Microsoft Gets Patent for Common PDA Task

Remember when Microsoft tried to copyright “windows” back in the 80’s? That was thrown out because it was considered a common word. I guess the same people don’t work for the patent office because it’s issuing all sorts of common “inventions” left-and-right. Ironically enough, Microsoft is the recipient of once such lame patent. The Redmond, Washington based company was issued a patent in April for what it terms, “time-based hardware button for application launch.” Mmm, so something that is not new for PDA users is all of a sudden an invention that should be protected? Okay.

“What was the patent office thinking?” demands Brandon Shalton, founder of Fight the Patent. “I’m just kind of amazed that this patent was filed so late and was approved. It’s a double-click. It was novel and unique 10 to 15 years ago.” Fight the Patent is a site that stages fights against ridiculous patents that are awarded such as this one.

This is an issue that Wired has brought into the light. The magazine questions Microsoft (with its humorous response printed,) and talks to others in the industry about this problem. But the question remains, is there going to be an end to these silly patents? Or will I be awarded a patent for creating a handheld device that is used to navigate a pointer on a screen and can issue events by simply pressing a button with your RIGHT index finger? I’m filling out the application right now…

[tags]pda,microsoft,patent[/tags]