Apple Wants USB, Thunderbolt Ports Thinner

[back_by_demand]

aesthetically-pleasing connector receptacle

OK, here's where I have a problem with this patent.
Aesthetically-pleasing is surely an entirely subjective point of view, what you think looks good other people may think is ugly and vice versa, also fashions change over time.

If for example this were clothing and we were in the 1970s then A-line flares with pockets in the knees would have been fashionable and the cool thing to be seen in but try wearing them today and people will vomit all over you in total loathing and disgust.

Patents however last pretty much forever so as soon as a patent application says a subjective viewpoint is unlimited then when in 20 years another item is generated that is also supposedly aesthetically-pleasing they will have a lawsuit thrown at them.

Subjective principles should not be given permanent quantifiable status and on that basis this patent should not be granted, go back and reword it.

 

[cknobman]

[citation][nom]nukemaster[/nom]No, they will be too big and require lots of lube and foreplay. Once the mac is in the mood, it "may" take it.BTW, anyone else remember seeing many usb sticks that have done away with the connectors outer metal case? sounds allot like this is going to be the next step of that.Like this thinghttp://www.engadget.com/2007/03/15 [...] ash-drive/[/citation]

I have already heard reports of Mac screens displaying "Too boku" when inserting a usb drive that is black.

 

[happyballz]

...I present you... the new and revolutionary HUMANCENTiPAD now with new proprietary connectors!!!

 

[brianfulcher15]

yay more propritary garbage for apple fanboys.... glad to be the proud owner of a windows pc!

 

[maestintaolius]

No.

This is just stupid. One of the best things about USB is it's standardized. We don't need a new 'pretty, high gloss' version.

 

[hellwig]

[citation][nom]maddad[/nom]Name a cell phone these days that does not use some proprietary type of usb connector. I didn't see any of you calling out Sony or Motorola, Samsung etc. Quit reading the Apple stories that are printed if all you have to say is the "i hate Apple" crap. It's getting old.[/citation]
First off, all cell phones will come with standard micro-USB ports in the future. This is because the biggest markets, the EU, the U.S., and China, have all mandated that cell-phones use a common connector for charging, to reduce the waste of having proprietary cell-phone chargers that get thrown-out each time a new phone is purchased. Apple is probably the only company today not releasing their phones with this connector (and the iPhone 5 will probably either use micro-USB or have a micro-USB to Apple connector adapter to meet the requirements of the new laws).

Second, you're thinking the wrong end of the USB cable. The patent is also addressing the USB port on the computer itself. You know, the port where you plug IN the flash drive, printer cable, etc.. Just because a video camera or MP3 player has a proprietary connector on the device itself, the other end of the USB cable is a standard USB-A plug, otherwise, you wouldn't be able to use the device over USB at all. Apple wants to change USB-A to something else, making every USB cable ever built up to this point worthless without an adapter.

Now, I'm not that concerned with changing the port assuming: A) There are cheap adapters that go in both directions (new cables old ports and old cables new ports), and that this standard is OPEN.

If only Apple implements this, they are corrupting (or as Microsoft puts it, Adapting and Expanding) an open standard just to close it up again. It's bad enough Apple has a patent on their power adapters (mag-lock) such that you can only buy Apple-branded adapters, but now you (Apple owners) will have to buy Apple-branded USB cables and adapters too. Won't that suck for you.

 

[enforcer22]

"but a decent analogy is that of cars: why buy a Lexus if a Toyota is the exact same car made by the same manufacture using the same parts?"

Yeah except with a lexus you get more when you pay more. With apple you get less and still pay more to have a stupid apple on it and no real upgrade options. and you get a really ugly computer.

 

[dgingeri]

This is just like Apple. "Let's create more reliability problems by making things prettier!" The morons need to learn a bit about function over form.

 

[akorzan]

[citation][nom]dgingeri[/nom]This is just like Apple. "Let's create more reliability problems by making things prettier!" The morons need to learn a bit about function over form.[/citation]
That's a personal opinion. Luxury in a computer is harder to measure. Have fun with your black plastic.
Side note: I owned a Lenovo y550 ideapad... they put a 1000 hour life capacitor in it that removes ripple currents. It got shot, and burnt everything out with it.

 

[eddieroolz]

It's a good thing that the industry doesn't bow to the interest of a single company. That would mean chaos and stalled innovation.

Meanwhile, I'm amazed that "flushed ports" is now patent-able. Guess I should go patent my method of typing keystrokes with two hands.

 

[dread_cthulhu]

To learn more about Apple's parent, head here

Apple's daddy? That link should go here ROFL

 

[schwibsi]

I want to read more on Apple's "parent".

Funny typo, I guess.

 

[infernaldna]

[citation][nom]maddad[/nom]Name a cell phone these days that does not use some proprietary type of usb connector. I didn't see any of you calling out Sony or Motorola, Samsung etc. Quit reading the Apple stories that are printed if all you have to say is the "i hate Apple" crap. It's getting old.[/citation]

I have charged 3 brands of phone off of 1 charger: Motorola Droid, HTC Incredible, and a (Samsung) Nexus S. So no calling out is needed, Apple and Nokia are the only 2 that I know of that use proprietary plugs.

 

[Vladislaus]

[citation][nom]infernaldna[/nom]I have charged 3 brands of phone off of 1 charger: Motorola Droid, HTC Incredible, and a (Samsung) Nexus S. So no calling out is needed, Apple and Nokia are the only 2 that I know of that use proprietary plugs.[/citation]
Even Nokia now has few cells phones that already use a standard mini-b USB plug for data transfer. Charging is still done through a proprietary connector, but that's about to change with the EU forcing them to use USB.

 

[baddad]

I don't know how you patent an idea without a working design or device.