The One That Took My Breath Away (KPCB Product Fellows)

Inventor and co-founder of the well-known Polaroid Corporation, Edwin Land pulled out this camera from his pocket in front of the audience for the first time in the early 1970s. Even though Polaroid, as we all know, had already revolutionized the world with the introduction of instant film, Land once again unveiled the future of photography through an amazing product with beautiful creativity and simple design, called the Polaroid SX-70.

If I were to choose any field that has benefited from the fundamentals of product design, it would be photography. Ever since its conception, some of the brightest engineers and innovators came together to rethink the practice and art of photography through introducing new designs and implementing the latest technology of the camera. As an avid hobbyist, I have tried many different cameras from analog to digital, but I have never used a camera that I found as inspirational as the SX-70.

The SX-70 is a folding single-reflex lens (SLR) camera that has a unique design that is unparalleled in the camera world. Simply lifting the top part (the viewfinder) opens the camera, which only has three controls: the focusing wheel, the exposure wheel, and the big red shutter button. Inside the compact body lie several mirrors that reflect incoming light from the lens to the viewfinder. I love holding the camera because it is so light and fits perfectly on my left palm as I change my focus and exposure settings with my right index finger. Thanks to its clever mirror layout and simple controls, I can just point and shoot as soon as I have something in focus. Sounds a lot like today's digital cameras doesn't it?

Polaroid and Land really envisioned a future where everyone can carry a small and lightweight camera that is easy to use. Amateurs and professionals alike can enjoy the convenience of capturing that Kodak moment with a simple button press then hold that picture in their hands right away. I think Land really embraced the idea of point-and-shoot cameras, since after the SX-70, he kept improving the camera to take care everything and let the user simply press a button for that picture.

The legacy and popularity of SX-70 and instant film still inspire other manufacturers such as Fujifilm to create their own instant cameras. Even though Polaroid stopped making their own instant film in 2008, a Dutch company called the Impossible Project continue to manufacture its own film that resembles the original Polaroids. I have met many other photographers who have found used SX-70s to relive the simple instant film experience.

I have heard many rumors that Edwin Land and his SX-70 inspired Steve Jobs and Apple to focus on creative product design. I wouldn't be surprised since when the SX-70 first appeared people really had to "think different". When I compare the SX-70 to the iPod, other than the obvious clean looks and easy functionality, the iPod's connector port looks just like the SX-70's flash-bar socket. The rectangular body and glossy metal finish can be found in both designs also.

 (Top) iPod connector port

(Bottom) SX-70 Flash-bar socket

I don't love the SX-70 just because of its looks, even though I can never stop appreciating its sleek folded body and its cool Transformers-like conversion to a fully functional camera. As a product designer, I could learn a lot from Edwin Land and his forward-thinking. Cameras used to be something so complicated and expensive were not easily accessible to everyone nor popular to the non-professionals. However, today everyone uses their phone cameras to take millions of pictures everyday and add filters to imitate the old Polaroid film look. The SX-70 was not only a beautifully designed product, but also a completely new perspective on photography itself. I believe the SX-70 led all camera manufacturers to consider the potential of non-professional consumer market. Even today, you can't help but admire this beautiful product that holds its own in the history of photography.

Week 14 Blog 28: Silly Patent #2

Something of possible interest for college students is the next silly patent I discovered, the strap-on waste container. When a user needs a portable device to keep his vomit into a bag, he can simply strap this bad boy around his face and enjoy a less messy end to a Thirsty Thursday night. The neck strap can also be broken with a certain amount of exerted force for easy removal so the user has to be careful not to throw up too much into the container and make it too heavy.

Honestly, we've all been there when we needed to throw up badly, whether we were on an airplane or on the apartment floor next to god-knows-how-many-beer-cans, and people normally use plastic bags. I have seen someone hang the bag handles over the person's ears so the bag wouldn't fall out, and I suppose that's what inspired this patent. This looks rather obvious to me because it's common sense for a person to look for a container when they need to vomit, but I guess the idea is to have it around your neck with detachable straps. Definitely useful at bars or parties as a fun item, this patent may be hard to enforce.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6874936.PN.&OS=PN/6874936&RS=PN/6874936

Week 14 Blog 27: Silly Patent #1

Thanks to Patently Silly, I have discovered some very weird patents issued by the USPTO. Many people get piercings. Some are creative, some are bold, and some are just placed in the most obscure places. People have different reasons for body-piercing jewelry, but I'm sure everyone will be surprised when their piercings start vibrating. U.S. Patent No. 6,865,907 describes a body-piercing jewelry with a vibrating motor unit, for a certain purpose I cannot think of.

Something very interesting to note is how these piercings will house such tiny motor as well as a power source, which will have to be some of the smallest batteries. Another question that comes to mind is if the piercings will hold in place when it starts vibrating or cause potential injuries on the user's body. I definitely don't think it's obvious, but some people may find it a novel item. For whatever reason these would be used for, I'd be interested in how they engineer this technology.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6865907.PN.&OS=PN/6865907&RS=PN/6865907

Week 13 Blog 26: iMessage and MTel

Apple has received yet another patent lawsuit. Mobile Telecommunications Technologies (MTel) accused Apple of infringing its U.S. Patent No. 5,809,428 with its iMessage feature. This accusation is rather broad and targets all Apple devices, from the iPhone to iPad, any device that provides text messaging and email support. The patent describes a "method and device for processing undelivered data messages in a two-way wireless communications system".

I think this will be another example of a broad patent targeting anything somewhat related, and pretty soon, lawyers will try to clearly define a patent and specify to the very last word to differentiate with a minor difference. If MTel's allegations are true though, it seems like Apple will have to pay up. Now I'm curious as to how other mobile devices with Android platforms handle undelivered messages, as opposed to MTel or Apple.

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/messages-lands-apple-in-patent-lawsuit-with-mobile-telecom

Week 13 Blog 25: Caught the Fox(conn)

It's been widely accepted that Microsoft has been generating more profits from royalties from its rivals in the mobile industry than from its own Windows Phone. Equipped with patents, the company has been reaching around collecting its profits from others. Now they've reached a patent licensing agreement with Foxconn, linked to Google's Android and Chrome OS platforms. Unlike Apple who hopes to weed out its competitors, Microsoft is learning to make profit from its rivals little by little.

Microsoft has already succeeded in its intellectual property rights licensing program with HTC, Samsung, LG, and Acer. I think this is a pretty smart strategy that could potentially be dangerous for the Android market later when Microsoft gets too involved behind the scenes.

http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2013/04/18/microsoft-nets-foxconn-android-patents.htm

Week 12 Blog 24: If you can't beat them, acquire them

Normally when we hear about mobile patents in the latest news, they're usually about how one is suing another, entering an extremely costly lawsuit for god knows how long. However, there is a rather peaceful alternative to dealing with sharing technology that do not require court trials. Apple has recently agreed to a $10 million licensing deal with Access Corporation, a Japanese software provider for mobile devices. Yeah it wasn't cheap, but better than bringing up a patent infringement case with lawyers costing hundres of millions.

What does this mean? If you have the money to pay for it, you can buy your access to another company's patent portfolio for a certain period of time. Of course Access also acquired these patents from PalmSource, and now Apple wants to play with them too. Access made a similar deal with Microsoft in 2010, and they're definitely making profits from holding onto these patents. Note these are not non-practicing entities. As this article notes, patents can be very useful as well as expensive investments.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/10/apple-reaches-smartphone-patent-licensing-deal/

Week 12 Blog 23: Dude, Where's My Car?

Apple has recently taken interest in automotive-applications, filing a patent application about an iPhone with the capability of locating your parked car, wherever it may be. However, this technology is more than just an app for people who forget where they parked their cars at a shopping mall. Taking a closer look at this patent, this function requires a portable computing device, like an iPhone, and a server system within that parking structure in order to locate a vehicle. Most likely using Bluetooth wireless technology, in order to make this work it seems like the owners of parking structures will also have to implement this system.

Honestly, I always wondered why such technology has not occurred to app developers yet. I'm not sure if such technology exists already, but since some people can track where other people's phones are, tracking a car shouldn't be much harder. At least Apple is taking its approach to make it their own, and I definitely don't think this kind of technology will be limited to just cars. Pretty soon everything in our lives will be able to be controlled at the palm of our hands.

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/04/apple-reveals-an-advanced-indoor-mobile-location-application-for-finding-a-vehicle-in-a-parking-structure.html

Week 11 Blog 22: Defining "Mini"

Recently the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected Apple's application to trademark "iPad Mini", which seemed rather obvious since it essentially is just a smaller iPad. However, the USPTO withdrew its statement and decided to reconsider Apple's application. Apparently "upon further review of the application", they decided the word "Mini" does not simply define a physical characteristic of the goods. However, they also mentioned that Apple must waive any exclusive rights of the term "Mini", and as long as Apple does not provide the necessary disclaimer within six months, the USPTO will refuse to register the trademark.

Despite what we find to be "obvious" in our dictionary, laws dictating the government, especially in patent litigation, must take extreme measures to define what is "obvious". As Professor Lavian mentioned, in law schools there are entire classes dedicated to the word "obvious". While I first found the USPTO's rejection to be common sense and thought Apple was just pushing it, this withdrawal reminded me how detail oriented the legal system is, and the process of defining the word "Mini" and its implications can affect the mobile market.

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=2E2FEECA-A397-5EC1-C5331687F6B72DB4

Week 11 Blog 21: Lessons from the Goophone i5S

For those that didn't know, a couple months before the release of the iPhone 5 in 2012 a Chinese mobile phone company released the Goophone i5S with an Android platform. The problem was, it looked just like the new iPhone 5. With its mobile devices as well as other products all manufactured in China, Apple has had much trouble dealing with shameless knock-off Chinese devices. Now they are officially collecting patents for its products in Hong Kong to prevent future Goophones.

Along with six design patents including Siri, Notes, and iMessage, Apple has also been granted patents for its Macbook Pro design. While utility patents are just as important, design patents can often be make or break the market because the look and feel of the device is what the users experience first. Apple should have made these investments sooner knowing the notorious Chinese knock-off market.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57564023-37/apple-wins-six-design-patents-in-hong-kong-for-ios-icons/

Week 10 Blog 20: Wyncomm vs. Wi-Fi

Yet another non-practicing entity (NPE) strikes again, claiming Apple's mobile devices violating a 16-year old AT&T patent. Wyncomm LLC is not only suing Apple, but also pretty much every company that develops Wi-Fi compliant devices, including Acer, Hewlett-Packard, LG, etc. It seems that Wyncomm's target in the mobile industry is the feature that allows a user to make a phone call while concurrently using Wi-Fi data. Equipped with AT&T's original patent from 1996 for "Side-channel communications in simultaneous voice and data transmission" (U.S. Patent No. 5,506,866), this NPE seeks injunction from a lengthy list of technology companies of pretty much every alphabet letter, before this patent expires in November 2013.

As amusing and possibly outrageous as people would find this, Wyncomm may have a good argument here. I'm not sure if Wyncomm will be able to collect every injunction from their huge blacklist, but if they make a strong case in court, they may be able to make a serious dent on the mobile market. Either that or Apple's legion of lawyers will silence Wyncomm with a countersuit.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/04/12/apple-hit-with-patent-suit-over-simultaneous-voice-and-data-wi-fi-tech

Week 10 Blog 19: Apphoo? Yahpple?

Rumors have been spreading about Apple and Yahoo's collaboration against Google in the mobile world. It's been almost a year since Apple parted ways with Google's implementation in the iOS with the introduction of Apple's own map app as well as the removal of the default Google Maps and YouTube app. Since then, Apple has relied on Yahoo's search engine to sync its Siri searches and other data like weather and stocks. However, Google has been flourishing thanks to Android which controls 70& of the smartphone platform market share.

It seems that Apple must come up with a better integration with Yahoo to break free from its reliance on Google, as Google still is the top search engine for the consumers. Even though Apple Siri has implemented Wolfram Alpha to replace Google, I think it will be a smart decision to further develop the iOS with Yahoo to target Android. With Google dominating the web search engine market, Yahoo will benefit a lot from an exclusive alliance with Apple.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/04/11/broader-apple-yahoo-partnership-viewed-as-logical-step-for-both-to-fight-google

Week 9 Blog 18: Samsung Loaded and Ready

Samsung had a tough year. They lost quite a lot to Apple from the biggest mobile patent case in 2012, and now they've learned their lesson. According to mobile analyst Chetan Sharma, this South Korean technology giant has received the most mobile patents in 2012 and has accumulated more than any company worldwide, with IBM just behind. Although I'm not sure how they could come up with so many patents (thousands) within a year, it's certain very few companies as well as NPEs will be able to harass Samsung for a while.

It's important to also note how much influence mobile patents are gathering in the world of intellectual property. In U.S., Sharma stated that while only 5% of all patents granted in 2001 were mobile patents, by the end of 2013 this percentage will increase to 25%. It's also interesting that Europe is has a much less significant increase of number of mobile patents, probably because most big players in mobile technology are non-European. Sharma also mentioned that China has experience a 22% patent growth in the year of 2011, trying to catch up to the rest of the world.

http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/27/samsung-received-the-most-mobile-patents-in-2012-now-leads-the-world-overall/

Week 9 Blog 17: I thought of it first

Everyone's excited about the upcoming revolutionary mobile technology called Google Glass. Like a minimalistic pair of glasses, one can wear it and carry daily tasks through a tiny lens controlled only by voice commands. While everyone believes Google has introduced its most innovative gadget yet, a Japanese billionaire CEO begs to differ. Masayoshi Son, during his speech about what technology has to offer for the next 30 years, claimed that his company SoftBank Mobile Corp. already holds a patent to one of the most important functions of the Glass technology.

It seems that what Son was talking about was his augmented reality glasses capable of understanding what a person is saying with subtitles as visual overlay. However, some believe this is different from what Google has to offer because the Glass seems to translate what the wearer is saying, not someone he is talking to. This could be a minor detail, but it's interesting to see Google is not the only mobile company to imagine a world where people will wear their mobile devices on their head and talk to themselves in public.

Week 8 Blog 16: Wireless War

In the midst of the wireless technology rivalry between Microsoft and Google, another decision has been made by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) about a patent infringement case. Google recently acquired Motorola Mobility along with a specific patent to attack Microsoft's Xbox LIVE, the online multiplayer gaming service. U.S. Patent No. 6,069,896 is about a wireless, peer-to-peer network and its method that Google claimed Microsoft has violated with its gaming and entertainment console and software. However, the judge at ITC determined otherwise.

Microsoft has been making more money from royalty payments from Google's Android than from its own Windows Phone. Now it seems that Google is trying to take its own jab. I thought it was interesting that as soon as Google bought Motorola it used one of the patents that came with the acquisition to use against its rivals. Even though it didn't work out in court, Google is now in possession of a powerful patent that I'm surprised Motorola didn't make use of more before.

http://redmondmag.com/articles/2013/03/25/microsoft-did-not-infringe-google-patent.aspx

Week 8 Blog 15: Troll Hunt

It's official. Tech companies are declaring a war against non-practicing entities (NPEs) who have recently been harassing big companies and small businesses alike. As thoroughly discussed in class, NPEs or simply patent trolls, purchase then license certain patents to file infringement lawsuits against any related businesses when they themselves don't even manufacture or sell products. Over the past few years there has been a steady growth of alleged patent infringement lawsuits that have targeted many technology companies, and Cisco, SAS, Adobe, and J.C. Penny have gathered to reinforce laws to protect companies from these trolls.

In 2011, the Congress has already passed the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act to restrict the notoriously broad and vague scope of defining patents. This bill defined certain rules in issuing patents through changing from the "first-to-invent" system to "first inventor-to-file" system as well as a grace period. With this act still settling into the U.S. IP law system, some people are questioning if further enforcement like the proposed Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes (SHIELD) Act is really necessary. One major concern would be defining a patent troll and determine whether the buyer/company helps or hurts other businesses.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030875/tech-companies-tell-congress-to-target-patent-trolls.html

Week 7 Blog 14: Not So Different

Last year Motorola brought up a complaint (aka lawsuit) about a specific wireless mobile device technology that turns out to be not so new or "smart". If you haven't noticed yet, when you bring your smartphone up to your ear, the screen automatically turns off, acknowledging that you're talking on the phone and preventing any unintentional dialing. This can be achieved through an IR proximity sensor located in phones that detects anything that comes near it.
There already exists a third party patent for this technology, but Motorola claimed that their own patent claimed in 1999, pertained to modern touch screens rather than "physical push buttons". With this claim, Motorola accused Apple of infringing its own patent. While dismissed at first, the U.S. ITC has decided to review their decision on this matter as well as other possible infringements on Motorola's patents. I think this is a pretty far fetched claim for Motorola, to differentiate patents on mobile phones like this. I'm actually curious how they even got their 1999 patent in the first place when there already was a patent for phones with "physical push buttons", but if they succeeded in acquiring that patent before, they just might be able to enforce it today against Apple.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/02/19/itc-to-review-decision-that-cleared-apple-of-infringing-on-motorola-patents

Week 7 Blog 13: the New iDea

Apple has recently applied for a questionable patent which will add a newer and a lot safer function than a refrigerator magnet for its Smart Cover for their iPad line. They are proposing filling these screen protectors with their own batteries, enabling them to charge the iPad or the iPad mini when it's not in use. Taking advantage of the magnetic hinges that attach to the mobile device, the Smart Cover can "wirelessly" charge an iPad through an induction transmitter and receiver.

Of course, wireless charging is definitely not a new technology. Over the past few years many engineers have developed a way to charge multiple mobile devices by simply placing them on a single charging station. Technically, what Apple is proposing is indeed wireless charging, but I honestly don't understand why they don't just call it an external battery. The biggest catch to these portable wireless charger Smart Covers is that they will also need to be charged every once in a while. They will not be any different from the typical battery cases people equip their smartphones with. I wonder how efficient this technology will be, and honestly, I don't think these will hit the market anytime soon. Thousands of patents never become real products, and I think Apple is just calling dibs on an interesting idea that's not quite complete yet.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/03/14/apple-proposes-on-the-go-wireless-charging-via-ipad-smart-cover-with-built-in-battery

Week 6 Blog 12: Behold

One of the main issues of the Apple vs Samsung patent war has been the similarity between their phone designs. A rectangle with rounded corners and a large touch screen. The design of a smartphone, the look and the feel of the device, is responsible for attracting the consumers at first sight. From flip phones to slide phones to the current large touchscreen smartphone, mobile devices have had several significant turns in their looks over the past decade or so. Recently, smartphones all have become so similar that people were thinking we have reached the acme of phone design that companies like Apple and Samsung would fight over the credit.

However, Blackberry has just filed a patent for a very interesting new design with a 180-degree hinge. From the first look it may seem quirky and may not seem like the most attractive design, but this just may be the newest revolutionary look of our future phones. Honestly, I think this is a nice refreshing move from Blackberry who's just re-entering the smartphone market with its new BB10 OS. We will have to wait and see if Blackberry will introduce this model anytime soon.

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/02/blackberry-files-patent-for-a-180-degree-hinge/

Week 6 Blog 11: Unlock Me

Last October, the US Congress officially removed the act to protect mobile phone unlockers called the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. Ever since the government lifted the DMCA, many technology enthusiasts have expressed their concern that consumers should have the right to access the full extent of their mobile phones. After over 114,000 people raised their voice through a petition, the White House has finally responded to the public, and it seems like the government is on the geeks' side.

Ever since 1998 DMCA has allowed creative minds like George Hotz (the guy who unlocked the first iPhone who also happens to be from my high school) to reach for their phones' full capabilities not restrained by the carriers' limits. With the Obama Administration actually expressing their positive response of the unlockers' concern, we probably won't see immediate action, but at least it will be interesting to see the government playing a role in this issue.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/20/engadget-primed-phone-unlock/
http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/04/white-house-phone-unlock/

Week 5 Blog 10: the Hollywood Inquisition

Often we see and post movie screenshots or gif's of our favorite TV shows everywhere on Facebook or Tumblr blogs, but we've never really had a problem with any significant copyright issues. Maybe because they just don't care or maybe because they can't control every little image or video clip files swarming the social media. However, Hollywood doesn't seem to like distribution of their movie or TV show content through apps on our phones. Even though I'm not particularly interested in downloading an app just to get some latest Hobbit or Avengers wallpapers for my smartphone, I always see those mobile apps on the app stores. Hollywood does have copyrights for whatever they film, and now they want to shut down those who want to distribute them.

Today there are officially hundreds of thousands of apps available to whoever holds a smartphone, and it is probably nearly impossible for Apple or Google to regulate every app out there and scrutinize the legal details. I honestly don't know how much it really matters to the film industry to have pictures of movie scenes on your phone other than help market it, but Hollywood believes these apps should pay licenses to distribute this content. With stricter ruling like this example of hunting down smartphone apps from a pool of nearly a million, Hollywood seems to continue to battle today's constantly evolving digital world.

http://www.fastcompany.com/3006450/fast-feed/hollywood-takes-its-copyright-fight-rogue-mobile-apps

Week 5 Blog 9: Oops

Following the latest updates on the war between Apple and Samsung, federal Judge Lucy Koh has nearly halved Apple's winnings from Samsung's 14 patent infringing devices, from $1.05 billion to "just" $599 million. Apparently, the jury comprised of 9 people took into account Samsung's profits from sales of these 14 devices while calculating compensation cost, and this made the $401.05 difference. The Judge specified that when it comes to utility patent infringement, Samsung does not need to reimburse Apple for its profits.

I think it's interesting to see how they rule design and utility patents separately. Design and utility have been the two main topics of discussion throughout this war, and even though people may think Samsung copied everything from Apple, it's been more about the design aspect for Apple. The look and feel of the phones, from rectangles with rounded corners to the simplicity of a few tactile buttons, have been the heat of the discussion, and while Samsung phones look very similar to the iPhone, Apple never had that strong of an argument in terms of the function of the phone and how it works because Samsung has already had a strong background in technology. Don't forget Samsung countersued Apple for patent infringements in wireless communications and camera phones. The focus of Apple's argument was about the resemblance of the phone design, and even though they recently asked for more monetary compensation as well as banning the sale of Samsung devices, it seems they won't even be getting as much as they thought they were getting. I wonder what the jury were thinking when they realized this.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/connieguglielmo/2013/03/01/apples-award-cut-in-half-in-samsung-patent-case-judge-calls-for-new-damages-trial/

Week 4 Blog 8: No More Fancy Oscar Parties

With the Academy Awards night coming up, bad news for those who wanted to celebrate their own red carpet party. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has succeeded in preventing theEventLine.com from selling or renting any more 8-ft long fake Oscar statues. The Academy has been very strict with protecting its copyrights and trademarks, and the Oscar statue became such a significant symbol of the prestigious award that no mock-up should be allowed in a party room of just "normal" people.

The Academy Awards night has been a momentous event in the film world, and even though many people may be disappointed that they won't be able to play with the golden statue this weekend, it may be important to maintain the prestige and symbolic mystic presence of Oscar for actors, directors, and other filmmakers alike. For those who've sanctified the annual event and have worked hard to win these awards, fake Oscars may be an insult to their career.

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-74531175/

Week 4 Blog 7: 3-D World

Earlier this week, Kickstarter introduced the latest project that caught the world's attention, collecting over $1.5 million dollars in less than three days. With the latest discussion of intellectual property lawsuit between 3D System and Formlabs, we will soon have access to a 3D printing pen. Using ABS plastic that almost instantly solidifies from the tip, the 3Doodler opens up a whole new world for engineers, artists, and the concept of rapid prototyping. The technology of 3D printing is a still a very new one, with the "affordable" Form 1 model arriving soon at a costly price of $2300. However, one can spend $50 for a pen you can create outside a machine cube.

What does this mean for the current owners of the 3D printing business, 3D System and Formlabs? Although I'm not certain which specific patents belong to who as of now, 3Doodler will probably have to meet its rivals at court. Even with people's support on Kickstarter and its simple and genius idea, as the world familiarizes itself to the endless possibilities of this market, many will want a piece of what 3Doodler can do.

Week 3 Blog 6: Used Goods

When people need some extra cash or want to clear some room in the attic, they use eBay or craigslist to sell their "gently used" items to other people. However, once you buy an ebook or download an album of your favorite band, you just upload it to your kindle or iPod, and that's pretty much it. Right? Well recently the U.S. Patent Office has granted Amazon a patent for a Secondary Market for Digital Objects, allowing them to run a marketplace for people to sell and buy their used ebooks, images, or audio files to each other. I hope you're all as confused and dumbfounded as I am.

The biggest question in this ruling is what defines a "used" digital object because these are intangible and invisible until you upload it onto your computer or mobile device. Are the text files going to be broken since they're "old and worn"? Are the mp3 files going to be in lower quality because they're retro and vintage? Frankly, I think there will be a lot of problems regarding quality assurance of these "used" goods, and I have no idea how Amazon will be able to regulate this market. I thought the entire point of digital versus analog meant "everlasting" and "non-perishable". Especially since it's so easy to copy and share digital files on the internet, I don't know how people would interpret the logic of buying cheaper used mp3 files, but this is definitely a clear sign that the market is trying to completely digitalize our daily lives.

http://singularityhub.com/2013/02/16/will-you-soon-be-able-to-buy-used-ebooks-and-digital-music-amazon-moves-in-that-direction/

Week 3 Blog 5: Secret Trade Secrets

I've heard many rumors regarding Apple and its extreme measures to keep their latest projects classified. One of the recent talks about Apple and what happens inside its campus was the rumor that the company would assign fake projects to its newer employees to see if they're trustworthy. The idea was that a company would actually be willing to spend its resources to interview,  hire, and pay its employees just to see if they would leak company projects. While this may sound absurd and has been disproven after a survey of current employees, I don't find it so surprising that people will come up with such extreme conjectures.

Even though in a typical technology company it's the engineers and designers who create all the Macbooks and iPhones, people must realize that marketing has just as much or more part in the production cycle of products. In many cases, the marketing team surveys and analyzes the latest customer demands and trends, and the engineers usually end up working with a certain list of pre-determined specifications in its next design. The idea is to sell the products, and in order to attract customers, Apple has done a great job grabbing everyone's attention, even by "accident" such as leaving an unreleased iPhone in a public area. By shrouding itself in mystery and making the general public question and talk amongst themselves, coming up with ideas like the fake projects, Apple has always been a popular topic of discussion in technology. Frankly, I believe this patent lawsuit may also be helping with its marketing because by claiming that their products are original and worthy of being copied by others, the public will naturally be more interested in what makes them original and noteworthy.

Week 2 Blog 4: the New(Old?) Kid on the Block

In between watching the Super Bowl last weekend with my friends, I was glad to hear the news of an old friend I haven't heard from in a while. It used to be the symbol of smartphones in the early days, when almost every businessman was expected to carry one with him. Long gone are the days when people would part saying, "BBM me!" ever since the iPhone was introduced. However, last weekend I saw the commercial of the new Blackberry 10. For a while it has been acknowledged that the legendary Research in Motion's Blackberry smartphones have been pushed out of their own league by iPhones, Android, and even Windows phones because of their rather "user-unfriendly" and outdated design of their mobile OS (operating system). However, they're back with a new trump card.

After doing my own research, I realized that Blackberry has announced their own OS platform since mid-2012. While the company is hopeful their new BB10 series will be able to squeeze into the tight space market in the smartphone market, I'm kind of scared to see how the new old kid will fare on the block when the big boys are already busy fighting for their own territory. With Google's recent purchase of Motorola Mobility and its own suitcase against Microsoft, as well as the infamous ongoing Apple vs. Samsung, Blackberry may little time to really show off their new weapon and win its old fanboys back before the big boys start praying on it with picky patent infringement patents too.

Week 2 Blog 3: Of Trademarks and Men

Since the last lecture covered a few variations of intellectual property, I wanted to look further into a very important subset of IP called trademarks. In essence, the difference between patent law and trademark law is that while patent law protects inventions that are new and useful, trademark law is all about appearance and presentation of what symbolizes the company. Trademarks are used to associate something to the very idea of a certain product. Usually something visual like logos or symbols, they can conjure up inside a consumer's mind the image of a big fat burger as soon as he sees a yellow letter M or a girl in red ponytails. Apparently, you could try licensing non-conventional trademarks such as sounds (jingles) or tastes.

I recently encountered a relevant article about Apple finally trademarking the design of its retail stores. Apple claims the rights to a certain layout like this:

"Rectangular tables arranged in a line in the middle of the store parallel to the walls and extending from the storefront to the back of the store. There is multi-tiered shelving along the side walls, and a oblong table with stools located at the back of the store, set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."

I'm not sure how this specification would play along in court (assuming Apple starts targeting most retail stores) because quite honestly, all retail stores seemed pretty much the same to me. At least until now. Lawyers might have a hard time arguing over the smallest details to protect their clients. I can understand that Apple has always wanted to lead with its own unique feel and experience for its customers, but at this point I'm wondering if Apple is just getting tired of being the trendsetter and encouraging others to come up with something that will really challenge their designs. Either way, I don't know how much more of these "newest," "innovative," and "state of the art" design and technology I can handle. With so many things changing like the facebook layout and the outraging cries of its users complaining every time, maybe sticking to what they already have may be a good idea, and Apple may need a break from spewing out their so called latest groundbreaking ideas.

http://www.winbeta.org/news/weekend-discussion-apple-trademarks-its-retail-store-design-and-layout-should-microsoft-be

Week 1 Blog 2: IEOR 190G

I like inventions. I respect creativity in a person over almost anything else. We all struggle with finding originality in our daily lives and even more so for a writer, a painter, or an engineering student with deadlines to meet for his design project. This is why the following quote is one of my favorite made by the U.S. patent commissioner in the year 1899,

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." - Charles Duell

I love this quote not because I have a similar thought everyday, but because of how history has proven him so wrong since the moment he made this statement. Most of humanity's best inventions, from airplanes to microprocessors, were introduced during the past century, and Duell would never have imagined the world we live today. When today's world is individually equipped with the latest ground-breaking technology in their pockets, and with the possibility of an even newer and faster smartphone being released the next day, let's face it: people want to make the most money out of it while they can. With a big fat label called patents.

Today's technology has been evolving at a rate even I have a hard time following anymore, and frankly, I've been scoffing at every latest development of the current Smartphone Patent War. I found full grown adults bickering about who gets the credit for rectangles with rounded corners simply hard to watch. I thought I would see better arguments between two six-year-olds over a toy. However, this is no ordinary child-play. It just so happens to be a billion dollar child-play. For this reason I've been intrigued by the idea of patents. How could some small design detail be worth thousands of dollars?

IEOR 190G is a course that will discuss wireless and mobile device patents, but instead of the legal aspects, I assume we will be focusing more on what engineers or inventors should know about these stacks of papers. I hope to take this class as a taking new perspective from being cooped up in the dungeons of Etcheverry worrying about what to build to taking a step back and seeing the value of what we engineers do and the overall picture of its effect on the rest of the world. I have plans of pursuing a future beyond engineering as well, so I hope this course will be a great eye-opening experience.

Week 1 Blog 1: Hello My Name is ...

Born and for the most part raised in New Jersey, I'm a 3rd year Mechanical Engineering undergraduate in UC Berkeley and still getting used to the Californian sun. While my major focus and research is in controls and robotics, I keep myself sane through hobbies like swimming, golf, photography, and music.

I love shooting street photography with my film camera, and no matter how many times my friends tell me it's not efficient to use film instead of digital, I will always have a soft spot for the results I get with in black and white on the busy streets of NYC and sunny SF.

I am also constantly exploring different genres of music for listening pleasure as well as for producing my very own. This was an accidental discovery when I was taking a course here in Berkeley during my second semester. When the professor asked for any artistic rendition of a certain chapter of the German epic, the Nibelungenlied, I decided to make a little soundtrack of the main character's death scene. I had a lot of fun with that project, drawing influences from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, and got an A too. That's how I began to play around with music software more and create my own.

Creating something completely original can be a very tough and time consuming and challenge, but it's the process of developing the moment I captured on film and the reaction of my friends listening to my new tracks that really helps me explore my creativity beyond the limits of the physical world of engineering.

There may be more about me that you'll find out along the course of the semester, and I hope to get to know those who visit my blog too.