Hasta La Gadget!

Last Sunday, we discovered that the United States Patent and Trademark Office denied Apple its request for an iPad mini trademark. The main reason for doing so was because the examiner believed the term “mini” to be “merely descriptive” of Apple’s iPad, and did not warrant a trademark. In order for Apple to receive its trademark, we believed that it would have had to appeal the decision with some necessary amendments, but now it seems like it didn’t need to do much at all.

Now a newly, updated Office action has been discovered by MacRumors that shows that the USPTO has decided to rescind its earlier objections. The two original objections that the examiner had an issue with have seemed to be resolved. They were the “merely descriptive” aspect of the “mini” trademark as well as Apple using the iPad mini’s product webpage as the image in its proposal. The new office action states:

This Office action supersedes any previous Office action issued in connection with this application.

Upon further review of the application, the examining attorney has determined that the following refusals issued in the initial Office action should be withdrawn. The examining attorney apologizes for any inconvenience caused.

REFUSALS WITHDRAWN:

The Trademark Act Section 2(e)(1) descriptiveness refusal and the Sections 1 and 45 specimen refusal are both withdrawn.

However, this doesn’t mean that Apple is guaranteed its iPad mini trademark. The USPTO states that it still needs to double-check to see if any other companies have filed for the “mini” trademark with their own products. It also wants Apple to amend its application to include a disclaimer that states that the “mini” trademark can only be applied when used in conjunction with the “iPad mini”.

The disclaimer is to protect any companies who want to use the “mini” for their future products. An example being Samsung and its Samsung Galaxy S III Mini, or its rumored Samsung GALAXY S 4 Mini. We’ll keep you posted if there are any new updates to this trademark issue. Until then, be sure to check out our review of Apple’s iPad mini, as well as our timeline below for more Apple related news.

[via MacRumors]

USPTO rescinds original objections to iPad mini trademark is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Google Drive app for iOS is freeing users from the shackles of portrait-style document editing in its latest update, version 1.30, as well as speeding up Google Doc support in general. Alongside some “minor bug fixes,” that’s the general thrust of the latest Google Drive update for iOS devices; an update which adds what we’d call no-brainer functionality. Most importantly, this update should allow users to stop swearing loudly while trying to edit documents in portrait mode, which we’d call a major plus.

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Apple, Google

Comments

Via: The Next Web

Source: iTunes App Store

Ken Segall, who worked as a creative director at Apple’s ad agency, TBWA/Chiat/Day, and later as a consultant to Apple until 2008, has given his two cents on Apple’s strange naming system for its iOS devices. Many of us would have to agree that Apple’s naming system for its iPhone devices has been a bit weird. Its devices don’t follow the same naming system as its Mac or iPod line-up of devices.

One example provided by Segall would be the iPad naming system. First, we had the original iPad, followed by the iPad 2. We all expected the follow-up to the iPad 2 to be the iPad 3, but instead, Apple decided to just call it “the new iPad”. With the release of its latest iPad, it seems that Apple has dropped its number system for the iPad altogether, and may adopt the same nomenclature as the iPod. Segall states that the number system for the iPad, as well as its other devices, were in a world “where numbers had become excess baggage.”

With the iPhone, it makes sense that Apple needs to stick to the number system. When a new iPhone becomes available, Apple doesn’t get rid of its older selection of iPhones. It keeps the older generation of iPhones around and aims them more towards the budget consumers. Segall’s main issue with the iPhone’s naming system is the “S” moniker. He says that “it’s an awkward moniker whether you speak it or read it”. He also says that the “S” sends a “rather weak message” and that devices that end in S are seen as “off-year” devices with minimal improvements to their predecessors.

Segall states that “attempting to calibrate ‘degree of innovation’ in the product name seems like a needless (and self-diminishing) exercise,” and that the “S” moniker should be dropped altogether. He says that future iPhone devices, like the iPhone 5S, should just follow a number system (iPhone 6, iPhone 7, etc). He provides a great comparison by relating the iPhone naming system to car naming systems. He says that “If you’re looking for a new car, you’re looking for a 2013 model — not a 2012S”. What are your thought’s on Apple’s naming system. Also if you’re in looking to skip the “iPhone 5S” and are considering just purchasing the iPhone 5 (maybe the one T-Mobile’s about to release), be sure to check out our iPhone 5 review.

[via Ken Segall]

Ex-Apple adviser inputs his two cents on Apple’s weird naming system is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

An ITC judge believes that Samsung has infringed on a key part of one of Apple’s patents. Judge Thomas Pender stated that he found Samsung’s text-selection feature to be infringing on the patent, a feature that is both part of the Internet Browser in Samsung’s devices, as well as the translucent buttons in Samsung’s photo gallery. Judge Pender’s decision is only a preliminary decision however, and will need to be approved by the rest of the ITC.

Judge Pender issued his decision on March 26th, however, he only revealed it on April 4th after giving both Apple and Samsung time to redact sensitive information on the document. The patent is part of a list of patents Apple accused Samsung of infringing on back in 2011. A year later, in October 2012, Judge Pender ruled that that patent, along with 3 others, were indeed infringements.

The entire ITC wanted Judge Pender to review his decisions on 2 of the patents he ruled that Samsung’s devices infringed on. The patent in question is for a “method and apparatus for providing translucent images on a computer display”. If the ITC approves Judge Pender’s decision, infringing devices from Samsung’s Galaxy-line and Nexus-line could be blocked from being imported into the United States. He also reviewed the patent for an “audio I/O headset plug and plug detection circuitry”. Judge Pender decided that the latter patent was not an infringement after all.

After the entire ITC decides whether or not they should approve Judge Pender’s decision, a final decision will be issued most likely by August. This is just another chapter in the neverending Apple v. Samsung case. Judge Lucy Koh recently reduced $450 million from Samsung’s $1.05 billion judgement, and Apple is attempting to persuade Judge Koh to reinstate at least $85 million of that judgement. Samsung’s judgement may be reduced even further now that the USPTO has invalidated its “Bounce-Back” patent yet again. We’ll keep you posted when there are any new developments in the case.

[via Reuters]

ITC judge says Samsung infringes on Apple’s text-selection patent is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

You know that expression that people say when they’re really good at something? The one that goes, “Oh, I can do [insert action here] in my sleep.”

Most people who make that claim obviously can’t back it up. But there’s an app called Sleep Art that will help you create works of art while you’re asleep – and you don’t have to be a really good artist to begin with. Heck, you don’t even have to know how to draw!

The Sleep Art app uses your iPhone’s gyroscope to monitor your movements and the microphone to listen to your breathing in order to create unique and personalized pieces of art – all while you’re sound asleep.

It was developed by Europe’s Ibis hotel chain, which held a contest where winners slept on a sensor-equipped bed and had a robot artist create special paintings of their sleeping patterns.

You can download the Sleep Art app from the iTunes App Store for free.

[via Dvice]