ASUS could be in trouble with those Zenbooks. LG with the Xnote. The Acer S7, Gigabyte X11, Dell XPS and others could be at risk too because Apple just secured a patent on a wedge design.
We’re not experts on patents but it seems fairly clear that this isn’t a highly specific MBA patent.
The Verge have a few words which could worry Intel.
In determining infringement, courts look at whether the allegedly infringing device and the design patent are substantially similar in overall appearance to an "ordinary observer," excluding minor differences.
This is something we’ll have to watch. We’d hate to see that $300m Ultrabook investment fund being re-purposed to pay Apple!
Check out the full article at The Verge.
Yay, another weapon added to the patent MADness arsenal…
wedge is overrated
Apple is to dependent on Intel for CPU’s. This is just an armory patent to play chess with.
I don’t like the wedge anyways, boxy is much better.
I don’t get it. How can one patent a generic design?
Who approves this shit?
Well…you know who has nothing to worry about…Lenovo U series. Good job guys. I never liked the wedge from the “get go”
Well, nothing new here – patent system is ridiculously broken.
This is the first time I have seen apple show some concern. I didn’t see them patent the iphone design when all the “look a likes” came out. Maybe they are trying to cover their bases. Perhaps I should go patent some shapes as well. They have the wedge, but I am going to go patent the cube, sphere, cylinder and pyramid ;) Let the money roll in….
Seriously patenting a shape is ridiculous; how did this ever get approved!?!
Adam
Actually the S7 isn’t a wedge shape, its uniform 12/12.5mm.
Newsflash! Apple just secured a patent on the color silver, could spell trouble for rival companies.
Apple = greedy, control freak monster! Court needs to slap them for this.
THIS PATENT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!! Agree with David that apple is greedy and a control freak…as evidenced by them trying monopolize and manipulate the shook market ( recent suit bright by justice department). Their greed will be their downfall…I personally am boycotting all Apple products!!!!!
Correction…”manipulating eBook market”…
Well, too bad for Apple that I’m thinking to secure the rectangular shape… sooo… from now on I guess they will be forced to make laptops round and change their heads shape too…