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November 7, 2007
Dear CNET members,
If you haven't heard already, last week Time named the Apple iPhone "Invention of the Year." This announcement created all sorts of buzz from people ranging from Apple lovers to Apple haters, and everyone in between. Some saying it's a well-deserved title, yet some contend that Apple didn't invent the cell phone--they just built their own. In CNET editor Kent German's Crave blog, "Did Apple invent the cell phone?", he states that he is a bit confused by all this and whether the iPhone should even count as an invention. Personally, I have to side with Kent as I'm a bit confused, too. Sure, Apple has improved on the concept of the cell phone and should be named as most innovative technology of the year, but should that count as an "Invention of the Year"? What do you think? The debate is on, and we'd all like to hear what you think. Also let take this to the poll, so get your vote in now.
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This week's hot topic:
Did Apple invent the
cell phone?
Time named the Apple iPhone "Invention of the Year." This announcement created all sorts of buzz! And when CNET editor Kent German asked in his Crave blog what our readers thought, many came chiming in with their thoughts. Here is what some of our members had to say.
"If the car was an invention, so is the iPhone"
"(I don't own an iPhone) Apple didn't invent the cellular phone. Henry Ford didn't invent the internal combustion engine either, nor did he invent chairs, or the wheel, or nearly all the other parts used to make the first car. But Henry Ford put a whole bunch of things together to form an automobile--which was an invention that changed the world forever..." (Read more)
"Cool? Yes. Best invention? No."
"My jaw literally dropped open when I saw the Best Inventions feature on Time.com. I don't have an iPhone, but I admit that they are very cool, and if I could afford it and was in the market for such a phone, I would probably buy it. But I would never have considered it the best invention of the year. Whether it qualifies as a true invention, as you said, is open for debate, but I could have understood it making it onto the list - just not in the number one spot. My shock was only further justified by looking at some of the other inventions listed in the feature that I thought were truly amazing..." (Read more)
"It may or may not even be an invention"
"The first entry for the definition on dictionary.com of "invention," which is a noun, is "The act of inventing." That sounds like a verb to me. The second is a bit more useful: 2. U.S. Patent Law. a new, useful process, machine, improvement, etc., that did not exist previously and that is recognized as the product of some unique intuition or genius, as distinguished from ordinary mechanical skill or craftsmanship. So whether or not the iPhone can be considered an invention at all is up to..." (Read more)
Speak up!
Now it's your turn to speak your mind. Do you consider the Apple iPhone an invention? Do you think Apple iPhone deserves the title of Time's "Invention of the Year"? Why or why not? Let's hear what you have to say.
• CNET Apple iPhone review
From CNET Reviews
• Apple iPhone blogs
From CNET Blogs
• Latest news on the iPhone
From CNET News.com
• CNET's iPhone complete resource page
From CNET.com
• Cell phone forum
From CNET Forums
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What do you think?
