Category Miscellany
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Looks like there is another heavyweight battle looming in the not-to-distant future. You've probably already heard that Microsoft is looking to move into the MP3/portable player space currently dominated by Apple's iPod. Well, it appears that Apple was trying to preemptively shore up its defenses by patenting much of the goodness that is iPod - and it appears Microsoft was planning for this battle for awhile.

In an article entitled "Microsoft Beats Apple on Patent" internetnews.com reports that Apple tried to file a patent on the GUI for the iPod, and was shot down by the Patent Office.

As reported by AppleInsider, Apple's patent for a "graphical user interface and methods of use thereof in a multimedia player" was rejected in July. The patent examiner cited an earlier application by Microsoft in the ruling. Apple did not respond to requests for comment.

The Microsoft patent in question covers a system of automatically generating playlists from media collections by "seeding" them with both desirable and undesirable items.

On Wednesday, Erik Huggers, a senior director in Microsoft's Windows client division, said his company is serious about moving into Apple's primo territory. "Come this fall there is going to be a number of devices that get close to competing with Apple's iPod," he told Bloomberg.

Wonder what the odds are on this title bout? I hope Apple remembers their opponent treats this as a Ultimate Fight, not a boxing match.

This is going to get ugly...

Rock
**In my lifetime, I have been in top physical condition, and I have been fat and sloppy. And I gotta say, fat and sloppy is a whole lot easier to maintain.