If it doesn't make it in the standard distribution I can see developers coding it directly into their apps because it's an extremely useful thing from a user perspective.
Remember, this is *only* a US patent, it does not apply to the rest of the world, so developers who are not US based and have no US assets can freely write code and offer it for download without *any* fear of being put at-risk by the patent. The worst that is likely to happen is a unfounded cease and desist letter to try and scare the developer. A few years ago I wrote a simplistic XML parser that someone tried to get me to stop distributing because of a US patent. I pointed out that I was not a US citizen or resident, owned no assets in the US, the web server from which parser was distributed was not US based, and so I would be interested to hear why they felt they had any basis to their claim. I received a thank you for my response and never heard any more about it. Even if Google refused to list applications with multi-touch in Market that wouldn't stop them being listed on non-US sites like AndAppStore and included in custom firmware built and distributed outisde the US. I, for one, would far prefer time and money was put into development of Android as opposed to being put in to fighting a case in a legal system that is well recognized as fundamentally broken and awards compensation to who put coffee cups between their legs whilst driving, spill it, burn themselves, and sue the coffee vendor (http://www.stellaawards.com/stella.html). Al. madcoder wrote: > Yes, I believe the G1 is capable of multi-touch, but I don't think > there will be many apps using it unless it is part of the standard > distribution from Google. > > On the other hand, I could be wrong and many people could download a > third-party app that allows for multi-touch and that *may* avoid the > patent issue altogether. > > > On Jan 28, 7:58 pm, "Marcio Alexandroni" <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> In fact someone is already working on it for Android, JF has already >> released an Android fork with a multitouch browser. I did install it on my >> device. >> >> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=3219972#post3219972 >> >> Marcio Alexandroniwww.cialogica.com >> w Tel. 55 11 3717-2345 >> Cel. 55 11 9989-8316 >> [email protected] >> marcioalexandroni >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of madcoder >> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 10:55 >> To: Android Developers >> Subject: [android-developers] Re: Apple Granted Multitouch Patent >> >> In my opinion, the patent is worthless. Multi-touch has been in use >> long before the iphone started using it. A good example of this is >> >> www.jazzmutant.com >> >> I hope Android will have multi-touch in a future update because of >> this. >> >> On Jan 28, 4:08 am, technick <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> The US is in need of some major copyright reform. Apple should of >>> never been granted the patient on multi-touch interfaces, as its the >>> next natural progression from a single touch interface. >>> >>> On Jan 27, 2:05 pm, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> The most intelligent solution would be disabling it in the firmware >>>> shipped in the US. Most handst manufacturers are based in the far east, >>>> T-Mobile can ship them to whomever they want outside the US, and >>>> developers working outside the US can continue to work on it. >>>> >>>> The same approach was used with encryption in pre-2006 where I could >>>> order a VPN server from any number of European or far east websites >>>> which, technically, if I took into the US or left the US with I could be >>>> charged as an arms smuggler under US law. >>>> >>>> If your country has laws that prevent you getting a technology you >>>> should talk to the politicians about changing the law, not try and >>>> remove the functionality from devices shipped to those of us in the free >>>> world. >>>> >>>> Al. >>>> >>>> JP wrote: >>>> >>>>> I speculate one of the reasons that multi-touch was not in the Android >>>>> "package" because the patent was pending. I predict that noone outside >>>>> Apple will touch multi-touch even with a 10ft. pole (pun intended). >>>>> >>>>> The bigger issue in my view is gesture-based scrolling, which *is* >>>>> part of Android and which happens to be claimed in the patent. >>>>> Somebody enlighten us how this is not going to be a battle down the >>>>> road? >>>>> >>>>> On Jan 27, 9:52 am, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> It's only a US patent and the world is a big place. >>>>>> >>>>>> All it means is that if anyone has a Multi-Touch innovation and wants >>>>>> >> to >> >>>>>> play it safe will stay out of the US market. >>>>>> >>>>>> Welcome to America, the land of the free, well, as long as you have >>>>>> >> the >> >>>>>> right lawyer that is. >>>>>> >>>>>> Al. >>>>>> >>>>>> robotissues wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> via Slashdot .. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09%2F01%2F27%2F024242&from=rss >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Does this really put the kabosh on multitouch on Android for the >>>>>>> >> next >> >>>>>>> 18 years? Anyone out there have any thoughts on this? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> www.smileproject.com >>>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> ====== >>>>>> Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the >>>>>> company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, >>>>>> 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. >>>>>> >>>>>> The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not >>>>>> necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's >>>>>> subsidiaries. >>>>>> >>>> -- >>>> ====== >>>> Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the >>>> company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, >>>> 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. >>>> >>>> The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not >>>> necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's >>>> subsidiaries. >>>> > > > -- ====== Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's subsidiaries. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
