Microsoft Now Owns Patent For Apps That Sells Stuff

Microsoft recently received some more patent muscle as they just got granted their 2004 filing for apps that sell the user stuff. That ‘stuff’ can either be products from amazon, eBooks, pretty much anything you can think of.

The patent is pretty broad so it should hold with anything you throw at it. Wonder what Microsoft will now do with all this power? Here is the description of their newly acquired patent.

‘A client portal that is optimized to fulfill a specific function. The portal can include a browser that is dedicated to performing a particular task, such as reviewing and purchasing electronic books. For example, to better perform the specific function, the browser may only be able to directly access sites designated by an authorized party, e.g., the browser’s publisher. Because the browser is dedicated to performing a single task, the user interface for operating the dedicated browser may be simplified to include only those controls useful for performing the assigned task. Also, the content available for access by the client portal can be controlled by a single authorized party, such as the portal’s publisher or distributor. ‘

Source: USPTO, Engadget