Think of this as a teaser for a heavyweight match that will take place in a few months. A judge has ordered that Apple and Amazon attempt to reach a settlement over use of the word “Appstore” before their big court date in the summer. Apple, the technology giant, claims that they own rights to the phrase and had already sued the e-commerce site Amazon.com. A judge had ruled that Apple had no claim to the fictional phrase. U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Laporte has urged the two companies to gather this spring in attempts to avoid a later clash over the intellectual property, copyrights, or trademarks. If no settlement is reached, Apple and Amazon will soon go before a judge in Southern California over using “Appstore”. Read more
Tag Archives: apple
A Kodak Moment: Patents To Sell for $525 Million
It seems that film isn’t the only thing Kodak has been developing recently. The famous digital imaging and photography company agreed to sell their patent portfolio to a large group of companies including Google, Apple, and Facebook. Eastman Kodak, based in Rochester NY, is monetizing their patents to help recover from a recent bankruptcy. Economists are predicting that the $525 million agreement will help Kodak re-emerge from Chapter 11 in the first half of 2013. Amazon, Samsung, and Microsoft are also members of the 12-company group of licensees. Read more
Red Bull Space Jump & The Future of Patent Lawsuits
The Red Bull Stratos jump caused, 8.5 million people to watch Felix Baumgartner fall through the atmosphere at the speed of sound. Red Bull was able to create a live moment that captivated millions. Everyone was talking about Red Bull for days. Obviously millions cannot witness the event live in-person, so the platform to deliver the message is equally as important.
Apple Unveils iPad Mini
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; but you can always make it smaller. Apple has officially unveiled the iPad Mini, the latest version of their revolutionary tablet. Prices are starting with a $329 (the 64 GB will retail for $659). The iPad Mini’s 7.9 inch display gives it a leg up over its competition such as the Google Nexus and Amazon’s Kindle. The screen size puts it right between the iPad and the iPhone, catering quite nicely to loyal Apple owners who were looking for the middle ground. iPad Mini pre-orders are already being taken through major outlets and the device will be officially released in the United States on November 2. How excellent, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Although, Apple shares took a 2% hit immediately following the announcement due to investor letdown. Read more
New Apple iPhone Patent Raises First Amendment Concerns
Apple recently acquired a patent that would disable an iPhone’s camera, recording ability and even put it into sleep mode. The patent characterizes its function as “forcing certain electronic devices to enter ‘sleep mode’ when entering a sensitive area”. There are certainly some benefits of this feature that would make life a little less annoying. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to never enjoy a film without the interruption of someone’s cell phone? College lectures would be silent of ringtones and it could even cut down on cheating. While these functions appear to be harmless and even beneficial, there are serious legal questions being raised that cause some to worry about other uses of the patent. What exactly is a sensitive area and who gets to determine this?