BlackBerry fires another legal salvo at Ryan Seacrest's Typo keyboard for iPhone
Redesigning its flagship product has not been enough to keep Typo out of BlackBerry's line of fire, as the Canadian smartphone maker has once again filed suit alleging that the second-generation Typo "slavishly copied" BlackBerry's own keyboard designs.
"Just as they did with the Typo Keyboard, Defendants have again copied numerous proprietary BlackBerry designs and patents in the Typo2 Keyboard," BlackBerry's complaint, first noted by the Hollywood Reporter, reads. "The Typo2 Keyboard still blatantly copies BlackBerry's iconic keyboard trade dress designs that have been embodied in numerous BlackBerry smartphones from the 2007 BlackBerry 8800 to the current Q10 and Classic models."
BlackBerry also accuses the Typo 2 of infringing utility patents related to backlighting and "typing automation technologies."
Typo launched the second-generation unit last summer after a federal judge banned sales of Typo's original iPhone keyboard in March. That injunction resulted from a lawsuit in which BlackBerry called Typo "a blatant infringement against BlackBerry's iconic keyboard."
BlackBerry is "flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones," General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer Steve Zipperstein said when announcing the initial suit, "but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations."
Typo, backed by entertainment mogul Ryan Seacrest, continued to sell the first-generation accessory despite the ban, a move which earned the company a near-$1 million fine earlier this month. At the time, a Typo spokesperson said that the fine had "no impact" on the Typo 2.
"Just as they did with the Typo Keyboard, Defendants have again copied numerous proprietary BlackBerry designs and patents in the Typo2 Keyboard," BlackBerry's complaint, first noted by the Hollywood Reporter, reads. "The Typo2 Keyboard still blatantly copies BlackBerry's iconic keyboard trade dress designs that have been embodied in numerous BlackBerry smartphones from the 2007 BlackBerry 8800 to the current Q10 and Classic models."
BlackBerry also accuses the Typo 2 of infringing utility patents related to backlighting and "typing automation technologies."
Typo launched the second-generation unit last summer after a federal judge banned sales of Typo's original iPhone keyboard in March. That injunction resulted from a lawsuit in which BlackBerry called Typo "a blatant infringement against BlackBerry's iconic keyboard."
BlackBerry is "flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones," General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer Steve Zipperstein said when announcing the initial suit, "but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations."
Typo, backed by entertainment mogul Ryan Seacrest, continued to sell the first-generation accessory despite the ban, a move which earned the company a near-$1 million fine earlier this month. At the time, a Typo spokesperson said that the fine had "no impact" on the Typo 2.
Comments
Blackberry, how about you try harder to make yourself relevant instead of using legal action to pay your bills.
As tiny keyboards go, the mid-2000s Treo design was far better.
I had to test using a Curve at one point... ghastly ergonomics.
Blackberry, how about you try harder to make yourself relevant instead of using legal action to pay your bills.
Does this mean that Apple shouldn't have gone after Samsung for copying the iPhone?
Does this mean that Apple shouldn't have gone after Samsung for copying the iPhone?
No. Just pointing out that they need to work hard to become relevant again...quite wasting time with legal battles...more of a jab than trying to argue whether they should defend their intellectual property I guess...
BTW what the hell happened to the Samsung ruling? Do they ever have to fucking pay?
Blackberry, how about you try harder to make yourself relevant instead of using legal action to pay your bills.
Copy is copy. It doesn't matter if the company's struggling and others can just use their IP without paying. Look like Ryan Seacret has to pay the s.hit load of money that he's been making on American Idols for the last 15 years.
BTW, who needs the damn physical keyboard anyway. It's bulky, ugly and so not intuitive.
BB must be giddy, seems Seacrest is their Golden Goose these days.
BTW what the hell happened to the Samsung ruling? Do they ever have to fucking pay?
They have to or Apple will go after them again for all lawyer fees. They try to ignore payments to MS too.
How are they wasting time? It's their lawyers doing the work on a lawsuit not their R&D department.
This is a much easier case. One device with a single purpose, and one patent.
They have to or Apple will go after them again for all lawyer fees. They try to ignore payments to MS too.
Yeah, but when? Seems like it will be appealed to eternity and back.
It's all about where the money is.
Right. They should have asked to invest in his company!
"slavishly copied" eh?
Like how Blackberry slavishly copied the iPhone with their own iPhoney.
Apple should sue Blackberrry for the last bit of money they have left.
I guess Blackberry needs to have some type of income on the books