Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/09/25/apple-files-patent-on-even-thi.html
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I’m definitely no patent lawyer, and not much of an engineer; but I’m curious how the final step of actually attaching the membrane to the PCB changes things.
In conventional PC keyboard designs, the membrane isn’t glued down; but sits directly on top of the PCB(there do tend to be some ‘rings’ of slightly thicker elastomer, maybe the PCB anchoring removes the need for those?). In things like remote controls the integration typically goes one step further, with the conductive pad that closes the circuit when the button is pressed printed right onto the membrane laid on top of the PCB; but again not generally bonded down.
What does bonding the membrane eliminate compared to just having it laid directly on top?
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Sounds like a real fucking delight to type on.
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BEHOLD! THE FUTURE OF TYPING!
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That is besides the point… the price to pay to be stylish and modern and hip. Got to shave those fractions of a millimetre no matter what
This is what I tell my partner every time she complains about high heels
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It’s odd how the thinner Apple products get, the richer Apple gets.
One day Apple will make products so thin they cannot be seen or touched.
Undecided if this will be a good or bad thing.
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If this fails to work as designed, I’m sure that Apple will blame the customers for not using it correctly.
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Could be thinner
Never used one, perhaps you need to be in semi-darkness to use one?
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Cynicism and humour apart …
It occurs to me that Apple never produces any user manuals or instructions with any of its devices, and most functions are discovered by serendipity, trial and error, or resorting to wrangling Google with assorted permutations of search words to try to find an answer to the slightly troubling or obscure problem that ISN’T the one that a gazillion websites all want to tell you about (being the obvious ‘User 101 course’ stuff they all copied from each other).
And they have the cheek to say we’re not using it properly!
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The pea, no, the pee, no, the poo, is under the middle one?
Just take my ten bucks. You win.
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Apple will one day transcend this plane of reality altogether, but to us it will look like they just ceased to exist.
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You could be right. Maybe Apple will become the Sublimed.
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Farewell to any kind of repairability without replacing an entire PCB?
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I have. Projection keyboards work terribly.
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They’re going to go into negative thickness next. As soon as you put down the laptop, it punches holes into whatever surface it’s sitting on.
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I thought this crap would come to an end with Jony Ive’s departure. I guess not.
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Oh that’s easy: you go up to a ticket dispenser and say [censored], [censored], and [censored]; instant toilet paper!
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