Burst.com takes $10m bite out of Apple over iPod, iLife patent infringement

Seems like any large, multi-billion dollar tech firm will have some unknown number of plates spinning in the court system at any given time; for Apple, one of those plates just fell. Settling a two year old patent dispute with Burst.com, Cupertino's shelling out $10 million to license four (infringed) patents regarding audio / video technology in the iPod, iTunes, iLife, and QuickTime. Stings, but apparently burst got Microsoft to open up its coffers to the tune of $60m on another patent suit, so at least Apple's in good company. [Warning: PDF read link]

[waiownsyou @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:13AM]

burst.com looks like it was made in 1996 on a Windows 95 computer. Epic phailz

[charles @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:32AM]

i used to work for these guys .... Hey Nat

[Nick Charlton @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:07AM]

That is a pretty terrible website.

Apple probably agreed with $100m, then took off the last $90 for a bad web design... hehe

[roflercopterer @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:47AM]

All they could get from a company like apple was 10 million?

[DaMan09 @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:41AM]

:(

[IndiaTech @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:06AM]

I am not sure whether these patents have anything to do with iPods or iTunes as a software. The case dispute basically lists patent infringement on some sort of "streaming" technology used by iTunes "Music Store" and Quicktime.
On an intresting note though, it should be noted that Burst.com counter sued Apple. Apple, instead of paying royalties or licence fees, decided to sue Burst.com and declare their patent as "invalid"...
As for cash payment, i would have asked for payment in Apple Shares, preferably backdated... :)

[RedBull Runner @ Nov 22nd 2007 6:21AM]

From what im looking at, it seems like they are trying to say they invented buffering. If thats true, maybe they should go after REAL Networks. (bah dum tish)

Seeing as how they have already gone to court with microsoft over pretty much the same thing, and the fact that it doesn't look like their product is used by ANYONE, it kinda looks like they might be patent trolling now as a source of income.

[JD @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:09AM]

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The requested URL /new/partners/new/newsevents/main.htm was not found on this server.

Jeez.

[frankz00 @ Nov 22nd 2007 8:46AM]

If chasing peanuts is their thing, good for them!

[DAZA @ Nov 22nd 2007 8:13PM]

Actually, it's 10,101,010 DRM AAC files from the iTunes music store, assuming $0.99 per track.

[thethirdmoose @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:38AM]

That's 10 million DRM'd AAC files!

[derX @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:16PM]

That's 10 million DRM'd AAC files! = xDDDD

Yes, wouldn't it be Apple-like to try to pay them in free iTunes downloads in the amount of $1,000,000?

[Wilder.K.Wight @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:02PM]

Patent squatters. Patent a bunch of vague ideas and wait. Someone will invent something that resembles your patent, some day.

Love our litigious nation. The ultimate way to riches is to take them from someone else.

[Zeus the God @ Nov 22nd 2007 3:20PM]

Yes, because Apple's issue with Burst.com isn't an issue now that Microsoft had to give up 60 million.

Jesus, Block, its showing more and more.

[John @ Nov 22nd 2007 6:50PM]

$10,000,000? So, for every iPod ever sold, they got less than a dime?