Microsoft Surface, Meet Apple iSurface 201
theodp writes "Responding to Microsoft's Windows 8 efforts, Apple CEO Tim Cook insisted in late April that combining a tablet and a notebook would be like converging a toaster and a refrigerator. But a patent application submitted by Apple last year — and made public Tuesday morning — proposes marrying a tablet and a keyboard to create 'a true laptop alternative,' which GeekWire notes looks a lot like Microsoft Surface (comparison pic). In its patent filing, Apple describes various ways that a tablet's cover could be used as an I-O device — as a tactile-feedback keyboard ('word processing and email become much more efficient'), to display additional output, as a touchpad replacement, and even to receive stylus input. 'The experience,' claims Apple, 'is even better in some ways than the laptop experience.'"
Copy Sony again? (Score:5, Interesting)
Is this another case of Apple copying what Sony is doing, but publicising it better?
http://www.xperiablog.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Xperia-Tablet_13.jpg [xperiablog.net]
Re:It's a screen with a keyboard... (Score:3, Interesting)
dufuq did I just read? How can anyone compare hating Apple to Racism? I really don't like Apple stuff, but I have a reason. I have how overpriced it is, I hate how locked down it is, I hate how Apple abuses the legal system like suing everyone and the time they had people pose as cops. Mostly I hate having to use iTunes to sync any music/video to the player as I don't want to have to sort through my full library just to add a few songs because doing it that way is way slower and less covenant then just copying a few folders and moving them directly.
The only good thing I can say is that everyone has some sort of iPod dock for everything and it would be nice to have an alarm clock that can connect to my MP3 player.
Re:It's a screen with a keyboard... (Score:4, Interesting)
I pretty much agree with you, but I have to point out one thing: There ARE NO "good" companies.
Every time a company did something that pissed me off, I vowed to personally boycott them. As the list grew I eventually realized that my position was untenable because I would reach a point where I couldn't buy anything at all. Furthermore, the average person isn't even remotely as conscientious, so my little personal victories became hollow because they didn't actually amount to anything.
So all I can do now is, when I want to buy a product, I look at the company's behaviour to see if they've actively screwed over their customers. Either by shoddy products, or some other form of dishonest behaviour. I refuse to buy from Sony because they've released rootkits on their CDs, rolled back features on their game consoles, etc. I refuse to buy from Amazon because they have a demonstrated history of take-backsies plus other things.
Apple, at least from the consumer standpoint, have done what they said on the tin. They provide good products, along with downright excellent service. I can buy an iphone now and KNOW that it will be supported 3 or 4 years from now. My Google Nexus One? Dropped like a hot potato less than a year after I bought it.
I used to despise Microsoft with a passion. Now... I just don't care anymore. They make products. I use them or not as I see fit.
I guess this was all a TL;DR version of, "Making an emotional investment, love OR hate, in something that will not reciprocate is pointless and will only hurt you the long run."