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October 30, 2006 1:10 PM PST

Man patents ball for throwing

by Will Greenwald

It seems that we've come full circle. First, the ball was invented, and we used it to play catch. Then, the video game was invented, and we used it to pretend to play catch. Then, the motion-sensing video game was invented, and we used it to mimic playing catch. Now, a Mr. Louis Rosenberg is trying to patent a ball with which you can play catch.

It's not quite as ridiculous or opportunistic as it sounds. Rosenberg's idea is to fill an actual ball with electronics that can record direction, speed, and other variables. You actually play with the ball, and the ball's processor can score your throws. These scores can be displayed on a nearby console, such as a PSP, or shown through a head-mounted display. The game of catch has never seemed so high-tech.

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Did he patent it?
by kb9mwo November 1, 2006 10:20 AM PST
Your title says he patented it. But your article says he is trying to patent it. Which is it?

Is he patent pending or actually patented.

Please get the story straight.
Reply to this comment
Think you missed the point...
by John Wooden November 1, 2006 5:47 PM PST
"Patents", "trying to patent", "hopes that he gets a patent before anyone else
gets a patent"- that's not really the main point of the article, is it? It's the
ball, man! Get a life- or hobby- or something. (Wait a minute- I'm
commenting on your comment...)
Reply to this comment
My hobby is inventing and patents.
by kb9mwo November 1, 2006 9:04 PM PST
I understand the media spin to create the title that is joke-like. The reality is that as a tech site, it is a neat idea and technically, the title is wrong if he didn't patent it. As a geeky technojunkie that is "into" CNET, I would think they wouldn't try a literal funny.

I have a patent. You could phrase it "Man patents wheel for measuring" It's factual. not just meant to get people to read it. All those late night talk show hosts that clip the news to make these funny statements are lame. So was this.

Technically, I re-invented the wheel...

Shove that in your pipe and smoke it.
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