Editor's note: We're listening to you. Every day, we spot thought-provoking comments from readers. Here's some comments we noticed today.
Apple and Samsung have been involved in a long battle over the design of Samsung devices that Apple says were "ripped off" from iPads and iPhones. Samsung also countersued Apple for infringing on some of its patents. After a federal jury in California recommended Friday that Apple be awarded more than $1 billion in damages, readers are talking about patents and the ways people define product designs.
Jury: Samsung should pay Apple more than $1 billion
Many readers were outraged, saying Apple's suit appeared malicious.
Jerad Howell: "What a ridiculous verdict. There are only so many ways you can design a touchscreen device. Apparently, this jury believes that Apple should be allowed to have a monopoly on touchscreen tablets and phones."
ogive17: "Apple's new motto 'litigate, not innovate.' Yes, I wanted Apple to lose."
Stnley Kubrick: "This sucks. Sanity once again defeated."
But some said there were some obvious design similarities.
TheH0LYT0AST: "For the life of me I don't understand how anyone can look at the picture at the top of this article and say, 'What? I don't see anything wrong with that.' "
Clint4CNN: "GOOD! Samsung is a thief, and they got caught!"
Nicholas Bloom: "Like Apple needs the money. They charge an arm and a leg for their products. Fair is fair, though."
Some made jabs at the U.S. patenting system.
kalatu: "Thank you Apple for confirming that you invented the 'rectangle.' "
justanother1: "No, because they get patents like 'rounded edges' and 'making a line on a touch screen' and then use their million dollar lawyers to sue anybody that dares to compete against them."
Ribbons21: "It seems like Apple has been allowed to patent way way too many things. I use Apple products (laptop and iPad), but my phone is a Samsung galaxy nexus. Trying to sue competitors out of business because the patent office allowed patents like slide to unlock is just ridiculous in my opinion."
Bull31: "I agree. Samsung obviously ripped off Apple's technology."
wave9x: "Awesome win for innovation, terrible loss for copycats. Buh bye Samsung – try to come up with your own ideas. Doubt anything worthwhile will come of that!"
alientech: "Before the iPhone, smart phones had keyboards and looked like the Blackberry. After the iPhone, smart phones have touchscreens and look like the iPhone. Apple's idea was obviously worth copying."
Readers debated what was going on with Apple.
Tom Thompson: "This is why I dislike Apple products so much.Their hardware has always been cutting edge and pretty cool but this proprietary take-no-prisoners business model is the same reason they fell from grace in the '90s. Not only do they not play nicely with others, their devices don't either. Compatibility across platforms is an essential requirement for a piece of technology to proliferate. Once the Kool-Aid and novelty wears off people will wake up and realize it's not worth paying twice as much for a device and Apple will be left in the dust once again!"
Daktaklakpak: "No, the reason they fell from grace in the '90s was because of being continually ramrodded my Microsoft, and having all their software innovations blatantly ripped off by the competition. This is the first time in history that a major decision like this has gone Apple's way. It probably does have to do with them suddenly being the big kid on the block, but they deserved some vindication all along."
Does it matter to the end user?
809do.com: "This situation is getting annoying! It's like a bunch of male teenagers comparing their rod sizes! In the end, these legal battles will hurt the evolution of software and hardware technologies big time ..."
TheH0LYT0AST: "How is copying = evolving?"
What do you think? Do you take one side or another? Share your opinion in the comments area below and in the latest stories on CNN.com. Or sound off on video via CNN iReport.
Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.
Also, you need to vote for President Obama. Vote the entire Democratic ticket.
Kenny, your music sucks.
It is quite obvious that I am all of these people including Samuel Goldstein.
WEIRD BUT TRUE
Police in Oakland, California spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them, shouting out to give himself up.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I CONSIDER A DEDICATED CROOK! A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas Kwik Shop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently, the take was too small so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him. (Wonder if he paid himself time and 1/2 for the overtime?)
NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER! In Modesto, CA, Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun but unfortunately he failed to keep his hand in his pocket. (Banks should keep Monopoly money on hand for these bright crooks.)
Good morning, Rawr.
News you can use?
Only if one wants to know how *not* to act when committing criminal acts...my favorite is the guys yelling police orders.
*That* is funny...
What's with CNNs hatred towards apple. I've noticed a trend here with the negativity towards apple. They developed a superior product. Samsung obviously infringed on the patents.
Everyone copies everyone. Apple's hay day is gone. Unless Apple can develop a new nitch for themselves, they will just keep releasing the same device until people are sick of them. iPhone 1 ,2 ,3 ,4 ,124 ....etc. Sometimes, maybe wrongly, companies copy designs and ideas, but also add to the ideas moving technology forward. Why reinvent the wheel when you can use it and improve on it?
Yep, that rectangle with rounded corners is the height of innovation.
Little Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother after a particularly trying
week in kindergarten. His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked, “Doesn't it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?”
Bobby said, “Yes, God did it and he did it left handed.”
This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him, “What makes you say God did
this with his left hand?”
“Well,” said Bobby, “we learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God's
right hand!”
True story: when I was a kid, I thought the same thing, bciah!
It's all in the wording, Rawr.
It's all in the wording.
Thanks Apple! (for not engineering the NSA key in your operating systems like Microsoft has been doing for the gov since Windows 98)
Good morning Jay jay.
I've noticed a lot of Apple stories, but I don't necessarily think it's hate...I think they are just reporting what's going on.
Apple won, so obviously the courts think that Apple is in the right.
I'll stick with my old anachronistic Blackberry.
Lightning v Ben Franklin
Lightning v coal
Beaver v Hoover Dam
Good Morning to you as well banz. Maybe hate was the wrong word but there is certainly a bias goin on here that cannot be denied. What's funny about the black berry is that it was cutting edge until the iPhone 4 came out. The technology these days changes like the weather. On another note my youngest daughter is the only one in school who is going to wrestle with the boys this year. Told her to kick the boys butt! And she will Cuzz she's just as stubborn as her old man lol
@Jay jay:
Oh, how cool is that?
Your baby girl is going to wrestle on the boys team?
May she have *many* victories this season!
I'm pulling for her!
Fox is republican biased too. Hasnt anyone noticed THAT?
How many Apple Ipod touch early adopters does it take to change a light bulb?
A: 3001. 1 to do the work and 3000 to go online and bi tch about the lack of obscure features!
A Sunday school teacher was teaching her 3rd graders about the significance of Easter Sunday. She embellished a lot, trying to draw the students in to the story.
"And when that stone rolled away, what do you think Jesus said to the guards?"
In the back, a little girl raised her hand, excited. "Tada!" she said.
Aw, Kenny, I'll have to respectfully decline your kind invitation.
Dazzle's book is called DSM II.
Dead Cavemen should be awarded a gazillion dollars. Apple continuously infringes their "Circle" patent.
Kenny but how do you know how my mind works? I have tons of books but no book on how to troll.
Now this made me laugh...thanks, Fernando!
My samsung galaxy does more than the iphone. This lawsuit is ridiculous, it's like Ford suing Chevy over use of the assembly line.
Hi, Hamsta.
That is one of the best analogies I've read yet, and so true.
Kenny:
Pffft.
@Nora Robers-aka Kenny Rogers, now you are back to being funny. I will send you a copy of my book Kenny R, you will be very surprised.