As per usual, Apple puts out a patent that may or may not be used, but doesn't want someone else to come out with something ahead of them.

It's like their saying "nyah nyah," to all the other hardware designer/manufacturers who try to take the iPhone to the next step. As it is, it's all they can do to copy what's already there. ;-)

I was thinking the newton form factor. This looks like mockup of the flip phone designs on the web.

And yet, when Apple uses a patent that someone else has sat on simply because the technology wasn't available at the time everybody jumps all over said person, and defending Apple.

so you're saying that there exists a flip open that is dynamic? that can change according to what's displayed? whether a keyboard or notepad or...? this exists and apple's copying it? where?

Looks like a possible future design for an iPhone mini. It's pretty clear that Apple will begin to go down into the cheaper phone range to expand their control of the phone market. A midrange phone like this would fit the bill.

nat, don't be dense.

lamewing is obviously referring to the multiple law suits against Apple for patents that were filed 5-10 years prior to iTunes/iPod for "portable music devices" and "methods to transfer music to a portable player" and "method for selling music over wide area network" etc. Those companies couldn't or didn't chose to produce the product, and there is definitely an outcry when those companies then try to protect their patent via lawsuit. There is a very long tradition, as lamewing pointed out, of people on these and other Apple fan forums "jumping all over" companies that defend those patents, even if they are never used.

While I think there are aspects of the patent process that are ridiculous, I'm not making statements about that. I do like that lamewing made a self-fulfilling prophecy that came true in just one post.

nat, if you need further explanation... well, I feel bad for ya. Can't help ya any more... I'm sure someone as smugly self-righteous as you can figure things out for themself. Except, obviously, lamewing's comment.

i was referring to danv's post, but hey, thanks for the compliments and the time you took to write explaining to me something i wasn't questioning. simply excellent stuff. you'll always be no. 1 in my book.

Awesome if Apple had a flip phone, like the Motorola RAZR.

Don't you need at least a prototype or working model before you patent something? You have to have more than a clever idea. A two-side touch-sensitive transparent display surface is pretty darn cool. And whoever suggested it is right, applying this to a tablet/laptop combo would be pretty slick. Open it up and the transparent cover turns into a virtual keyboard and trackpad. This is real sci-fi whiz-bang-ery.

Testudo, is that you? If not this person is stealing your writing style!