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back to article Apple sued in Apple TV wireless audio patent clash

A little-known maker of wireless media players is suing Apple, alleging the Mac maker not only used its technology without permission but poached staff to do so more easily. EZ4Media this week filed a complaint against Apple in the US District Court of Northern Illinois. It said Apple's Apple TV set-top box, the Airport …

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  1. Marvin the Martian
    Dead Vulture

    "apple sued" title: why?

    Is it just to attract The Webster? Or did "Apple, Logitech, Netgear, D-Link, Samsung, Pioneer, Yamaha, D&M Holdings and Denon sued" not fit?

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  2. David
    Coat

    Sounds like

    Erm a radio?

    ".. all infringe a quartet of patents it holds that centre on streaming audio over a wireless network."

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  3. Adrian Challinor
    Jobs Halo

    Good luck on the DENON suit

    I have a Denon and its ability not to connect to WiFi is legendary.

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  4. Neil Hoskins
    Black Helicopters

    Another thing...

    Does the "EZFetch" actually exist? Has anybody ever actually seen one. There are lots of reviews and press releases, but I don't see any mechanism for actually buying one.

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  5. Stefan
    Coat

    Early finish?

    As this seems to be the last article of the day I must assume you are all down the pub getting plastered.

    Nice one.

    Have one for me chaps. Here's me wishing I could get me coat and join you.

    Merry Christmas.

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  6. Jonny Calcutta
    Coat

    Tumbleweed

    Its quiet round here. Presumably everyone went to the pub at lunchtime and forgot to come back.

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    no comments approved?

    reg christmas party today/this weekend/until new year was it? or has the BOFH finally got rid of al the reg hacks?

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  8. James O'Brien
    Flame

    Lets see here

    Who is this company? Oh right patent-troll, patent squatter, looking to make a buck, IP House, etc etc. I bet they never even bothered to try to sell a license. Oh well

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  9. Henry Wertz Gold badge
    Jobs Horns

    Maybe not a patent troll?

    Normally I'd consider them to be a patent troll. But if Apple hired people from UE, then came out with a product using this technology UE was working on, it doesn't look so good for Apple.

    (OK, it's Ballmer but I thought the horns were appropriate.)

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  10. Rick Brasche
    Stop

    this is where statutes of limitations are needed

    instead of waiting for years to pop up with a patent shakedown, if a patent holder doesn't come up within 12 months of a product's retail release, then they cannot sue.

    I don't like patent poaching and usually support the "little guy" against the mega-corps, but to wait years after products have been sold, praised, advertised, etc...is just plain extortion.

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  11. Martin Usher
    Alert

    What kind of patent is this?

    So, let me get this straight. If I stream audio from the Internet (or other sources) over a wireless network using an old laptop then that's OK but if I put the laptop in some kind of box and just run the audio program then I'm violating a patent?

    Please, someone, tell me I got it wrong...

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  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Airport Express

    Henry - the Airport Express (which did audio streaming) predates the Apple TV by some time, and I suspect any hires from UE (although no doubt they got their jobs because they had skills on a similar product).

    That doesn't predate the patents. On the other hand, I don't think they should have been granted, as there is no clear innovation here (wireless audio extenders have existed for years, as has streaming audio over TCP/IP, as has wireless TCP/IP).

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