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Apple Applies for Podcast Navigation Patent
by , 10:50 AM EST, November 30th, 2006
A new patent application from Apple Computer that describes a hierarchical menu system for navigating podcasts on an iPod surfaced on Thursday. Patent application 20060265637, Utilization Of Podcasts on Portable Media Devices, details how a user would access podcasts stored on a portable media player, and also how the metadata in a podcast file could be displayed.
The patent application defines devices that may use this system as "a portable music player, a mobile telephone or a personal digital assistant." Of course, Apple is describing any type of portable device that may be able to play podcasts, but it's possible this also hints at future product plans.
 Podcast menu diagrams. |
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The patent was originally applied for on June 25, 2005. You can read the patent application in full at the U.S Patent Office Web site.
Thanks to ZDNet for the heads up.
Observer Comments
Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:34 pm Subject: Not a big change
QuoteGuest wrote:
There's already a 'podcast' menu option in 'music'. What's the change at all?
Oops! I didn't check my iPod's menus. I don't use it to listen to podcasts, just audiobooks while driving. You can also put the podcasts menu item on the top-level menu.
An interesting feature: some podcasts contain the date in the title and the date does not show on the right. For example, the podcasts of the Al Franken show are titled, "11/28/06 Episode of Al Franken Show," and do not have the date on the right.
One added feature not in the patent pictures: the menu listings include the "not heard" blue dot.
One disappointment: the podcasts are arranged by title, rather than date.
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