Apple patents virtual stores - bit-tech.net Forums

Bindibadgi · 21st Apr 2008, 12:27

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/04...rtual_stores/1

Apple has just been granted a patent on a method for enhancing the atmosphere of online shopping using a virtual environment that doesn't sound a million miles away from Second Life.

DXR_13KE · 21st Apr 2008, 12:58

talk about patenting the obvious!!!

Boldar · 21st Apr 2008, 13:13

Don't the virtual stores in MMO's count as previous art?

Perhaps I ought to patent the use of a screwdriver as a paint tin lid remover

Paradigm Shifter · 21st Apr 2008, 13:18

Indeed.

I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to spend more shopping online than I do when I shop in a physical store. Perhaps it's the fact that when I go to a store, I know exactly what I want so I get it and leave ASAP, rather than fight the hordes of people with screaming kids.

Also, why would I want to wonder around a "virtual" "physical" store, when the Amazon/Play/scan/insert-e-tailer-here model works perfectly already?

DarkLord7854 · 21st Apr 2008, 13:23

To we get to fight the giant iPod? Does it drop iPod Nanos?

liratheal · 21st Apr 2008, 13:53

Man. Seems like we have a new race, here.

Patent race. Patent everything, just incase someone tries to use it in the distant future.

That said, with this, do I get the processing power of a Mac Pro in the virtual store? I've got some pretty intense rendering work to be done, and my PC can't handle it..

UncertainGod · 21st Apr 2008, 13:59

There is so much prior art for this, how the hell did they get the patent?

Darkedge · 21st Apr 2008, 15:52

Apple patents the obvious or someone else's prior art AGAIN. They are turning into the biggest Incorrect Patent Whores in the world.

MrMonroe · 21st Apr 2008, 15:56

Hoe'd up. They are going to use the internet, the development of which has brought more power into the hands of consumers by giving them the option of looking only at the products they are interested in and need if they do a little research, in an attempt to obfuscate information and force customers to sift through all the products on offer the same way they did in their brick and mortar stores? The kicker is that they will bill this as a way to make the store "easier to use." Why do I feel that so many technology companies do business by pandering to idiots as opposed to the people who actually know how to use their products?

The Internet: now another tool in the handbag for people who want you to buy **** you don't need.

Gravemind123 · 21st Apr 2008, 16:12

Apple is starting to do what other businesses do all the time. Although my favorite is IBM trying to patent making money from patents.

HourBeforeDawn · 21st Apr 2008, 17:30

well it seems that this is how Apple really makes its money to survive in a PC world, they go around patent everything and then sue people....

So how will this effect MMO that have virtual stores that you can buy actual items with money and what not??? I think I have another reason to hate Apple >_<

johnmustrule · 21st Apr 2008, 21:04

so much previous art lmao!

r4tch3t · 21st Apr 2008, 21:19

Can you sue someone for patenting something very similar to your own patent? If so I'm sure someone could sue Apple (and several other bad offenders) for patenting their patent. Or even sue the patent office for letting these patents through. Hold on, I'm going to try and patent patenting the obvious.

yodasarmpit · 21st Apr 2008, 21:20

Can you patent breathing?

completemadness · 21st Apr 2008, 22:03

i wonder whether SecondLife actually falls under this patent ....

Xir · 22nd Apr 2008, 09:08

Aren't there virtual stores just like this in Secondlife?

...there are in Oblivion ;-)

DXR_13KE · 22nd Apr 2008, 10:55

the patent system is very broken....

21st Apr 2008, 12:27	#1
Bindibadgi Richard Swinburne bit-tech Staff Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Omnipwntent Posts: 28,233	Apple patents virtual stores http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/04...rtual_stores/1 Apple has just been granted a patent on a method for enhancing the atmosphere of online shopping using a virtual environment that doesn't sound a million miles away from Second Life. __________________ Made you look, made you stare, made you clicked this in your underwear! Den of Geek!

21st Apr 2008, 12:58	#2
DXR_13KE Madeira's banana is the best!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Madeira ; Portugal Posts: 6,466	talk about patenting the obvious!!! __________________ *Renegade X - 0.40 Release!* <---- CLICK!

21st Apr 2008, 13:18	#4
Paradigm Shifter Lethargic Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,210	Indeed. I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to spend more shopping online than I do when I shop in a physical store. Perhaps it's the fact that when I go to a store, I know exactly what I want so I get it and leave ASAP, rather than fight the hordes of people with screaming kids. Also, why would I want to wonder around a "virtual" "physical" store, when the Amazon/Play/scan/insert-e-tailer-here model works perfectly already? __________________ Core i7 920 D0 @ 3.8GHz \| 6GB Corsair 1600MHz \| Gigabyte EX58-UD5 \| XFX 4870X2 2GB \| 4TB \| WUXGA

21st Apr 2008, 13:23	#5
DarkLord7854 Web Developer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 3,825	To we get to fight the giant iPod? Does it drop iPod Nanos? __________________ Current Computer: eVGA 780i Motherboard \| Q6600 Core2Quad \| eVGA GTX260 896Mbs 216-core \| 2x Seagate 500Gbs \| 8Gbs OCZ Platinum DDR2 800 \| Creative XtremeGamer X-Fi \| Thermaltake Armor Case Custom WordPress, ZenCart, Joomla, vBulletin, etc installs and skinning, PM/E-Mail for a quote

21st Apr 2008, 13:53	#6
liratheal Just got a great book on tape Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: High Wycombe, UK Posts: 3,557	Man. Seems like we have a new race, here. Patent race. Patent everything, just incase someone tries to use it in the distant future. That said, with this, do I get the processing power of a Mac Pro in the virtual store? I've got some pretty intense rendering work to be done, and my PC can't handle it.. __________________ Gigabyte MA790FX, X4 9950 Black Edition, 8gb Geil Black Dragon, 2x4870 512mb, Antec TruePower Quattro 850w I game, Do you?

21st Apr 2008, 13:13	#3
Boldar Supermodder Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 257	Don't the virtual stores in MMO's count as previous art? Perhaps I ought to patent the use of a screwdriver as a paint tin lid remover

21st Apr 2008, 13:59	#7
UncertainGod Still Alive Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 1,142	There is so much prior art for this, how the hell did they get the patent? __________________ Twitter Tumblr Blog Last.fm "What role do you want to play, I'm just a click away night or day"

21st Apr 2008, 15:52	#8
Darkedge Supermodder Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: UK Posts: 334	Apple patents the obvious or someone else's prior art AGAIN. They are turning into the biggest Incorrect Patent Whores in the world.

21st Apr 2008, 15:56	#9
MrMonroe Multimodder Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 195	Hoe'd up. They are going to use the internet, the development of which has brought more power into the hands of consumers by giving them the option of looking only at the products they are interested in and need if they do a little research, in an attempt to obfuscate information and force customers to sift through all the products on offer the same way they did in their brick and mortar stores? The kicker is that they will bill this as a way to make the store "easier to use." Why do I feel that so many technology companies do business by pandering to idiots as opposed to the people who actually know how to use their products? The Internet: now another tool in the handbag for people who want you to buy **** you don't need.

21st Apr 2008, 16:12	#10
Gravemind123 avatar not found Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Elmhurst, IL, USA Posts: 1,772	Apple is starting to do what other businesses do all the time. Although my favorite is IBM trying to patent making money from patents. __________________ E4400 - Asus P5B-Plus - Antec NeoHE 500 - 4GB OCZ SLI XTC - EVGA 8800GT - 250GB WD + 320GB Seagate Lian-Li PC-61 - Zalman Cooling - Creative GigaWorks T20 - AG Neovo M-17 Dell XPS M1330 - T8300 - 4GB Ram - 8400M GS - 250GB HDD

21st Apr 2008, 17:30	#11
HourBeforeDawn a.k.a KazeModz Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cali, USA Posts: 1,785	well it seems that this is how Apple really makes its money to survive in a PC world, they go around patent everything and then sue people.... So how will this effect MMO that have virtual stores that you can buy actual items with money and what not??? I think I have another reason to hate Apple >_< __________________ Current Rig: RubyRED • Lian-Li A05B • (2) Swiftech 220 Radiators • (2) D5 Variable Pumps • (2) Res • and a whole lot of modding • Retired Rig: Project F.E.A.R. • TT Lanbox Lite • Swiftech H2O-120 • Q6600 G0 OC@3.6ghz • 2900XT • 4gb SuperTalent Memory • Last edited by HourBeforeDawn; 21st Apr 2008 at 17:43.

21st Apr 2008, 21:04	#12
johnmustrule Supermodder Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 345	so much previous art lmao! __________________ "Your belief, unfortunately, is no endorsement of truth"

21st Apr 2008, 21:19	#13
r4tch3t hmmmm.... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,882	Can you sue someone for patenting something very similar to your own patent? If so I'm sure someone could sue Apple (and several other bad offenders) for patenting their patent. Or even sue the patent office for letting these patents through. Hold on, I'm going to try and patent patenting the obvious. __________________ Fight my Brute The quantum limit of reality might be scaled up because we're all holograms. Obviously. Once more we see that sufficiently advanced physics is indistinguishable from getting really stoned. From here

21st Apr 2008, 21:20	#14
yodasarmpit The other Brett. Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Location: West Lothian , Scotland Posts: 9,664	Can you patent breathing? __________________ The Rt. Hon. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson - "Ping Pong is coming home" www.yodasarmpit.com clickr my flickr

21st Apr 2008, 22:03	#15
completemadness Hypermodder Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 887	i wonder whether SecondLife actually falls under this patent ....

22nd Apr 2008, 09:08	#16
Xir Supermodder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 526	Aren't there virtual stores just like this in Secondlife? ...there are in Oblivion ;-) __________________ SN25P A64 3700+ (San Diego) 2 GB DDR400 OCZ Platinum EL 2-3-2-5 1T X1800XT 512mb Sapphire 200GB Samsung SP2004C

22nd Apr 2008, 10:55	#17
DXR_13KE Madeira's banana is the best!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Madeira ; Portugal Posts: 6,466	the patent system is very broken.... __________________ *Renegade X - 0.40 Release!* <---- CLICK!