ipod owners- holy crap microsoft is screwing apple

**webby** · 08-17-2005, 10:18 AM

leave it to microsoft to do this.

APPLE'S IPOD PATENT
Computer firm Apple may have to pay Microsoft $10 for each iPod it sells after a huge licensing lapse.

Lawyers at Bill Gates' firm filed a patent for technology behind the hugely successful digital music player two months before Apple.

The US Patent Office has ruled that Microsoft has the right to charge competitors a licence fee for each iPod sold.

Furious, Apple has said it will appeal the decision but at the moment it looks as though the firm will be paying a high price for the success of its product.

The iPod was launched in November 2001 but Apple waited until July 2002 to file for a patent; Microsoft snuck in to license some of the technology the previous May.

David Kaefer, Microsoft's director of intellectual property licensing, said it was open to letting other firms patent its innovations.

He said: "In general, our policy is to allow others to license our patents so they can use our innovative methods in their products.

"Microsoft and Apple have previously licensed their respective patent portfolios to one another and we maintain a good working relationship with Apple."

The dispute comes days after Microsoft declared war on the iPod and pledged to come up with a series of rivals.

So far, 21 million iPods have been sold worldwide, 18 million in the last year alone.

21 million x 10 bucks a piece. Microsoft sure knows how to bank on doing absolutly nothing. Sucks to be apple right now.

***C2i0v0i1c*** · 08-17-2005, 11:14 AM

DICKS

Eazy · 08-17-2005, 11:34 AM

meh...microsoft wanted to make a iPod competitor but failed at it so they do this ???
Theyll probably make that kind of money from the Xbox 360

Prototype · 08-23-2005, 03:47 PM

OMG!! SUCKS for apple!! Bill and his spies!!

**Shemmy** · 08-23-2005, 04:01 PM

There is a fine line between being a crook and making a good business decisions. Microsoft has walked this line since day one. They are going to have to call it a billPod now.

tehLOLbbq · 08-25-2005, 01:27 PM

did their stock go down because of this? I know it was going up up up there for a while.

davydany · 08-30-2005, 07:57 PM

i love microsoft :). i hate apple.
-----
honestly, the iPod was just a pretty face. I am having better battery performance from the CREATIVE Zen Touch 20 GB and it has a touch pad interface.

tomasro · 08-30-2005, 08:21 PM

"i love microsoft . i hate apple."

how can you love a monopoly?...it defies the very meaning of what it is to be an American.

And this will probably just lead to a new generation of iPods being released sooner than later, with original patented technology, so as to avoid this patent jargon.

F0CK TECHNICALITIES, Why can't we all just get along???

davydany · 08-30-2005, 10:27 PM

i love microsoft because their products actually work (although some are bad). They are not pretty faces like the APPLE ones.

shoptb · 08-30-2005, 10:38 PM

I have had my iPod for over a year now, and it's probably the best investment I have made in electronics in a long time. Perfect simplistic interface, great storage capacity, and it goes with me to work, in the car, and even to the gym! The iPod was first; the others are imitations! KUDOS APPLE! ;-)

wrussi · 08-31-2005, 12:00 PM

man i hate microsoft they are just jealous that apple always comes up with ideas first for example: USB firewire zip drives ipods and much more now they found a flaw that apple had and bam they take advantage of it. i guess thats why bill gates is so rich..

im so glad i switched to apple! i own a powerbook g4 and since day 1 i havent had any problems with it. they are not just pretty they actually work better!! when you own one you will see.

fventura03 · 08-31-2005, 05:31 PM

can we say owned.

21 million x $10 = 210 million.

apple will be sad for a bit...

08-17-2005, 10:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
webby Acorns! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Storage Room B Posts: 14,470 iTrader: 12 / 100%	ipod owners- holy crap microsoft is screwing apple leave it to microsoft to do this. APPLE'S IPOD PATENT Computer firm Apple may have to pay Microsoft $10 for each iPod it sells after a huge licensing lapse. Lawyers at Bill Gates' firm filed a patent for technology behind the hugely successful digital music player two months before Apple. The US Patent Office has ruled that Microsoft has the right to charge competitors a licence fee for each iPod sold. Furious, Apple has said it will appeal the decision but at the moment it looks as though the firm will be paying a high price for the success of its product. The iPod was launched in November 2001 but Apple waited until July 2002 to file for a patent; Microsoft snuck in to license some of the technology the previous May. David Kaefer, Microsoft's director of intellectual property licensing, said it was open to letting other firms patent its innovations. He said: "In general, our policy is to allow others to license our patents so they can use our innovative methods in their products. "Microsoft and Apple have previously licensed their respective patent portfolios to one another and we maintain a good working relationship with Apple." The dispute comes days after Microsoft declared war on the iPod and pledged to come up with a series of rivals. So far, 21 million iPods have been sold worldwide, 18 million in the last year alone. 21 million x 10 bucks a piece. Microsoft sure knows how to bank on doing absolutly nothing. Sucks to be apple right now.

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08-17-2005, 11:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
*C2i0v0i1c* *PRSRIZD* Join Date: May 2005 Location: Danville, KY Age: 25 Posts: 1,404 iTrader: 0 / 0%	DICKS

08-17-2005, 11:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
Eazy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Age: 20 Posts: 287 iTrader: 0 / 0%	meh...microsoft wanted to make a iPod competitor but failed at it so they do this ??? Theyll probably make that kind of money from the Xbox 360

08-23-2005, 03:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Prototype Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Goldsboro, NC Age: 23 Posts: 571 iTrader: 0 / 0%	OMG!! SUCKS for apple!! Bill and his spies!!

08-23-2005, 04:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
Shemmy ID10T Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 424 iTrader: 0 / 0%	There is a fine line between being a crook and making a good business decisions. Microsoft has walked this line since day one. They are going to have to call it a billPod now.

08-25-2005, 01:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
tehLOLbbq Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 316 iTrader: 0 / 0%	did their stock go down because of this? I know it was going up up up there for a while.

08-30-2005, 07:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
davydany Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NY Age: 20 Posts: 144 iTrader: 0 / 0%	i love microsoft :). i hate apple. ----- honestly, the iPod was just a pretty face. I am having better battery performance from the CREATIVE Zen Touch 20 GB and it has a touch pad interface.

08-30-2005, 08:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
tomasro Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Carlos, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,639 Turner iTrader: 2 / 100%	"i love microsoft . i hate apple." how can you love a monopoly?...it defies the very meaning of what it is to be an American. And this will probably just lead to a new generation of iPods being released sooner than later, with original patented technology, so as to avoid this patent jargon. F0CK TECHNICALITIES, Why can't we all just get along???

08-30-2005, 10:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
davydany Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NY Age: 20 Posts: 144 iTrader: 0 / 0%	i love microsoft because their products actually work (although some are bad). They are not pretty faces like the APPLE ones.

08-30-2005, 10:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
shoptb Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bella Vista, AR Age: 31 Posts: 111 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I have had my iPod for over a year now, and it's probably the best investment I have made in electronics in a long time. Perfect simplistic interface, great storage capacity, and it goes with me to work, in the car, and even to the gym! The iPod was first; the others are imitations! KUDOS APPLE! ;-)

08-31-2005, 12:00 PM	#11 (permalink)
wrussi Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 31 iTrader: 0 / 0%	man i hate microsoft they are just jealous that apple always comes up with ideas first for example: USB firewire zip drives ipods and much more now they found a flaw that apple had and bam they take advantage of it. i guess thats why bill gates is so rich.. im so glad i switched to apple! i own a powerbook g4 and since day 1 i havent had any problems with it. they are not just pretty they actually work better!! when you own one you will see.

08-31-2005, 05:31 PM	#12 (permalink)
fventura03 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 25 iTrader: 0 / 0%	can we say owned. 21 million x $10 = 210 million. apple will be sad for a bit...