Re:Tablet Zero
by bluekeybox on Saturday December 10, 2011 @10:40AM
(#3337725)
> but it's not a slavish imitation of the iPad.
The slavish/not slavish distinction is actually key when it comes to design. Look at Nokia's Lumia phone. It is clear that Lumia's design is iPhone-inspired, but it is in no way a slavish imitation, unlike a certain device from Samsung. In fact I just love how Lumia's stylish and ergonomic design makes a compelling argument against the rhetoric that "a black rectangle with rounded corners is the only logical/possible design".
A lot of people here are understandably worried about protecting smaller business owners from patent threats from established companies, especially using ridiculous/obvious patents for which prior art existed. I think that's a genuine concern. What they completely miss however is how much money companies like Samsung make by letting someone else do all the hard design/visionary work for them and by confining themselves solely to the role of the imitator/free rider.
The slavish/not slavish distinction is actually key when it comes to design. Look at Nokia's Lumia phone. It is clear that Lumia's design is iPhone-inspired, but it is in no way a slavish imitation, unlike a certain device from Samsung. In fact I just love how Lumia's stylish and ergonomic design makes a compelling argument against the rhetoric that "a black rectangle with rounded corners is the only logical/possible design".
A lot of people here are understandably worried about protecting smaller business owners from patent threats from established companies, especially using ridiculous/obvious patents for which prior art existed. I think that's a genuine concern. What they completely miss however is how much money companies like Samsung make by letting someone else do all the hard design/visionary work for them and by confining themselves solely to the role of the imitator/free rider.