MONKEYmedia today filed a lawsuit against Apple, Inc. for infringing claims in three of MONKEYmedia’s Seamless Contraction patents. Apple’s infringement involves its user interfaces for document summarization, RSS readers and video players that can display multiple versions of text and/or audiovisual content. The lawsuit was filed in the Western District of Texas – Austin Division.
“We can sit by and watch Apple continue to use our patented inventions without paying, or we can do something about it,” said Eric Gould Bear, MONKEYmedia’s CEO, in the press release.
Austin-based MONKEYmedia is a privately held user interface design studio turned intellectual property licensing boutique, founded in 1994 by Janna Buckmaster Bear and Eric Gould Bear, a Microsoft and Yahoo! alumnus, respectively.
Source: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: Licensing squeeze.
And Steve Jobs ought to sue wiseass Eric Gould Bear for plagiarism:
We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. – Steve Jobs, March 2, 2010
Apple will get this monkey off their back in no time. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” /> (There, now the pun is out of the way.)
Re: MDN take. Don’t you think that was kinda the point?
Interesting, that it was filed in the western district of Texas, not the eastern patent mill. Come on Texas, stand up and squash the two little bears.
Monkey see, monkey sue.
Is Ballmer the CEO?
this just in…
Apple goes ape-s#!% on Monkeymedia, buys and sells their monkey-a$$es out if existenceband the world is better for it. Enjoy your retirement in the Bahamas MonkeyMedia!!! and remember it’s best to take a swim in the ocean right after a big meal. and after scuba diving you’ll want to get to the surface as quickly as possible!!
They probably rightfully have a case. this stuff goes on everyday.
Microsoft and yahoo alumnus.. respectively? There is no respect in being a part of either.
Monkeys want back their bananas.
So what happens when two different companies with similar (Ok the same patent with slightly different words) gets sued by both….???
Do the courts have to figure out which one if any have a valid patent first?? ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
Follow up thought. Apple keeps having patents approved. I am guessing that they are stiffing the patent courts with anything tied to their design, but that it takes a couple of years for the patent to wind its way thru the system.
Just a thought,
en
Any tech company with Monkey in their name should be slapped with a stupid button.
WTF, two people named “Bear” get together and create a company called MONKEYmedia? Too funny. Seems like BEARmedia would have been a natural fit.
Ron Stoppable would hate this company.
Oh the responsibility of thinking of something first.
That’s essentially what a patent is–proof you thought of something first.
It DOES NOT mean you made or implemented something first.
It DOES mean you have to defend your patent from every tom, dick and harry that uses or challenges it.
It also DOES NOT mean you have the capital defend it.
It MAY mean you can get paid for infringement by a second party
it DOES NOT mean that that 2nd party has to stop using it.
Where my lawyers at??? Is that about the jist of it?
btaylor:
You are so ignorant.
Ideas are NOT patentable.
lame
lame patent, hope Apple challenges it
ridiculous
nobody should be hostage to these patent fishing expeditions
America’s favorite passtime is alive and well………..
We all need to inundate congress with appeals to reform patents, copyright, and torts. Until then this ridiculousity will continue and severely stifle innovation. Contact your representatives now!
Let me get this straight – two Bears founded MONKEYmedia?
I suppose you could say that Apple now has a monkey on its back…
It appears that I was way late on both comments. I should have read the other forum inputs, first…
@breeze
I asked for a lawyer, not to be called ignorant.
By your response, I take it you’re a lawyer?
In which case you could have set me straight without attempting to insulting me.
Maybe I should have asked for an adult.?
It’s human nature. If anyone or a company is sitting on a
pile of cash, others will try to get their hands on it by
hook or crook.
Has the final chapter been written on the Psystar fiasco?
Was anyone financing them or did they act alone?
@ silverhawk: Note the Eastern District of Texas is chosen for speed (all delaying motions will be rejected) and expertise, it is not a “patent mill”. It is the place to go if you have little money for lawyers or a slam dunk case.
@MDN, where’s the link?
One of the things we pay the Patent Office Examiners to do is make sure the content of a patent is unique. That is their job.
However, their may be 10 different ways to do the same thing. I was involved in a patent to place two different colored images side by side on an image tube. One way took 15 components. Mine took two.
Wow….its amazing all of these law suits coming against apple THREE YEARS after the iphone debut……
I remember SJ re: the iphone interface and functionality at the 2007 Macworld debut and emphatically stating”and boy did we patent it”
He knew the iphone (and future metephor devices) were going to be copied and the company be sued for “patent infringement”
These companies see the writing on the wall, especially after the iPad debut and now selling like hot cakes. Apple was very smart at hiring that law firm to represent them.
Good looking out Apple. With this latest “Monkey” lawsuit added to the rest, can we say that not only does apple have a Monkey on thier back….but they have they whole ZOO!!! ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
@hm
not a chance in hell. Washington is run by stinkin laywers.