Beleaguered Creative’s lawsuit against Apple for alleged iPod patent infringement shows desperation

“If you can’t beat them, sue them. MP3 player manufacturer Creative has filed two legal actions against Apple, claiming that the iPod infringes on a patent for hierarchical menus Creative applied for in 2001 and was awarded in August 2005,” Chris Stevens writes for Crave @ CNET writes. “Though the Internet is thrumming with examples of prior-art that undermine Creative’s claims of inventing the hierarchical menu, there’s something even more sinister at work here. If Creative was awarded the patent in the middle of 2005, why has it waited almost an entire year to unleash it?”

Stevens thinks it likely that “Apple will demonstrate its wealth of prior art, ranging from the ‘column view’ available on the Apple Lisa back in 1980, or in Steve Jobs’ NeXT OS a few years later — or in any number of other devices and operating systems since. Creative will relent, happy with its publicity stunt, and slide back into the comfortable level of mediocrity it’s been so good at maintaining these last few years. If only Creative would put its efforts into pushing forward with its own product designs, rather than litigating its way to a slice of Apple’s pie. We’re weary of these depressing and unpleasant law suits. The Creative vs Apple patent case reads depressingly like Steven Segal claiming he invented acting.”

Full article here.

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