Cingular Patents the Emoticon?

massysett writes "Mobile phone carrier Cingular Wireless may have managed to get a patent on the emoticon. The patent describes a system for selecting a displayable icon to indicate the mood or emotion of the user. It also covers text-based emoticons, 'so presumably sending :) via an SMS - if selected via a dedicated or softkey, would be a breach of the patent in future.'" My response? >:/

Hmmm

[TheSpoom]

Prior art! [despair.com]

Good luck enforcing this one!

[gasmonso]

They can stick that patent in their (_|_).

http://religiousfreaks.com/ [religiousfreaks.com]

Comic Book Guy

[Anonymous Coward]

"There Is No Emoticon For What I Am Feeling!"

Uh oh, better call the punctuation police

[Mr.Fork]

At first, my reaction was :O but I'm guessing a lot of us are >:( but as world government bodies are getting tired of the US patenting everything from berries to sounds :^o we sign in their general direction with our tongue firmly in cheek :p

My response

[Anonymous Coward]

My response? >:/

And here's mine: t(-_-)

I'm speechless

[Hershmire]

=X

Re:Good luck enforcing this one!

[ettlz]

And they can kiss my shiny hello.jpg (=O=).

Re:Comic Book Guy

[ndansmith]

"There Is No Emoticon For What I Am Feeling!"

Now where's my +1 Funny?

Re:Good luck enforcing this one!

[utexaspunk]

They could also ))<>((

Obligatory Simpsons ref

[FusionDragon2099]

There is no emoticon for what I'm feeling!

Re:Good luck enforcing this one!

[DocStoner]

And all this time I thought it was a tie-fighter. That changes the intent of a lot of past conversations.

Re:We'll need to see the patent...but uh...

[kjd]

Have you ever sent an emoticon... on weeeeeed?

Re:Good luck enforcing this one!

[ettlz]

And all this time I thought it was a tie-fighter.

Now you know why Darth Vader always wore gloves.