Cameras
Nokia Patents Digital Equivalent of Scribbling Words on Polaroid Pics
Posted by Kit Eaton at 6:39 PM on September 15, 2008
Nokia filed a new patent last week trying to solve one of the problems of our digital lives: identifying what and who is in our digital photos. It's the digital equivalent of scribbling on the white bit at the bottom of a Polaroid pic (you know the kind of text: "Steve looking silly in Hawaii," "Me in hospital, April '08") and if you add in geotagging, it'd be a convenient way of keeping track. The patent details a system a little similar to Cover Flow, but when photos are flipped over to reveal a blank rear face, a user will have the option to annotate snaps with text entered on the keypad, and the text is permanently incorporated into the image file. If it makes it to reality, I hope they include that real "scribbling" option through touchscreen tech: I kinda miss writing on the back of my photos. [Patent via NewScientist]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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JagsLive
Posted 7:33 PM 15/9/08
Though theinquirer article says Nokia, sounds like its Microsoft !!
JagsLive
STIVC@
Posted 11:30 PM 15/9/08
That'll be really handy if those text tags are stored in IPTC or XMP fields...curious to learn more about this.
STIVC@
OMG! Apple Stinks!
Posted 11:58 PM 15/9/08
Dear Nokia:
Stop trying to patent Hypercard. We made that program a while ago. Way to keep up.
xoxox
Steve Jobs
OMG! Apple Stinks!
nanster
Posted 10:06 PM 15/9/08
It appears as if the link in TheInquirer is to a completely different patent application.
Here's a link to the Nokia patent application [v3.espacenet.com]
nanster
wenderson
Posted 5:11 AM 17/9/08
@OMG! Ponies!: I was just about to say that.
Also, that JavaOS already has this same system, for any kind of file, window and webpage.
And If I recall correctly, Compiz, the 3D cube interface for Linux, has a plugin that does the same.
wenderson
johnny_photo
Posted 1:54 PM 18/9/08
Sounds like a combo of Hypercard and my old Nikon Coolpix from 1995. Welcome to yesterday Nokia.
johnny_photo