Did Stanley Kubrick invent the tablet computer?

Samsung is arguing that as defense in a court case Apple computer filed against them claiming they stole their tablet design from Apple.

FRUIT THEMED FIRM Apple's arguments that Samsung stole the tablet design from it have been debunked by the latter's lawyers, who found the devices in Stanley Kubrick's classic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Apple versus Samsung tablet argument is keeping patent lawyers in sports cars and tailored suits at the moment and stopping judges from going on their summer breaks. Apple has argued that Samsung is aping its design and is fighting for a ban on imports, but Samsung has argued that you can see the design in 2001, a film that ironically starts with a bunch of apes hitting what looks like a rather large tablet.

2001 is a great film and we are always glad of a reminder, even when it appears on the Fosspatents blog. According to Florian Mueller, Samsung filed its defence against an injunction on imports last night, and included a screenshot from the film masterpiece that shows two tablets in use.