“Although long rumored by analysts, a newly-published filing at the US Patent and Trademark Office confirms that Research in Motion is indeed working on touchscreen technology for its phones,” Electronista reports.
“The filing, entitled System and method of integrating a touchscreen within an LCD, depicts an array of parallel electrodes which register input as changes in voltage are detected, triggered by pressure from either fingers or a stylus,” Electronista reports.
“More importantly, it is suggested that the technology could allow for multitouch control, something so far limited to Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch and MacBook Air,” Electronista reports.
Full article here.
Wait, I thought they were telling us that touch keyboards were BAD?
Yet again, Apple leads and the others follow.
Interesting…when someone sues Apple, they’re patent vultures. RIM works on its own multi-touch tech and most everyone here wants Apple to sue.
Such little faith in your beloved company.
toonie: Thanks for oversimplying the matter. Generalize much?
“Wait, I thought they were telling us that touch keyboards were BAD?”
Sort of.
“The iPhone has severe limitations when it comes to effortless typing.”
– Research in Motion co-CEO, Mike Lazaridis (Nov. 8th, 2007)
“oversimplying”
Sorry. I oversimplified “oversimplifying”.
Sounds like they are trying to patent Apple’s iPhone patents.
Isn’t the iPhone touch screen based on this same technology and way to do multi-touch??
Look at this video on the Apple website – looks very similar to what RIM is describing in their patent:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/index.html#touch
Thank you iLuvMyMacs and Sum Jung Gai. Funny sh1t.
And Ampar, thanks for the enlightenment (Levenson quote).
So if Apple did not do this, no one else would have had the balls to try multitouch in a cellphone. It must suck to be a follower.
This just show how much of a treasure Apple is.
@Name – Re: “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.”
Umm, I don’t recall that being an iPhone function.
“More importantly, it is suggested that the technology could allow for multitouch control. By avoiding violating Apple’s patents, inside sources say that RIM’s phone will resemble ‘a big ass table’. …”
That’s why Microsoft can get away with their big-ass table, and why other companies will push their own implementation of this technology.
The 200+ patents are for specific things, but not for multi-touch itself.
CNN has been using huge multi-touch screens lately to move, rotate and enlarge photos by hand.
When Apple BOUGHT FingerWorks
it pretty much bought and now owns the methods of input for mutli-touch. The iPhone has over 200 patents, which cover present & future technologies on input and functionality.
Many companies can toy all they wish. Experiment and play as much as they desire. But there will be TROUBLE when they choose to market and bring their products to the consumers. Specially, when the product is a similar device and a direct competitor.
http://digg.com/apple/Apple_acquired_Fingerworks_touch_gesture_company_to_create_iPhone
dougless
Apple has only touched on a few of the best and common input methods for iPhone and MacBook Air.
Expect more from Apple shortly.
The iPhone IS ‘eating into the RIM’ market share.
None of this matters – its the combination of OSX and the hardware that wins – these poor suckas have to use WIn mobile or Symbian or some such rubbish.
I dont think RIM’s software is so hot – except it works with a server so they can manipulate it from afar – or so they say.
They can announce all the touch-screen vapour they like – the cell-phone industry is 5 years behind the iPhone already and I cant see Apple suddenly going all zune-like and designing for 1975, can you?
Never underestimate the power of nostalgia to screw up innovation.
Also – the main business of cell phone is with consumers, not business types.
RIM have a big share of a small market – already Apple have 28% of that market, and they arent even going after that market!
“Apple has only touched on a few of the best and common input methods for iPhone and MacBook Air.”
I discovered a new gesture recently. When someone asks to use my iPhone, I gesture a reply by extending only my middle finger. Try it. It really works.
RIM afraid of apple?
pleazzze… it’s funny watching all the threads in here.
Apple my have it’s patents for touch control. But they don’t specify which finger to use. RIM may have figured out the optimum finger for maximum effect and control.
@Pete
I bet they will use your middle finger right? LOL
Pete, Which finger(s) do you prefer to have poking at your RIM?
(with a German accent)
“You want to touch my RIM, yes? Do it! Put your finger on my Blackberry and move it around. Faster!…yes….Now use two fingers!!!!”
The blackberry has one major advantage over the iPhone.
It has an actual keyboard. The multitouch screen is probably the future of user interfaces in general, and it makes the iPhone a great multimedia phone, but typing fast on the iPhone is a pain from personal experience.
Although, I would be curious to see what RIM would do with a multitouch screen…
@e
Wrong with the keyboard. Its a non issue. Just like all new things, you need to just give it some time to get used to it. I now type much faster on my iPhone than I ever did with my Treos and BB over the years. I have never been able to type as fast as the iPhone with those devices.
Don’t think the “touchscreen” concept per se could be patented.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”zipper” style=”border:0;” /> Just how it’s implemented and the way it is used—now that’s eminently patentable.
After all, I recall HP and other vendors touting it as the next big thing for PCs back in the days of the first Mac—the Mouse won.
I have become quite proficient typing on the iPhone keyboard, and I prefer the smaller one used in portrait orientation than the one on landscape. Reason? The buttons are closer together so my fingers don’t have to wander over the larger space.
Once one begins to trust the predictive, corrective spelling of iPhone, the speed arrives in no time.