i want credit

[kungfumath]

I have some great new ideas for an extention of iPod/iTunes that I'd like to see turned into a reality. I don't have the expertise to program this stuff myself (and some of it requires some hardware). I'd describe my idea here, but it would most certainly make a chunk of change for whoever implemented it, be it Apple or a third party, and I want a slice of that pie.

Does anyone know someone at Apple who I can talk to about this? Or perhaps a third party developer who might be interested in pursuing my idea and giving credit where due?

Thanks

[DeltaMac]

Many ideas turn out to be not practical, or not technologically or economically feasible. Some ideas may be only good on paper, or only interesting to 'you'. Convincing someone else to take your idea and run with it (and still give you credit - and money), means you should protect yourself legally BEFORE talking to anyone else. If it's a really good idea, get an opinion from an expert in patent law.
I've always heard that a good first step is to write your idea down on paper, with as much detail as you can. Mail the document to yourself. This will provide a beginning date for your idea.

[hayne]

Many people are often disappointed to find that ideas by themselves are not worth all that much. What is worth money is the implementation. A good idea poorly implemented is worth little. A mediocre idea implemented brilliantly can be worth a lot.

To truly protect your idea will require a substantial investment of time and effort to fully define it and a substantial investment of money for lawyers and patent protection.

Most companies, Apple included, will refuse to listen to unsolicited product ideas since they may already have similar projects ongoing and so it leaves them open to charges that they copied the idea when in fact they had it earlier.

The usual way to go if you really believe in the potential of your idea is to borrow enough money to start a company and hire the people you need to implement it, at least as a prototype. Then you will be in a position to either market it yourself or sell it to some other company that already has marketing experience.

[CAlvarez]

Everything said here is good advice. The summary is:

1. Get it documented, and register that somehow. The mail-to-yourself idea is good, but DON'T OPEN THE ENVELOPE! You can also place it in escrow. Another good and cheap idea is to have an envelope containing the idea notarized and dated over the seal.

2. Consider a patent. They are not cheap, even if you do it yourself. I think the filing itself runs $1700 or so. If you get help, plan on $3000-$4500. DO NOT get one of those sheister "inventor's helper" services, get a real patent attorney.

3. Then contact companies that have similar products (but not competing) and see if they are interested in working with you. Or just self-fund it if you can. Find a lone developer who has good products out as shareware.