The INQUIRER: Because it's already tomorrow and yesterday somewhere
Andrew Cubitt claims that Microsoft "borrowed" his concept of surf while you sit a fair while after he'd perfected his own device - which also has the same name - the iLoo.
Cubitt told the INQ today that he'd designed and made the product for his university degree in Product
Design and Engineering at Brunel University.
He said: "As it was designed at the university, they own the partial rights to the product so they will be watching the Microsoft 'invention' very closely".
He said that although it was possible that Microsoft had coincidentally come up with the same idea as his, as well as the name - the iLoo - there are other strong similarities, including surfing the web in a toilet in a public place, and the printed toilet tissue.
He said: "Mine did everything that the Microsoft one is meant to do, but additionally printed information on toilet paper and didn't use a keyboard for the interface due to hygiene reasons. What seems to be definite was that they were certainly not the first to come up with the idea".
In addition, Cubitt has supplied the INQ with some pictures of his iLoo, some of which are reproduced here, as well as the text of a release he issued some months ago.
Cubitt tells us he's currently studying to be a lawyer, specialising in intellectual property. Ooerr... µ
See Also
Man claims Microsoft stole his iLoo idea