Kane Kramer claims to have invented the iPod some 30 years ago and Apple is willing to admit that he did, in fact, invent the technology behind the iPod. This fact was disclosed while Apple and Burst.com were in the middle of some legal shenanigans and Apple flew Kramer out from the UK to Cupertino to testify on their behalf. Kramer’s patents and drawings, which he was unable to renew in 1988 were used by Apple to squash Burst’s claims that they had siphoned technology. So far Kramer has only received consulting fees, but hasn’t seen a dime otherwise.
The IXI was invented back in 1979 and could store 3.5 minutes of music and Kramer believed that would change over time, which it obviously has. The sketches show a credit-card-sized device very similar to the iPod. But fear not for Kramer says he has a new invention that will blow the iPod out of the water and it’s called Monicall. It has nothing to do with music, though. Monicall records phone calls and then emails an audio file to all parties.
‘It will speed up business deals and provide a low-cost third-party witness to conversations and agreements.
‘A deal will be done on the phone and that is it – an audio file gets emailed over within 30 seconds.’