Apple to Pay $100M to Settle 5 Lawsuits

[meegbear]

Apple Computer Inc. will pay $100 million to rival Creative Technology Ltd. to settle five patent lawsuits over technology for navigating through songs on the popular iPod digital music player, the companies said Wednesday.

The settlement allows Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple to recoup a portion of its payment if other electronics companies license Creative's technology.

"Creative is very fortunate to have been granted this early patent," Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, said in a statement Wednesday. "This settlement resolves all of our differences with Creative, including the five lawsuits currently pending between the companies, and removes the uncertainty and distraction of prolonged litigation."

Creative Chairman and CEO Sim Wong Hoo called the settlement "amicable."

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http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/08/23/461698.html&cvqh=itn_apple

[Atman]

1. This is the death of Apple! The iPod era is OVER!

The sky is falling! Vista is coming out soon! Steve Jobs eats babies! MP3 players are just a fad anyway! I LOVE Windows Media Player! Apple will out of business within a month!

(Did I forget anything?)

[meegbear]

3. Other than Steve Jobs is a terrorist loving Lieberman supporter ...

I think you covered it.

[Tesha]

4. You forgot: "I build my own MP3 players with..."

You forgot:

* "I build my own MP3 players with twice the performance at half the cost!"

* "I wind my own earphones using titanium wire that I smelt myself; why would I use that Crapple stuff?"

Tesha

[stepnw1f]

2. Man Apple Has a Huge Target on their Back (nt)