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News & ArtsTuesday, November 3, 2009
Tech / Books E-Book Lawsuit of the Day
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Spring Design, the creators of the upcoming Alex Reader, are suing Barnes & Noble. Spring Design claims that they showed the Alex to Barnes & Noble under a nondisclosure agreement, and that Barnes & Noble copied significant characteristics of the Alex reader for their new e-book, the Nook. Here's a description of the Alex Reader:
Alex is the first Google Android-based e-book device to provide full Internet browsing over Wi-Fi or mobile networks such as 3G, EVDO/CDMA and GSM. With its dual-screen, multi-access capability, it provides the entire Web universe as a handy reference library, prompting users to delve into its vast information base to complement, clarify or enhance what they are reading. Alex is the first truly mobile wireless e-book device that gives users their own personalized library on the go, whenever and wherever they need it.
The Nook is also Android-based and it has a dual-screen with e-ink above and a touchscreen below. However, the Nook doesn't have full internet access. Whether Barnes & Noble is found to be guilty of copying the Alex design or not, if you're thinking about buying the Nook, I suggest you check out Alex instead.
1
In these situations, non-disclosure agreements are not very strong defenses. Many companies in the e-book universe (like B&N) were likely to be looking at various e-reader designs at the time Alex was shown. Without something more substantial (like a patent), it is likely that B&N would be fine relying on one of the standard exceptions to NDA (e.g. independent development). As Internet and IP Lawyer, i would advise more caution when first considering pitching ideas to large companies. http:///www.web20lawyer.com
2
It's like when the creator of Babylon 5 first pitched his idea to the Star Trek people and a year or so after Straczynski (sp?) was into producing B5, they came out with Deep Space 9...
Fuckers.
Fuckers.
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