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LAWSUIT MAGNET Apple has managed to annoy a relatively unknown software developer, Softview, into a patent battle.
Softview filed its patent back in January 2005, entitled "Scalable display of internet content on mobile devices", which essentially is a method for web pages to be scaled in order to display them on devices with small screens, such as the Iphone. The patent also describes a method for zooming in and out of web pages.
Given that Apple is already fending off Nokia in separate disputes, one would think that a simple countersuit, regardless of merit, would be enough to put the frighteners on this pesky challenger. But the company, whose website can most kindly be described as 90s web kitsch, decided to go all out and include US mobile operator and sole Iphone peddler AT&T in the lawsuit.
Softview, a company that supposedly has been "developing award winning Vector Graphics Display systems and Internet standards since 1982", seems to think that AT&T had a hand in infringing on its hard work, which the firm displays in all its glory through a Flash based "technology overview" using an equally ghetto Sony Clié.
Frankly, the firm will have a hard time convincing people that it is serious, let alone has the resources to go up against two companies who can both afford platoons of lawyers that outnumber Softview's employees many times over.
While Softview has decided to go after AT&T and Apple, two of the most powerful companies in the US, other firms such as Microsoft, Google, Nokia, HTC and just about any company that flogs, subsidises or merely bundles software that scales web pages onto devices will be keeping a close watch on this.
For once, Apple might quietly gain the support of its rivals. µ
According to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Opera_web_browser
a "fit to width" feature was developed in unreleased version 7.6 in 2004, with "interactive television" in mind, and published in desktop version 8 in 2005.
However, their method may be either different from Softview's, of licensed from Softview - I haven't checked. And on my portrait tablet screen, 480 pixels wide(!), it isn't always successful.
Well actually besides for knocking on the website. If you notice that that video is dated 2001, you can see why the sony is the perfect device and how good a showcase it was for its time.
The iphone was released in 2007, by that standard then apple should not enforce their patents either. Of course their website is a perfect example of non flash non java internet that steven jobs wants for his phone/pad.
" We have developed a server based Universal Vector Translator to convert content from CAD systems and other applications to vector content to be viewed on SoftView Hanheld Display Clients" I would infer that being the nature of the lawsuit. Maybe the iphoney does the same things.
Well in that case, Opera should sue the lot of them. It's been zooming on palmtops since Ajax was knee-high to a grasshopper, and was reflowing page content years before that patent was filed.
Any fule kno the patent office is run by the brothers-in-law of the lawyers.
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