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Microsoft mulls backside display for mobiles

Rear guard action

Microsoft has considered mobiles with multiple screens. A recently granted patent shows plans for an additional low-power display on the rear of our devices.

The concept sees an E Ink-like display integrated across the entire backside of future mobile hardware.

This is said to give vendors an opportunity to free space on the main display by relocating information such as time and date. It would use its own low-powered processor, which could also reduce the power load from the front screen.

Microsoft patent for low powered backside display

It could spell the end of splashing out on expensive fashion cases too, as the secondary display could be used to reskin a phone, holding images indefinitely without the application of power.

The Microsoft two-sided smartphone display concept was first filed at the end of 2010, although came to light this month after being published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, Patent Bolt reports. ®

i like the idea, can't see how its patentable, there is plenty of prior art, and this is evolution due to technology becoming available, not an inovation.

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Re: Patent?

Of course it's patentable. Yours was probably two LCD screens. This is e-Ink. Totally different.

And low power. Totally and utterly different.

It's even curved at the to. Totally, utterly and unbelievably different.

How dare you suggest the the professionals at the USPTO give out patents for nothing. Just how very dare you! Why, that if attacking a vital organ of the capitalist system. Are you some kind of commie terrorist?

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Patent?

How the **** is this patentable? It is not a new concept - infact I had a mobile about 10yrs ago with 2 screens on it.

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Re: Why so irrelevant Microsoft?

@dogged

Picked at random: http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-2720-fold (this predates the patent claim by about a year)

The e-ink screen is merely an implementation detail. If these are now patentable, then that is absurd.

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Re: Oh now WTF?!

Sideshow = some perfectly good scrap code some tech threw together in his spare time for a bit of fun...but then the marketing department thought they could monitize it.

Perhaps if they went back to the developer and actually asked him what it was designed to do, they might be able to sell it afterall...

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