Apple Wins Patent For Dual-Display MacBook With Virtual Keyboard, Wireless Charging Capabilities (9to5mac.com) 69
The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent to Apple for a dual-display MacBook with a virtual keyboard replacing the traditional keyboard and with the ability to wirelessly charge an iPhone. 9to5Mac reports: As reported by Patently Apple, this patent was submitted three years ago, and only now has Apple won it. With this patent, the company could take a radical path and get rid of a physical keyboard. The interesting thing about this application is that while rumors suggest that Apple will remove the only touchable interface on the MacBook Pro, the Touch Bar, this patent imagines a MacBook with no physical keyboard at all. Patently Apple says this virtual keyboard could be rearranged, swapping the position of the virtual keyboard and trackpad. With a virtual keyboard, Apple could bring gestures from iOS and iPadOS as well, such as pinch, zoom, slide to select, and more. In the patent, Apple says this MacBook includes biometric sensors, which we could interpret as Face ID, fingerprint sensors (aka Touch ID), and a wireless charger, which would be in the left down corner of the notebook.
OLPC already thought of this? (Score:3)
The one laptop per child program had this design years ago.
https://www.laptopmag.com/arti... [laptopmag.com]
Re:OLPC already thought of this? (Score:4, Insightful)
The patent's a lot longer than "hey it has two displays", but nobody around here is going to bother with that. We're gonna be hearing nonsense about about Nintendo DS's as prior-art for the next several years 'round 'ere cos it earns karma and doesn't require any reading.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
So, like the Entourage eDGe? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
I had one of those, it was great for D&D. PDF of whatever book up on the right to look up rules, and a copy of my character sheet up on mythweavers on the right.
Lenovo did this years ago (Score:1)
Re: Lenovo did this years ago (Score:2)
Too bad they only had Windows' terrible touch interface to work with; otherwise, it might have actually sold enough units to keep the product alive.
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
Re: (Score:2)
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
It is very commonly used for web browsing.
But most of my friends have a "do not touch the screen" policy. If you want to point at something you are supposed to use the rubber end of a pencil, and do not touch anyway.
If screens where easier to keep clean I would probably use it, just like I used to do on my iPad.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
My daughter uses a drawing pen to draw anime on it, so there's one use. I've also seen it used in lieu of a tablet on the hospital floors.
As I said: Almost no one.
Re: (Score:2)
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
It is very commonly used for web browsing.
But most of my friends have a "do not touch the screen" policy. If you want to point at something you are supposed to use the rubber end of a pencil, and do not touch anyway.
If screens where easier to keep clean I would probably use it, just like I used to do on my iPad.
WTF good is a touch interface that you have to actually avoid touching?
Re: (Score:2)
WTF good is a touch interface that you have to actually avoid touching?
Well, screen surfaces evolved. (Talking about sticky finger prints).
And if it would work with the rubber end of a pencil, I would use them a lot.
Re: (Score:2)
WTF good is a touch interface that you have to actually avoid touching?
Well, screen surfaces evolved. (Talking about sticky finger prints).
And if it would work with the rubber end of a pencil, I would use them a lot.
There are many eraser-like devices that will work with capacitive touchscreens.
Next!
Re: (Score:3)
Infinitely more people use the touch interface of Windows than macOS.
Re: (Score:2)
Look at it this way,
Infinitely more people use the touch interface of Windows than macOS.
Haha! That's actually a good retort!
Non-sequitur; but truly funny nonetheless!
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Touche!
Re: (Score:1)
My wife and I both have Lenovo touchscreen laptops. Hers is the Thinkpad Yoga.
I got mine because it is the only way to ensure getting the good LCD. If you don't have the touchscreen, it is a grab bag which actual LCD you get.
My wife never uses her touch screen, but once in awhile when she needs help with something, I use it. It is easier when leaning from the side than reaching for touchpad or stick.
We don't use Windows, though. Maybe that has nothing to do with it?
Re: (Score:2)
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
Well, on a laptop a touchscreen is awkward to use. But the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is not a laptop but a convertible, and whenever you use a convertible in tablet configuration you will use the touchscreen. And yes, that it pretty usable on Windows.
Re: (Score:2)
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
Well, on a laptop a touchscreen is awkward to use. But the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is not a laptop but a convertible, and whenever you use a convertible in tablet configuration you will use the touchscreen. And yes, that it pretty usable on Windows.
So you admit that Apple has been right about Gorilla Arm, etc. as a reason to resist the marketing push for useless touchscreens on laptops.
And considering what I have read here and other places about using Windows with a touchscreen, forgive me if I take your "pretty usable" comment with a large grain of salt
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
Does drawing with OneNote and scribbling on screenshots count?
Re: (Score:2)
From what I have read here, almost no one actually uses the touchscreens on Windows laptops after the novelty wears off.
Does drawing with OneNote and scribbling on screenshots count?
Barely.
And I said almost no one. The almost complete lack of replies to the contrary only serves to reinforce my argument.
Re: (Score:2)
I use the touchscreen on my Windows laptop every day! ... to activate Synergy so that I can share a mouse and keyboard with my Linux laptop. And then again to stop Synergy so that the damn thing won't prevent the laptop from turning the screen off.
Re: (Score:2)
I use the touchscreen on my Windows laptop every day! ... to activate Synergy so that I can share a mouse and keyboard with my Linux laptop. And then again to stop Synergy so that the damn thing won't prevent the laptop from turning the screen off.
Thank you for proving my point!
Re: (Score:2)
That was the point of my post. Touchscreens on laptops are ergonomically terrible, and cause you to have to remove your hands completely from the typing surface in order to do something that is just as easy to do with the trackpad anyway, which is two inches from your finger when on the keyboard. And that doesn't even get into the idea that you are pressing against a vertical surface that is going to lever the front of a thin-and-light laptop off the surface of the desk when you press on anything if the h
Re: (Score:2)
That was the point of my post. Touchscreens on laptops are ergonomically terrible, and cause you to have to remove your hands completely from the typing surface in order to do something that is just as easy to do with the trackpad anyway, which is two inches from your finger when on the keyboard. And that doesn't even get into the idea that you are pressing against a vertical surface that is going to lever the front of a thin-and-light laptop off the surface of the desk when you press on anything if the hinges are worth a damn.
So, what about when you move the touch plane to horizontal, like a TrackPad; but still have it be a secondary display?
Re: (Score:2)
It would definitely be better, but you still have the issue that typing will be far more inefficient on a keyboard you cannot feel, with keys that do not depress. Ask any real typist whether they like the virtual keyboard on an iPad and the best you'll get is "It works, I guess; I'd rather have a real keyboard."
Which Apple knew at one point, which is why you've always been able to pair a bluetooth keyboard with iPad.
Re: (Score:2)
It would definitely be better, but you still have the issue that typing will be far more inefficient on a keyboard you cannot feel, with keys that do not depress. Ask any real typist whether they like the virtual keyboard on an iPad and the best you'll get is "It works, I guess; I'd rather have a real keyboard."
Which Apple knew at one point, which is why you've always been able to pair a bluetooth keyboard with iPad.
I am sure you would be able to use a BT or an USB keyboard/mouse with this model, too. I figure you will be able to "window' areas of the bottom display/input to serve as drawing/keyboard/display regions, and/or be able to "tab" between them.
I agree that a flatscreen keyboard is somewhat suboptimal in "feel" to even the nearly zero-travel keyboards most laptops now have (however, Haptic Feedback works surprisingly well); but, as someone who does nearly all of my daily surf/browse/email use on my iPhone (and
Re: Lenovo did this years ago (Score:1)
Do they have any of this implemented yet (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
No to all of your questions
Re: Do they have any of this implemented yet (Score:3)
If not, how could they get a patent. Aren't patents for things that you can show an actual example of? Something you can build?
The USPTO dropped that requirement over a century ago.
Re: (Score:2)
The USPTO dropped that requirement over a century ago.
This is what happens when you get paid for granting patents.
Re: Do they have any of this implemented yet (Score:1)
Apple did try to claim round corners as a design patent covering all mobile phones.
Re: (Score:1)
The case you're referring to had 25+ specific details of the design and rounded corners was ONE of them. What happened was Samsung made an iPad clone that was too similar in numerous measureable respects, as in still too similar even when you got out the dial caliper and did things like measure the radius of those rounded corners. If you've ever seen Coming to America...
The reason you heard "It's all about rounded corners" is this site is ad-supported and you lot really enjoy your nerd-rage. The weird
Re: Do they have any of this implemented yet (Score:2)
The design patent in question has one and only one patented feature, rounded corners.
Re: Do they have any of this implemented yet (Score:2)
No you do not have to build the thing you patent, it just has to be plausible design to the patent examiner who is supposed to be (hopefully) skilled your art. One reason for patents is so you can raise money to build your invention. Only big companies or machinists would have patents if you couldnâ(TM)t patent designs. I mean, what if you had experience in aerospace and came up with a great new method for Jet engine construction? You wouldnâ(TM)t be able to make any money off it and society would
Re: (Score:2)
If not, how could they get a patent. Aren't patents for things that you can show an actual example of? Something you can build?
The USPO realised that actually requiring "inventors" to prove that they had invented something was reducing the income from applications. So they stopped requiring that, or basically anything really.
Re: (Score:3)
Do you really think Apple couldn't build one if required? What are we really talking about here? Swap out the keyboard with an iPad and wire them into an interconnect where they listen to each other for video display in one direction, and touch events in the other.
You know, like a touchscreen does. Except it's on the bottom!
This would take them a week to put together in some slip-shod way that would be good enough for government work.
Now, making something useful? That's harder.
virtual keyboard (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Precisely.
As a mac laptop user: fuck your "virtual keyboard, Apple!" You broke your laptop keyboards years ago and you've been on the wrong path when it comes to keyboards and general button removal fetish.
Make keyboards better: more reliable, shinier, whatever, but please do not drag us into that weird Star Trek interpretation of yours.
Good and bad (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It might have a niche market in some engineering or art things.
But for daily work I doubt it us useful. However a bluetooth or USP keyboard might be good enough for some.
MacBook Wheel (Score:2)
I saw "Rotatable Dial" in the featured article and immediately remembered an Onion News Network sketch from over a decade ago, titled "MacBook Wheel" [youtube.com].
If you thought the keyboard sucked before... (Score:2)
They had to fix the last keyboard change because it was so bad and the touch bar is pretty useless for the cost and also needed a little backtracking to fix it...
a touch screen for a keyboard? yeah that'll hopefully won't be as bad as the Atari 400 keyboard.
Not a laptop. (Score:1)
It's a dual-screen tablet.
Basically the Apple FoldPad.
A laptop is for doing actual work and hence has a keyboard.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
This is true. For additional enjoyment, imagine the prospect of watching three or four dedicated Apple users in the same room, all gesticulating madly at their talismans, and silently caressing them.
Star Trek Next Generation's (Score:4, Interesting)
Okudagrams are prior art.
It looks familiar (Score:2)
A little start-up called Kno made a massive dual touch screen and pen tablet [coolthings.com] that weighed more than a macbook pro of that era. The main trick was you could fold the screen around completely if you only wanted to view one screen. Some of the prototypes had a virtual keyboard, which is not much of a surprised because it was using some off-the-shelf open source software like X11 and Clutter.
Removing the keyboard from a laptop is stupid (Score:3)
Unless Apple has some tricks down the sleeve to make the virtual keyboard not feel like shit while typing, removing the keyboard does not make sense.
Nobody wants to write code or long documents on a virtual keyboard. If you do not want a keyboard buy a tablet.
Re: (Score:2)
Here's their trick:
Step 1: buy an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard
Step 2: pair it with your really expensive dual-screen Macbook that should have come with a useable keyboard to begin with
Step 3: swap out AA batteries for the rest of your days
More Tech, not better Tech (Score:2)
Nightmare for touch typists (Score:2)
Well I guess recent macbook keyboards were crappy anyway, but seriously, the lack of tactile feel, and those all important raised bits on f and j are important when you want to find your way around a keyboard without looking.
What. (Score:2)
With a virtual keyboard, Apple could bring gestures from iOS and iPadOS as well, such as pinch, zoom, slide to select, and more. In the patent, Apple says this MacBook includes biometric sensors, which we could interpret as Face ID, fingerprint sensors (aka Touch ID), and a wireless charger, which would be in the left down corner of the notebook.
They could do all that shit today and still have a physical keyboard. It's called a "touchscreen" and they've existed on notebooks for like 10 years.
I'm sure someone, somewhere wants this. Not me.
This is going to get stupid. (Score:2)
Good news (Score:1)
This means everybody else has to make real keyboards for their laptops. Right?
Typical Apple patent (Score:1)
A lot of Apple patents concern looking at what their competitors are doing and then brainstorming everything and the kitchen sink patent claims to try to throw up future minefields. Even if most of them are worthless, if one claim becomes essential for a future iteration it's a winner.
No other major tech company is as blatant a patent troll as Apple.
Predictable (Score:1)
Corrupt company pays patent examiner to patent obvious invention with plenty of prior art. Film at 11!
And yes, the virtual keyboard concept is both extremely obvious and littered with prior art. This is patent office corruption at its finest.