Technically Legal

Technology and the law. Done right.
 

Episode 40: Goin Gaga

Innocent infringement off the table, Apple sues HTC, and is it illegal to poach tickets?

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Innocent infringement off the table

5th Circuit rules innocent infringement defense not supported in Maverick v Harper
The opinion

Apple Sues HTC

Apple sues HTC over iPhone patents
Apple sues HTC–court filings
Apple HTC Complaint U.S. Google & HTC

Poaching Gaga Tickets

Couldn’t Get Those Coveted Gaga Tickets? Here’s Why
Four Charged in Bid To Buy, Resell Tickets

Comment on this post Posted in: Podcast on March 9, 2010

Apple Sues HTC Over iPhone Patents

This is still breaking, so we’ll have more coverage as the details of the litigation emerge.

Apple has sued HTC for infringement of Apple patents relating to the user interface and underlying hardware of the iPhone. While I don’t have my hands on a complaint yet, there’s a fair bet it involves the patent for capacitive touch screens Apple was recently awarded.

UPDATE: You can now download the relevant documents. I’ll try to get a look at them later today or this evening.

Comment on this post Posted in: Links on March 2, 2010

Episode 36: Still Not About the iPad

Amazon Wrap Up, iPad Trademark Dispute, Out-Of-School Speech, New Rules for Juries

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iPad Trademark Dispute

FUJITSU’s iPAD
Fujitsu’s Leaked iPad Memo
Will the iPad soon have a new name?
MAGTEKs iPad
STMicroelectronics iPad
Apple’s Trademark Application

Students Punished, or not, for Out of School Speech

Snyder v. Blue Mountain School District
Synder Opinion
Layshock v. Hermitage School District, Opinion

New Rules for Juries

Juror Use of Electronic Communication Technology
Courts move to ban juror use of Blackberry, iPhone, Twitter and Facebook

Comments Off Posted in: Podcast on February 8, 2010

Episode 35: Not about the iPad

Are file extensions trademarks, Google Street View suit reinstated, and Amazon pulls Macmillian books.

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Are file extensions trademarks?

File extensions cannot be trademarks

Street View Suit Reinstated

Google Street View: Appeals court revives Pa. couple’s lawsuit
The opinion

Amazon pulls Macmillan Books

Amazon Pulls Macmillan Books Over E-Book Price Disagreement
Amazon conceded to Macmillan hours after we finished recording.

Comments Off Posted in: Podcast on February 1, 2010

Psystar Appeals

Psystar has appealed the summary judgment for Apple and permanent injunction. It will be a while before we have briefs, and the case won’t be heard, until much later in the year. We’ll follow it, as we have since the beginning.

Comments Off Posted in: Links on January 15, 2010

Apple Wins Injunction against Psystar

AppleInsider reported that Apple won a permanent injunction against Psystar. Psystar has until December 31, 2009 to comply with the injunction. They will no longer be allowed to copy or sell copies of OS X, they cannot circumvent copy protection, or sell programs that circumvent the copy protection.

What’s unclear, because of conflicting reports (and our inability to find a copy of the injunction), is whether this injunction applies to OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard. Apple worked very hard to keep 10.6 out of the California litigation, and it is currently the subject of a case in Florida.

As always, we’ll keep you updated.

Update: A copy of the injunction can be found here

Comments Off Posted in: Links on December 17, 2009

Apple, Psystar, Enter into Partial Settlement

AppleInsider is reporting that Apple and Psystar have entered into a partial settlement. The deal will prevent a trial on the issues of copyright damages, trademark and tradedress infringement and state unfair competition claims. In exchange, Psystar will pay an undisclosed amount of money, and will not have to pay Apple until after Psystar appeals the District Court judge’s ruling.

The judge still has to decide whether to issue Apple’s permanent injunction, and Apple’s legal challenge to Psystar’s RebelEFI is not included in this settlement.

1 Comment Posted in: Links on December 1, 2009

Episode 27: Groundbreaking Website

Apple files a patent suit, Motorola and Blackberry sued for patent infringement, and database abuse.

Please, download the podcast here. E-mail us with suggestions, comments, or questions.

Apple Sues for Patent Infringement

Apple Files Patent Infringement Suit Over ‘Knock-Off’ Power Adapters
Apple Sues To Stop Power Adapter Knock Offs

Motorola and Blackberry Sued for Patent Infringement

Motorola, Research in Motion sued over voicemail
Klausner Technologies

Database Abuse

http://techdirt.com/articles/20091124/0131587064.shtml

1 Comment Posted in: Podcast on December 1, 2009

Apple to Defend Nokia Lawsuit “Vigorously”

Recently, Nokia filed a patent infringement suit against Apple, alleging that the iPhone infringes on Nokia patents.

In a recent SEC filing, Apple summarized the lawsuit, and promised that, “The Company intends to defend the case vigorously.”

What does that really mean? Sadly, little. It’s a public filing, and, as such, the company pretty much has to say that they will put on a vigorous defense. That being said, unless the case is a slam dunk against Apple, and that the patents are clearly valid, I think we can expect Apple to not given in easily.

Comments Off Posted in: Analysis, Links on October 30, 2009

One Way You’re Not Going to Infringe Copyright

The EFF is reporting that a court has ruled that neither cellphone users, nor the carriers, are liable for copyright infringement when the phone rings in public.

ASCAP argued that playing the ringtone in public constituted a “public performance” under the copyright act. The judge found that the performance was exempt from having to pay royalties because the “performance” wasn’t for commercial gain.

In an interesting twist for the ASCAP/BMI v. Apple dispute, the judge in this case also found that transmitting the ringtone to one person does not constitute a public performance. It still would constitute a reproduction, though. Because the 30 second song clips on iTunes are only transmitted to one person at a time, they would also not count as public performances under this interpretation.

Comments Off Posted in: Analysis, Links on October 15, 2009

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