Apple Patenting The Multidimensional Desktop

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MacRumors has the lowdown on a patent filing by Apple (one of many) they uncovered for a Multidimensional Desktop. There are several technical drawings posted that were submitted as part of the application, here is just one to give you an idea what they are trying to patent.
 
Not sure if anything out there in the Linux world exists like this yet, but it definitely looks interesting.
 
This is what apple should've done since Steveo came back. Make things innovative and cutting edge, instead of BRAGGING the whole time that they ARE cutting edge without any proof.
 
Zellio2009 said:
This is what apple should've done since Steveo came back. Make things innovative and cutting edge, instead of BRAGGING the whole time that they ARE cutting edge without any proof.
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if they werent doing that, how would everyone know that mac users are better people than the rest of us?
 
arent all desktops now in 3D? from what I understand from the patent, it looks fairly similar to what we have now both in linux, and vista, and from what I understand, even the ol' OSX darwin is in a 3D world.
 
dyzophoria said:
arent all desktops now in 3D? from what I understand from the patent, it looks fairly similar to what we have now both in linux, and vista, and from what I understand, even the ol' OSX darwin is in a 3D world.
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Duh, apple is OBVIOUSLY trying to patent 4-dimension technology.... perhaps even covering their ass up to the 11th if string theory holds :p
 
Call me crazy, but didn't a few software companies already develop this exact type of frontend for Windows desktops a decade ago? I remember seeing the demos, and the service looked exactly like this patent.

What's next for Apple? Patenting shoelaces that are made of Velcro?
 
P.S. Shoelaces made of Velcro might not be a bad idea, NOBODY STEAL MY IDEA I'M PATENTING IT
 
Kalabalana said:
Call me crazy, but didn't a few software companies already develop this exact type of frontend for Windows desktops a decade ago? I remember seeing the demos, and the service looked exactly like this patent.

What's next for Apple? Patenting shoelaces that are made of Velcro?
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Way earlier. I remember my first computer in 1994 (Packard Bell - woot!) has a 3D interface where you could launch your programs and what not.
 
Just because an idea is bogus or already done, doesn't mean they won't give them a patent for it.

Hell, half the computers in movies already do this as well as carry on conversations with their users.
 
nike_advantage_velcro_med.jpg


I win!

Anyway, on topic. I don't care who makes it, but just being able to actually implement this idea sounds like a lot of fun. I could see this being used a lot for photo editing, and other editing, and even in everyday use. Hurry up and develop damnit!
 
To be fair I haven't stumbled across an add-on or shell that resembles that exact illustration yet. It looks like it'd be useful if you have alot of programs running at the same time. Could be their response to the upcoming Win7 taskbar?
 
Question of the day, will I get a lawsuit if I use multiple monitor with two monitors at an angle to the main monitor?
 
Um, what Apple is patenting is 3d desktop. Not 2d with a few 3d addon stuff, fully 3d.

Basically, your OS is a giant 3d device.
 
The current desktops in Linux using Compiz and the Aero interface in Windows are 3D desktops, from a mathematical perspective - and yes, OSX as well. Every single thing drawn on the GUI is a 3D rendered object, with a mathematical matrix to define the height, width, and even depth... so this is just Apple being goofy once again.
 
alg7_munif said:
Question of the day, will I get a lawsuit if I use multiple monitor with two monitors at an angle to the main monitor?
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They are probably on your case right now.

I'd give it about 3 days before you see an Apple lawyer at your doorstep.
 
doh...another idea I should have patented when I thought of it :/

it's basically like the cube of linux or the spaces of osx (or linux originally...) only that you have technically 5 different desktops to put your crap on; and they're all on the same screen, so no hassle switching between spaces/cube faces. I've seen some really crappy versions of this implemented a long while back...
 
Didn't they already have this in Jurassic Park when the girl said "I know this, this is Unix".??
 
I knew this seemed familiar... took me a bit of searching... was as simple as "3D OS"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6nl9u0-teo

Just over a year old - while not as flashy and the tech drawing alludes the final product may end up being... still fun to see this panning out. It was a good idea then, it's a good idea now.
 
yang88she said:
hmmm, that might convince me to buy a mac...maybe
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lol, or you could probably save yourself the $3000 that apple will charge, and you could just use already existing programs that do the same type things.
 
but anyway, since i dont see it addressed in this thread


what about the physics?
 
3D desktops of that nature have been tried repeatedly and have without exception failed miserably. Looking cool is not the same as being more usable. Not that Apple's yet figured that one out in any of their product lines.
 
Zellio2009 said:
Um, what Apple is patenting is 3d desktop. Not 2d with a few 3d addon stuff, fully 3d.

Basically, your OS is a giant 3d device.
Click to expand...

I knew someone who wrote a thesis on a 3D desktop almost 15 years ago. This is another example of something that should not be patentable.
 
Now to wait for the influx of max fanbois to inform us that this patent is indeed in some miniscule way an original idea worthy of patenting.
 
I like OS X but that image makes it look like a menu on the right, some dock type thing on the left and a regular 3D-looking dock on the bottom, drawn in a way that mimics 3D depth. It looks like NeXT with a few more angles.
 
I'm disappointed they're not going to go to a full Johnny Mnemonic rip off (remember the scene where he places a call from the computer shop?)
 
5 internets that this will fail.

Honestly apple, stop making your OS look 'cool' and trying to patent everything.
 
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