Investigation Could See iPhone, Blackberry Ban

Did MS ever actually have to quit selling office? If not, then the iphone and BB's are safe.

I hope this hurts apple (although it probably wont). Ever since Xerox gave them the gui interface and mouse idea, they pretty much feel like all technology is up for grabs as long as no one is taking theirs. Look at all the crap they are going through with the trademark name "IPAD"! I am sure they new about it from the begining but I could just see Jobs and the others in the board room discussing this when they came up with the name "What are they going to do... Sue us? Go ahead... Were Fu##in Apple"

if kodak want the devices not to be sold then the outcome (without kodak talking to apple and RIm) will result in those devices NOT being sold in the US!

Lashton - not a chance...

This is Kodak doing a wallet job on the 2 most successful device makers in the space currently. They want to get paid, and halting sales kills the goose that lays the golden license fees...

Personally I think Kodak is shooting themselves in the foot here. This is going to result in resentful brand recognition for kodak since people love apple and blackberry products, and will hate kodak for having them pulled from the shelves.

And guruofchem's statement that it's just Kodak looking to make money can be backed by the fact that they waited until the products were very successful before bringing this to court. If this was to truly protect their IP, Kodak would have sued the instant these products came to the market. What it appears that Kodak is trying to do is leverage some court support against Apple and RIM so they can force them to pay a licensing fee. It's all about money, and if anyone tells you that business is about money they are lying to your face.

I better stock up on iphones and blackberrys then.. if they do get banned.. let the bids begin?

it's supposed to be if anyone tells you that business isn't about money they are lying to your face. We really could use an edit button please.

Karma.

They will compromise. The end result is Apple will pay a licensing fee. It's business as usual.

I can see Kodak forcing Apple and RIM to push software updates which disable the cameras in the blackberrys and iPhones and iPods and if you're not using the newest software past a certain date then your device won't work at all... This of course is contingent on neither company paying a fine and getting a licence for the tech. Seems Kodak since it can't sell film anymore is trying to keep itself afloat they way Rambus is keeping itself afloat.

The old way of making a patent "Write your idea that works down so no body can use it without your permission."

The new way "Write the most ambiguous idea you can think of and cover the broadest spectrum, wait, and sue away."

It's just too bad.

LOL Apple knows how to play rough? What a joke... Apple deserves quite a few slaps in the face, and I'm anxious to see this happen, considering they violated the law and obviously dont give a rats ass. Yet that skinny prick Jobs complains about google entering the phone market?


Pelomixa

Of the ten latest topics six were directly or indirectly of Apple, what have happened to Toms Hardware ? Really ? Why not rename the site to IToms Hardware - We only type all we can find about one brand and ignore the rest!

No, climber, it will only hit people who choose to buy overpriced Apple products (just look at the iPad profit margins article). Apple can easily afford some licensing fees in there.

This Lawsuit isn't going anywhere. If they had a beef with Apple or the makers of blackberry phone, they
should of made their claim before the phones were released or within 30 days after. The Iphone is now
three years old, this lawsuit is filed so late that there is no judge on this planet that is going to allow this
to go forward.

I wish they would just ban all cellphones. Maybe then I could actually enjoy a movie without some &%^&ing 16 year old kid texting in front of me... or the dbag wearing his bluetooth with flashing lights, or the lady talking on her phone while trying to park her car... Sorry, I just hate cell phones. All of them equally.

like i said a couple of days ago, can we not go at least 1 week without another patent infringement lawsuit.

If Apple and RIM each independently reached the design of whatever was patented, then my condolences go to them and their customers, because they now have to pay for something (a design) that they already paid for independently (in R&D costs). This is what's wrong with the patent system: it's too easy to patent something that is too obvious. Besides, IBM already patented the idea of being a patent troll.

If Apple and RIM used technology that had been developed by Kodak (e.g. an ingenius, real-time algorithm for processing a series of jpeg images using a low number of CPU cycles to provide video from a camera), and they refuse to pay for it, then that is clearly theft. Whether or not they acquired the technology from a 3rd party doesn't matter. It's still stolen goods. Samsung, LG, Sony Ericcson, Motorola and Nokia all pay for these goods and still manage to market a product profitably (well, most of them do, anyway...). Apple and RIM don't get to have a free R&D ride at Kodak's expense. Imagine for a moment if you were a research engineer at Kodak who lost his job because they couldn't afford to pay you anymore because too many companies just stole the technologies you invented, such as this one, rather than pay license fees. That would suck, and would also mean less innovation in the world.

Perhaps there's a patent on displaying images on an LCD screen too!
If so, then all companies, including Kodak infringes on this!

Why don't the phone manufacturers just start an inter-corporate group to figure out a way to have their phones preview a photo on screen taken by the phone's camera? Launch a real "fuck you" to Kodak for trying to patent troll their way to more money. I do not understand why this has not already been worked on.

If Kodak simply patented the idea of previewing a picture taken by a digital camera, then I cannot see how such a patent could be legal. Usually, it is the process, not the result, that can be patented.

Wait a minute here, are these fanbois supporting Apple when they copy-and-paste other companies technologies???

Woah! Apple's greatest innovation is their ability to copy from other companies and continue to get away with it.

LMAO@Hake good to see you don't know what you're talking about. Go look up some patent suits *that won* and see how long they waited before filing before you make such a stupid statement.

Kodak warned them. They didn't listen, and now their being sued. Seems fair to me. Just big companies playing games with each other just another day in the business world.

Wow, lots of ignorant fools in here. I love the one about the iPad operating costs! That device isn't even out yet! All cost analysis is pure speculation. And the stuff about Apple stealing everyones great ideas! Priceless! If the companies that Apple allegedly stole from actually did something with said great ideas, then Apple would be paying them for it. Shit or get off the pot. And complaints that Tom's has too many Apple stories, maybe you missed the fact that this is Tom's HARDWARE. News about HARDWARE. Apple makes HARDWARE. Their stuff generates newsworthy stories. Tom's reports. Get over it.