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from the if-you-aren't-retaining-pay-a-retainer dept.
El Reg has the story on chipmaker Broadcom sueing Netflix for shrinking the set-top box market, which it claims could not be done without infringing its patents.
In a lawsuit [PDF] filed late last week in California, the San Jose-based Broadcom – which designs and sells chipsets used in millions of set-top boxes – argued that "Netflix has caused, and continues to cause, substantial and irreparable harm to the Broadcom Entities [that] sell semiconductor chips used in the set top boxes that enable traditional cable television services.
"Upon information and belief, as a direct result of the on-demand streaming services provided by Netflix, the market for traditional cable services that require set top boxes has declined, and continues to decline, thereby substantially reducing Broadcom's set top box business."
The claim is that Netflix must have used Broadcom's "novel" patents to run its service
"Upon information and belief, Netflix could not displace traditional cable television services, or could not do so as effectively, without the use of the Broadcom Entities' patented technology"
Broadcom wants a jury trial, royalty fees, attorney fees, and damages.
(Score: 5, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Thursday March 19 2020, @07:24AM (6 children)
Gutenberg would like a few words with those box top assholes. Sales of presses have fallen off drastically in the past hundreds of years, and it couldn't have happened unless someone was infringing on his patents!
(Score: 4, Insightful) by MostCynical on Thursday March 19 2020, @09:16AM
wonder if any buggy whip makers ever tried to sue a vehicle manufacturer or a taxi cab company that used internal combustion engined vehciles..
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2020, @11:40AM
Better hope people that see the logic of my parent aren't on the jury. I am so tired of all this legal interference and gaming of competition by buying Congressmen I could just puke. This ain't law...it's flat downright bullying.
(Score: 4, Funny) by DannyB on Thursday March 19 2020, @02:26PM (3 children)
I presume you mean Johann Gutenberg, who in 1455 invented the Bible. The Gutenberg Bible.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2020, @04:33PM (2 children)
He didn't invent the bible. He was the first to mechanically print it.
(Score: 2) by Bethany.Saint on Thursday March 19 2020, @07:37PM
Still, I like the bit about the bible being invented.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday March 19 2020, @10:36PM
Whoosh!