Comments on: Apple aims to patent fall-detecting iPod

Technology would detect increase in acceleration that accompanies the portable music player's drop.

If an iPod falls in the forest...

Good idea, but will it have a but-I'm-on-the-space-station-override button?

Typical

Can't apple come up with something original anymore?

[Dachi]

Re: Typical

Considering that Apple alone comes up with as many new ideas as HP/Dell/Gateway/Microsoft/RedHat combined I'd say that is one area where Apple is strong. Besides, products tend to be evolutionary, not revolutionary. That is, with the notable exceptions of a few products like iPod or Napster to stir things up.

[MacTitan]

How far can I drop an iPod

I hope this doesn't effect using an iPod while skydiving

[wazzledoozle]

Shouldn't be patented

The technology that detects quick acceleration is too generic to be copyrighted for the ipod. A lot of hard drive's already have this technology. It would be like copyrighting the speedometer on a ferrari.

[simcity1976]

guess

Ipod is no good for skydivers.

[nealda]

Technical Correction

The story refers to the iPod detecting an "increase" in acceleration. It would actually need to detect a decrease. There would need to be accelerometers on three axis. When all three went to zero simultaneously, that would be the indicator that the iPod was in free fall.
At rest on Earth, the iPod would detect an aggregate acceleration of 1g. The amount detected by each accelerometer would be determined by the iPod's orientation. Moving the iPod around, during walking or running for instance, would create chaotic signals from the accelerometers which the iPod could ignore.

Weeding Out the Competition

Well, I think that the hard drive protection is a good idea, but patenting the technology and design will surely weed out some of the competition that cannot innovate and patent quick enough.

This is such a significant differentiator that it could render some media player brands out of the game.

Media Player Protection ? iPod Patents... http://allwaysmusic.modblog.com/