New Apple suit confirms forthcoming products
In its latest lawsuit seeking to clamp down on leaks, Apple Computer has added credibility to several hot rumors, including plans to offer a cheaper Macintosh and its own line of office software, reports CNet News.com.
The computer company on Tuesday sued the publisher of Mac enthusiast site Think Secret and other unnamed individuals, alleging that recent postings on the site contain Apple trade secrets, according to court documents seen by CNET News.com.
"The suit, filed Tuesday in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, Calif., aims to identify who is leaking the information and to get an injunction preventing further release of trade secrets. However, in filing the suit, Apple identifies specific articles that contain trade secrets, indicating that at least parts of those reports are on the mark."
"Apple has filed a civil complaint against the owner of ThinkSecret.com and unnamed individuals who we believe stole Apple's trade secrets," Apple said in its statement. "We believe that Think Secret solicited information about unreleased Apple products from these individuals, who violated their confidentiality agreements with Apple by providing details that were later posted on the Internet."
This latest suit is believed to be in response to recently published reports disclosing information on a forthcoming headless iMac, as well as the purported Apple-branded "iWork" productivity suite.
The lawsuit also represents the company's third intellectual property suit in less than 3 weeks. In December, Apple filed suit against unnamed individuals it claimed leaked details about a forthcoming music device code-named Asteroid. A separate action filed shortly thereafter accused two former Apple developers of distributing prerelease versions of its next-generation operating system, Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger."
Apple is slated to kick-off next week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco with the announcement of several new products, which may include an iMac sans monitor, new iPods, and an office productivity suite.
The computer company on Tuesday sued the publisher of Mac enthusiast site Think Secret and other unnamed individuals, alleging that recent postings on the site contain Apple trade secrets, according to court documents seen by CNET News.com.
"The suit, filed Tuesday in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, Calif., aims to identify who is leaking the information and to get an injunction preventing further release of trade secrets. However, in filing the suit, Apple identifies specific articles that contain trade secrets, indicating that at least parts of those reports are on the mark."
"Apple has filed a civil complaint against the owner of ThinkSecret.com and unnamed individuals who we believe stole Apple's trade secrets," Apple said in its statement. "We believe that Think Secret solicited information about unreleased Apple products from these individuals, who violated their confidentiality agreements with Apple by providing details that were later posted on the Internet."
This latest suit is believed to be in response to recently published reports disclosing information on a forthcoming headless iMac, as well as the purported Apple-branded "iWork" productivity suite.
The lawsuit also represents the company's third intellectual property suit in less than 3 weeks. In December, Apple filed suit against unnamed individuals it claimed leaked details about a forthcoming music device code-named Asteroid. A separate action filed shortly thereafter accused two former Apple developers of distributing prerelease versions of its next-generation operating system, Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger."
Apple is slated to kick-off next week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco with the announcement of several new products, which may include an iMac sans monitor, new iPods, and an office productivity suite.
Comments
Originally posted by Placebo
Haha, that's so ironic. Their lockdown on rumor mills just proves the rumors.
Ah, but the key here is to put the smackdown now, because of not what's coming in January, but to keep hush-hush that which will be coming in May/June. And that, I must say, is going to be so big, and so unbelievable (for Apple), that even you all are going to be floored.
WHat is up?? They could just do this lawsuit stuff later could they not ?? I tink it is building hype... hmmmm :?
Originally posted by Louzer
Ah, but the key here is to put the smackdown now, because of not what's coming in January, but to keep hush-hush that which will be coming in May/June. And that, I must say, is going to be so big, and so unbelievable (for Apple), that even you all are going to be floored.
{voice of dirtbag politcian} WHAT DO YOU KNOW AND WHEN DID U KNOW IT? IS THIS INFO RELIABLE?...YOU HAVE TEASED, NOW SPILL! {/voice of dirtbag politcian}
But really, expand on that, enquiering minds must know
Second, I believe the effort is to find those that are breaking the NDAs in order to take action that will ensure it won't happen again. Some one (or a few) are gonna be outta there.
I doubt that there will be any products pulled because of the rumors - there is too much effort required to release a product for that to happen.
It's fun for us but it hurts Apple, in terms of competitors getting confidential information.
Originally posted by Louzer
Ah, but the key here is to put the smackdown now, because of not what's coming in January, but to keep hush-hush that which will be coming in May/June. And that, I must say, is going to be so big, and so unbelievable (for Apple), that even you all are going to be floored.
You are going to be held accountable in June. I am bookmarking this thread.
Can't you give a small hint?
Eric
Originally posted by ct77
Like most of us, I enjoy speculating about what's next for Apple, but I think Apple is doing the right thing in trying to clamp down on people leaking their secrets.
It's fun for us but it hurts Apple, in terms of competitors getting confidential information.
Yeah, it may have been fun before, and was probably more of an irritant for Apple more than anything, but with what's happened over the last year, the stakes are much higher.
Originally posted by ct77
It's fun for us but it hurts Apple, in terms of competitors getting confidential information.
Not really. Most of the time, these rumors come right before product announcement and the competition can't do anything at this point.
It's like a poker game. Apple's move doesn't necessarily mean ThinkSecret is right on all counts. Now the drama is on to see whether any, some or all of the data is accurate. It's great theater!
I hope they burn the employee who screwed up, but why sue Nick DePlume?? This is a freedom of speech issue! Just because some corporation says this information is confidential, all of a sudden talking about it becomes illegal?
Me: HEY APPLE, YOU'RE MORONS!
Apple legal: That's a trade secret! see you in court!
Me: Nuts.
I for one will not purchase any products released by Apple this January for at least 6 months, no matter what they release. This is crap, screw their strong-arming tactics.
Edit: I'm going to e-mail apple and tell them of my decision, for all those who would do the same:
http://www.apple.com/contact/feedback.html
Originally posted by macFanDave
It's great theater!
And that's why we're here!
Originally posted by slughead
I for one will not purchase any products released by Apple this January for at least 6 months, no matter what they release.
Dude, you won't be able to buy the products they announce at this MacWorld for at least 6 months!
Originally posted by foshizzle
Dude, you won't be able to buy the products they announce at this MacWorld for at least 6 months!
Good call, but they like to let that fact escape slowly, through delaying orders multiple times like with the DP2.5 G5s (!$#@).
Originally posted by slughead
So Apple's employee breaks his contract and deplume won't disclose his name, and suddenly deplume gets sued? What if nick didn't know who it was?
I hope they burn the employee who screwed up, but why sue Nick DePlume??
Who the fuck really cares? Nick new what he was getting into. And now he's fucked, wheither he's right or not, there is no way he can afford a lawsuit with Apple legal. Maybe now he'll get a real job. Editor in Chief - my ass.
Originally posted by the cool gut
Who the fuck really cares? Nick new what he was getting into. And now he's fucked, wheither he's right or not, there is no way he can afford a lawsuit with Apple legal. Maybe now he'll get a real job. Editor in Chief - my ass.
OK, now let's change the situation:
"Apple insider is sued for damages after revealing secrets about M$ longhorn that were not previous released."
I support nick, and anyone else who stands up to these corporate bullying tactics. Think secret has always been reliable and one of the more balanced and less fanboy-ish rumor sites.
Originally posted by slughead
I support nick, and anyone else who stands up to these corporate bullying tactics. Think secret has always been reliable and one of the more balanced and less fanboy-ish rumor sites.
With all due respect - don't be so short sighted. There are regular everyday people, with lots of money invested in Apple. Thinksecret story's are a threat to those investments, period.
In the computer world, it's basically Apple vs. everyone else. Apple has the advantage right now, being practically the only one coming up with new products, and if they have to shut down Think Secret and ruin Nick's life in the process - in order to protect their advantage, then they should. This isn't about sueing Mike Rowe, this is about protecting their IP.
Originally posted by slughead
So Apple's employee breaks his contract and deplume won't disclose his name, and suddenly deplume gets sued? What if nick didn't know who it was?I hope they burn the employee who screwed up, but why sue Nick DePlume?? This is a freedom of speech issue! Just because some corporation says this information is confidential, all of a sudden talking about it becomes illegal?
Just because X sues Y doesn't mean anyone's done anything illegal, or even wrong. This is a hardball tactic, plain and simple, to get Nick to talk. It might even have some basis in trade secret law (i.e., if the law requires the company to actively defend them, as with trademarks) but I don't know that for sure.
Apple is alleging that Nick actively tried to get someone at Apple to break an NDA, and therefore this isn't just printing something that just happened to wind up on his doorstep one morning. But that could very well be a legal fig leaf. I still think the point is to intimidate him into squealing, and if he does Apple will drop the suit. Their real target is the leaker, not Nick.
FWIW, something like this did happen to AppleInsider a few years ago. The company suing them was Adobe, and the outcome (since AI couldn't afford to defend against the suit) was that AI can't publish anything about Adobe applications, no matter how they come across the information.
My sympathies are with Nick. Yeah, protect trade secrets, etc., but suing people because you're much bigger than they are and you can win no matter what is lame, and is pretty much guaranteed to leave me rooting for the little guy.