The usual Guidelines for Using Apple’s Trademarks and Copyrights was quoted:

Apple Logo and Apple-owned Graphic Symbols:

You may not use the Apple Logo or any other Apple-owned graphic symbol, logo, or icon on or in connection with web sites, products, packaging, manuals, promotional/advertising materials, or for any other purpose except pursuant to an express written trademark license from Apple, such as a reseller agreement.

What is frustrating by this clause is the opacity of it. Where can the ownership status of a “graphic symbol, logo, or icon” be determined? A search through the USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) didn’t turn up anything useful. I’ll be happy to comply with Apple’s demands if I know what the specific claim is.

Several other apps have been rejected on similar grounds, often relating to the use of a rounded rectangle image which Apple claims to infringe on the iPhone / iPod touch trademark.

The beach ball image in the app is “original” art (albeit very close to the OS X spinning wait cursor) in that I created this instance of the graphic. What are the bounds of the graphic symbol’s claim? A circle with a rainbow gradient? Gloss and shadow effect? Five-bladed fan rotating clockwise at “x” rpm? Would a photograph or illustration of a “beach ball” also be deemed to infringe?

Without specific information on the claim any changes I make are likely to be a back and forth shot in the dark. Of course, I knew this going into it, but I welcome a challenge. Where’s the sense of humor?

Thanks to everyone who has been beta testing the (codename) Pinwheel app. I’ll be sure to give you all a copy of the final app when (if?) it’s approved.

In the meantime there are several other projects which need my attention. I’m committed to getting the in-progress work finished before moving on to new stuff…which is a strong motivator since I have a few things I’m really excited about working on. Onward…!

Also, as an exercise to get working with a web API I’m building an iPhone native client for SHIFD, called Slide. Right now it’s overly simplistic, but I much prefer the native app to the mobile web app. I’m not sure if I’m going to keep it as a learning project or also invest the time and resources to make it another released application.

All this is in service to building out cloudreader.me, the online version of the CloudReader generative text animation project. I’d like to make that something available sometime.

here’s the promised update to the earlier pinwheel post with a video of it in action. this is just a demo of the animation, i’d like to work more on the compositing and to add some user interaction. i’d like to perhaps have a user blow on the phone and cause the wheel to spin more quickly. for now, this is what i’ve got.