Author Archives: Kevin Maher

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Blocked, Buster: Video Rental Company Settles Lawsuit

VHS collection

A settlement has been reached by top video rental company, Blockbuster, in a class-action lawsuit. A Minnesota man, Baseem Missaghi, claimed that Blockbuster has been violating the Video Privacy Protection Act. The Privacy Protection Act was created specifically for rental companies like Blockbuster to prevent harvesting their end user’s information. The law states that video rental companies are not allowed to unveil information specific to each user’s account without their consent. Blockbuster had reportedly been holding onto the private data for millions of their consumers across the world. As part of the settlement, Blockbuster was required to pay lawyer fees totaling around $140,000.

We want a slice

We recently wrote about how a Chinese tech company won a settlement against Apple to the tune of $60 million over its iPad trademark. However, when it comes to paying the law firm that helped them earn that paycheck, Proview seems to be skipping out on the bill. The Grandall Law Firm is suing for their agreed-upon share of the settlement, which comes out to $2.4 million. Proview founder Yang Rongshan has been quoted as saying the complaints by the firm are “nonsense” and has insisted that they will be paying the bill eventually. The company itself is rumored to be in the process of liquidation due to impending bankruptcy, lending some insight to Grandall Law’s insistence on being paid as soon as possible. Continue reading →

The End of Penn State

We Are…

Without question, the Jerry Sandusky child abuse case has completely turned Penn State University on its head. With the recent discovery that head football coach Joe Paterno had tried to sweep the entire molestation issue under the rug, the prestigious and now-infamous institution is now dealing with a deluge of lawsuits that will plague them for years to come. From the courtroom to the football field, and all the places between, early estimations show that the settlements could reach the $100 million mark as more victims come forward. Continue reading →

Google Goes On Safari

Look but don’t touch

Have you ever been to a zoo? There are tons of exotic animals like those you’d find on safari all walking about, living their lives, almost oblivious to the fact that they’re being watched. You might also notice signs like “Keep Out” or “Do Not Touch The Glass”, which are most likely for your own safety. Well, Google recently decided to overlook these warnings and delve a little deeper into Safari itself — that is, Apple’s internet browser. A purported breach of privacy settings has resulted in a settlement that will cost Google somewhere around $22.5 million.

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Apple Turnover: iPad Settlement Goes for $60 Million in China

iPad

Apple has agreed to pay a $60 million to a Chinese company to settle a lawsuit over the iPad trademark. Proview Technology will receive a small fraction of their original asking price of $400 million, which might help them recover from the fringe of insolvency. Certainly not a bad pay day. Although the technological terror that is Apple Inc. has plenty of money to throw around, I hope somebody lost their job for over-looking the fact that they trademarked the word “iPad” in every country except the largest one in the world. More details and analysis after the jump.