“Just days prior to Apple’s iPhone unveiling this past January, Microsoft filed a new patent titled Transforming Media Device which describes a communications device which could be transformed into at least three different shapes with each representing a different feature set by physically modifying the device. The three possible shapes, the document reveals, include that of a phone, media player and a camera. This report briefly reviews this new patent along with two other related patents which clearly demonstrate just how off guard Microsoft really was – the day that Apple unveiled their revolutionary iPhone,” neo reports for MacNN.
“The bottom line is that prior to and shortly after Steve Jobs’ unveiling of Apple’s stunning iPhone, Microsoft had shown their cellphone hand through a series of current patents covering a tri-forming mechanically driven media device, a Data Buddy system/device and a thin smartphone. Microsoft’s detailed patents clearly go to demonstrate just how off-guard Microsoft was the day that Apple unveiled their iPhone’s many innovations and just how off-target Microsoft really was in respect to understanding what device innovation even means,” neo reports.
neo reports, “All that you have to do is compare Apple’s easy to use morphing capabilities of the iPhone which quickly allows the user to transition the iPhone UI into that of an iPod/music player, media web browser, calculator, camera and so on with a simple touch of a virtual button to that of Microsoft’s cumbersome Transforming Media Device which forces the user to physically transform the device manually. In contrast to the iPhone, Microsoft’s Transforming Media Device is mere Buffoonery.”
Full article here.
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RIM co-CEO doesn’t see threat from Apple’s iPhone – February 12, 2007
Apple’s soon-to-be iPhone rivals sound just like iPod rivals circa 2001 – February 01, 2007
O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile battle for exclusive rights to Apple iPhone in UK – January 26, 2007
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FUD Alert: Apple iPhone ‘isn’t very practical’ and a ‘security risk’ for business – January 24, 2007
Research in Motion downgraded due to Apple iPhone competition – January 23, 2007
Microsoft CEO Ballmer laughs at Apple iPhone – January 17, 2007
RealMoney: Apple just blew up the whole damn mobile-phone supply chain with its new iPhone – January 11, 2007
The massive FUD campaign against Apple’s iPhone ramps up – January 10, 2007
eWeek: Apple iPhone fallout: ‘They must be crying in Nokia-ville and other telephony towns today’ – January 10, 2007
Jefferies downgrades Motorola on fears of market share loss to Apple iPhone – January 10, 2007
Time: ‘iPhone could crush cell phone market pitilessly beneath the weight of its own superiority’ – January 09, 2007
Analyst: Apple iPhone should be given its own category – ‘brilliantphone’ – January 09, 2007
Apple debuts iPhone: touchscreen mobile phone + widescreen iPod + Internet communicator – January 09, 2007
@ Jim:
MS was in fact caught off guard by *what* Apple developed. Not by the fact that Apple came out with *something*. But I have a feeling you darn well know that and are pretending to be obtuse so you can deliberately miss the point.
The article said it transforms into three shapes, “a phone, a media player and a camera.” This is misleading because all three shapes look striking similar….to a turd.
I thought MS was a software company and Apple was a hardware company. What’s with the role reversal…shouldn’t it have been EASIER fro MS to make something like the iPhone?
Why aren’t MSFT share holders calling for Balmer’s resignation?
Uncle Fester – “how about a toy, that transforms into a building, now that would be great!”
Tom Hanks – “I don’t get it”
@Oops…
“But I have a feeling you darn well know that and are pretending to be obtuse so you can deliberately miss the point.”
ya think? – lol
this is not the real patent,M$ is only 2% MS with Z but that is going to do nothing,because apple is always far away from,when M$ tries to be 5 years aheaed apple has already 20 or more,oh and updating vista via net is one more trouble and M$ is imitating linuxs upgrading sys via net thing that only makes then the most copycat company in the world,apple wrote this opinion to the lawyers because you can be more than this products:
GO APPLE!!!!
But the Microsoft Phone will come in…
BROWN.
Your potential, our passion.
But the Microsoft Phone will come in…
BROWN.
Your potential, our passion.
But the Microsoft Phone will come in…
BROWN.
Your potential, our passion.
Hmmm… first a turd music player and now a turd cell phone. Sounds like a lot of sh@% to me.
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Amazing the success of iPhone. The thing is months away from getting into the hands of any user.
It may or may not connect telephone calls very well and it may or may not change the world.
In the meantime, every other technology company, not just MSoft, has been declared beaten and headed to federal bankruptcy court.
Wow, just wow.
What you guys are missing is the REAL deal: Microsoft PlayReady.
A DRM tool that will be deployed by all content providers (video, audio, gaming, etc..) to control consumer access, 100% owned by Microsoft.
Microsoft is going to lose the OS monopoly eventually, and now it needs to establish roots deeply embedded in every person’s bankbook.
The dark age is coming.
Mordor rises with the Eye of Sauron.
They will crush Apple and all Macs forever, unless one unassuming hobbit can save the world: Scott Forestall.
Is that the best you can do Zune?
This is laughable at best. My grandson has a PowerRanger phone that looks similar to this MS thing look like a bad toy.
MDN word “science” – It doesn’t take a rocket science student to tell that this thing is DBA (dead before arrival).
Transformers- robots in disguise
Transforming Media device – P.O.S. in disguise!
I hope they spend billions making it and trying to market it, just like the XBox, Zune, and their many other failures. After that, they’ll just do what they always have fallen back on – stealing from Apple.
M$ innovation– the phone opens and closes. Royalties will abound.
Moving parts means breakable parts.
Microsoft, a good company in disguise.
Richest company in the world. Figure they could at least hire somebody to draw the damn patent correctly. Notice how in “phone view” the keypad’s in portrait and when it’s in the hand, it’s landscape.
Wait…maybe the keypad transforms too!
The Buffoonery starts now!!
I particularly liked this nugget:
“The device can provide for near to eye capabilities for enhanced image viewing.”
Hmmm. Sounds like a magnifying glass to me.
From buffoonery it is not many more steps to beleaguered.
I think that the Rubik’s Cube is prior art.
Now how do I twist this into a cell phone?
Brau,
I wouldn’t say the XBox is a failure. Sony loses money on each PS sold too (of course they do become profitable as time goes on and manufacturing is recouped.). But the real money comes from licenses, royalties, and software.
Which brings me to think about Apple, Inc. More and more they are proving to be a software company. I love their software, I hate being tied to such a limited scope of hardware, mainly referring to video cards here.
I would like to put OSX on the gaming machine I built. I have more horsepower, hard drive space, RAM, video power, etc. than the high end Macs or Dells at half the cost. And I only used top name components that were on sale. Stuff for Macs never goes on sale. The old ATI 800XL with 256 is still $400. It’s been under $150 on the PC side for a while now.
My Mac is a G5, so I can’t run windows on it for gaming. But I’ll be getting a MacPro soon to help with that. Still limited on the video card front.
BTW, I did love the “Buffoonery” comment…funniest thing ever!
Neo is back.
Neo is writing opinions and being witty !
I am glad the effects from that Macsimum security site they had hid at are wearing off.
The brainwashing is wearing off.
Neo is wriring, is telling us about the industry, is giving us views.
Views, Opinions, Ideas, it’s all this business is about.
Welcome back Neo.
Good work.
Good having you back.
Neo is back.
Neo is writing opinions and being witty !
I am glad the effects from that Macsimum security site they had hid at are wearing off.
The brainwashing is wearing off.
Neo is wriring, is telling us about the industry, is giving us views.
Views, Opinions, Ideas, it’s all this business is about.
Welcome back Neo.
Good work.
Good having you back.