On the Wire | Tech titans face off in court over iPhone, iPad

Source: AP Photo/Sascha Schuermann

By Paul Elias | Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Two tech titans will square off in federal court Monday in a closely watched trial over control of the U.S. smartphone and computer tablet markets.

Apple Inc. filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co. last year alleging the world's largest technology company's smartphones and computer tablets are illegal knockoffs of its popular iPhone and iPad products. The Cupertino-based company is demanding $2.5 billion in damages, an award that would dwarf the largest patent-related verdict to date.

Ubisoft sued for Assassins' Creed copyright infringment

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted" - except for copyright infringment. Ubisoft's flagship franchise Assassin's Creed has drawn a copyright suit from science fiction author John L. Beiswenger.

Beiswenger's 2002 book, Link, allegedly established many of the themes found in the AC plot, namely genetic memory and "spiritual or biblical tones." Link also insinuates that the eponymous "Link" device (comparable to AC's "Animus") may have been used for assassination purposes. Innnnnteresting.

Beiswenger is suing for up to $5.25 million but Ars talked to legal analysts who don't hold out much hope for the suit. Attorney/blogger Mark Methenitis says the key is what makes a narrative element infringing:

"The level of comparison they're trying to make would be along the lines of both Back to the Future and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure have time machines as plot devices, so one must be infringing the other," he said. "A copyright does not protect abstract ideas at that level."

With the recently revealed Assassin's Creed 3 looking damn good, anything that might derail Desmond's generational/assassinational story would be most heinous, bro.

VIA: Boing Boing
SOURCE: Ars Technica