Did Apple patent MY 'Buddy' idea?

About 11 months ago, I had described a futuristic multi-functional device called a Buddy, on this very blog.

And today, I hear that Apple files a Multi-functional hand-held device patent application!

I am not arrogant enough to presume that Apple read my blog and then filed this patent. These days, it is not a big deal for anyone to dream up a multi-functional device. Convergence is the name of the game in consumer gadgets and technologies, and countless people all over the world are dreaming about it.

This takes us back to the patents debate, which is becoming increasingly loud and passionate in tech circles, especially among proponents of the open-source philosophy. When gadget-freaks all over the world are fantasizing about multi-functional devices, does Apple's patent of a generic idea of a multi-functional device make sense?

I confess that I have not perused Apple's actual patent filing. I have only gone through the above link which summarizes the patent. And I see nothing, nothing at all that is a specific patent-worthy idea. It sounds like Apple took a dream which millions across the world are having, and patented it as its own.

Granted that for millions of people across the world, it is just a pipe-dream. They don't have Apple's capabilities and resources to actually made such a device a reality. But is it fair to patent a dream, an idea which really belongs to thousands?

The most absurd thing about this patent? Fig 18 on the above page lists the multiple functionality of this newly patented device: PDA, cell, music, video, game, gps, remote, camera, handtop, other. Excuse me, but don't existing single devices already have most of the same functionality built into them? Can Apple simply take an existing device, add a couple more functionality to it and patent it as it's own? Can I take Apple's device, add an antenna-cum-fork-cum-toothbrush to it, and patent it as a brand new idea of my own?

What does this patent mean? Does this mean that none of the other thousands of dreamers will be allowed to build such a device because it will infringe on Apple's patent? If I had patented by Buddy idea, could I have prevented Apple from building such a device or sued them or licensed my idea out to them for millions of dollars?

I wish the US Patent & Trademark Office office were more diligent and used a little more common sense when rewarding patents. This is almost as absurd as patenting basmati rice.