Samsung claims Apple ripped iPad design from 2001: A Space Odyssey

[HunkyLuke]

Apple is currently taking Samsung to court over theft of its iPad design, and now Samsung is fighting back, accusing Apple of stealing the original iPad design from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey

Foss Patents reported about Samsung's recently filed opposition brief in their blogspot blog fosspatents.blogspot.com, and they even include a still from the original movie as part of the proof that Samsung has provided to courts (see attached), along with this explanation

Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a true and correct copy of a still image taken from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey." In a clip from that film lasting about one minute, two astronauts are eating and at the same time using personal tablet computers. The clip can be downloaded online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ8pQVDyaLo. As with the design claimed by the D’889 Patent, the tablet disclosed in the clip has an overall rectangular shape with a dominant display screen, narrow borders, a predominately flat front surface, a flat back surface (which is evident because the tablets are lying flat on the table's surface), and a thin form factor.

Only time will tell what will happen as the courts decide on the fate of both of these cases.

[adamz]

hahaha I love that movie - when is someone going to sue Motorola for ripping off Startrek and The Jetsons LOL

[raymor]

That and other evidence does seem to refute Apple's claim that they were the
first to think of the idea of a tablet.

[ace_luffy]

is movie can be evidence ? damn i think samsung think first and they dont own that movie

[raymor]

is movie can be evidence ? damn i think samsung think first and they dont own that movie

In order to invalidate Apple's patent, they only have to show that Apple wasn't the first to think of a tablet. Since Apple didn't exist when the movie was made, it's game-set-match.

[jIgG]

the iphone 4 looks a lot like the LG Prada KE850 that came out in 2005 or 2006

[jIgG]

In order to invalidate Apple's patent, they only have to show that Apple wasn't the first to think of a tablet. Since Apple didn't exist when the movie was made, it's game-set-match.

i think the issue here the way the Samsung tablet looks with Samsung's custom TouchWiz interface compared to an iPad and creating confusion.