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By mike.magee@theinquirer.net
Andrew Cubitt wrote to the INQUIRER after reading an article about the MSN iLoo, and said Microsoft's idea, which he designed and made two years ago, "sounds remarkably similar" to his own.
Cubitt said that his design has been displayed at several shows, its most recent appearance being at the Ideal Home Show, which ended at the beginning of April.
See here
He said: "It now seems that the clever people at Microsoft have cottoned onto the idea and even call it the i-loo, the same as mine!"
He said: "I have also read an article in a national newspaper and the quote their spokesperson gave even resembled the quotes that I made on the TV and radio a month earlier".
And, he continued, "It seems another example of Microsoft monopolisation squashing out the little people and again copying other peoples ideas".
Microsoft could not be contacted at press time for comment. µ
Bogged down in the water closet
By Jack Russell: Saturday 03 May 2003, 09:14
"How does the toilet really work? I don't know. There are other forces
at work. Who invented the toilet, and what gave him the idea?" William
Shatner, speaking at an Intel conference
Farting is the stinking man's trumpet Anonymous
IF THERE'S ONE thing Microsoft's been consistently criticised for over the last twenty years it's its willingness to borrow other people's inventions rather than thinking things up itself. Just ask an Apple user about the "look and feel" of an operating system, though be prepared for a forty minute lecture on the subject.
Redmond's critics may have a point and perhaps MS has stolen almost all its good ideas from other companies, but with its latest product invention Microsoft has proven it can, in fact, innovate on its own and come up with new and unique computing environments. According to ZDNet, Microsoft has just unveiled….the iLoo.
For those of you who don't know, "Loo" is British slang for "toilet.".
No, this is not a joke. The company that gave us Windows, BSODs, and Tablet PCs is now giving you the first wireless portable restroom on the planet. This isn't some cheap hack job with an old Pentium II and 32 meg of RAM, either—the iLoo will feature six channel audio surround sound, a plasma display, and a (waterproof) wireless keyboard.
The potential seems endless. One can now frag, email, surf the web, and buy products all from the comfort of your own portable toilet. One wonders what Microsoft is going to do about the typical odor emanating from such facilities — public restrooms on hot summer days at festivals are not known for emitting the most pleasant of fragrances.
There's even advertising potential in such a water closet (or www.c as MS is calling them). Redmond is looking for advertisers who want to put their URLs on toilet paper. Problem is, given what toilet paper is typically used for, will the average advertiser want their product associated with such behavior? Its not as if the user is going to carry the URL home (at least we hope not).
Lest you grow concerned about boredom or long lines, the outside of the Johnny-surf-the-web-on-the-spot will have an additional plasma display and keyboard to allow users to surf the 'Net while hopping up and down waiting for access to the inside. Given the long lines that can develop at such facilities this could lead to wars of epic proportions—and extend the line at the men's room to just as long as the ladies.
I could insert a sarcastic remark here, but the iLoo seems to speak for itself. Anyone think this will take off? Anyone?
Oh — and don't worry — I'm sure the Apple people will jump in claiming to have invented the letter "i" as part of a product name.