a good start, but it will never replace the precision and speed of a physical button.