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Creative wants to make Apple pay

By Jo Best
Special to CNET News.com
Published: December 9, 2005, 9:14 AM PST
Tell us what you think about this storyTalkBack E-mail this story to a friendE-mail View this story formatted for printingPrint See links from elsewhere to this story (TrackBacks/Pingbacks)TrackBack

Creative Technology, maker of MP3 players, has indicated that it is expecting to earn royalties from rival Apple Computer.

Sim Wong Hoo, chief executive of Creative, told the BBC that he intends to "pursue aggressively" his company's U.S. patent on the navigation of music on MP3 or other audio players.

He added that Creative, which makes Zen music players, already is in talks with parties over the patent, which was awarded this August.

Related photo
Zen Vision takes on iPod
Creative's new digital media
player aims at popular iPod.

"Hopefully this will be friendly, but people have to respect intellectual property," Sim said.

Creative is planning to grab royalty money from all music player manufacturers that use the same navigation system that it has patented, he added.

Apple, which has dominated the market for MP3 players, was hit by a number of patent problems this year.

A Hong Kong-based company, for example, claimed in March that it owns patents to the digital rights management software used on the iPod. Pat-rights sought 12 percent of Apple's iPod revenue.

Microsoft, meanwhile, managed to foil Apple's attempts to patent elements of its user interface.

Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.

 120 comments
Post a comment

TalkBack

Front Row

Darrell Pringle   Dec 11, 2005, 6:30 PM PST

What you've written.

Binky Inglish   Dec 11, 2005, 3:58 PM PST

Might be a valid patent

John Huang   Dec 11, 2005, 11:23 AM PST

universal

Dan Bargen   Dec 11, 2005, 1:23 AM PST

Patents.

Matthew Good   Dec 11, 2005, 12:19 AM PST

Prior Art

Frank Mcnulty   Dec 10, 2005, 10:26 PM PST

I own a Creative zen

Mandeep Kaur   Dec 10, 2005, 4:33 PM PST

BS. Ever tried to use a Creative mp3 player?

John Mills   Dec 10, 2005, 1:01 PM PST

Apple wanted the patent

Darrius L   Dec 10, 2005, 5:34 AM PST

An Example of Patent Law Flaw

Ric -   Dec 10, 2005, 4:43 AM PST

If you wanna talk timing...

Steve Duncan   Dec 10, 2005, 1:45 AM PST

It's more about attacking Creative!

Gerardo Lorenzana   Dec 9, 2005, 10:04 PM PST

Not stupid if you purchased what you prefer!

Gerardo Lorenzana   Dec 9, 2005, 9:56 PM PST

MP3 Player is just that, amen!

Gerardo Lorenzana   Dec 9, 2005, 9:44 PM PST

Costs Far Less?

Gerardo Lorenzana   Dec 9, 2005, 9:40 PM PST

Creative aims to SLOW Apple's momentum by suing

Miket   Dec 9, 2005, 6:01 PM PST

Quick, somebody patent "deriving enjoyment from pre-recorded sound"...

Paul Ferguson   Dec 9, 2005, 4:35 PM PST

Look at this pic -- Apple copied themselves

Michael Greere   Dec 9, 2005, 3:51 PM PST

Patently Absurd ...

Joe Blow   Dec 9, 2005, 3:32 PM PST

CNET= FUD SPREADER

Lr D   Dec 9, 2005, 2:16 PM PST

good one take a bite out of the apple

Phil Segretto   Dec 9, 2005, 2:15 PM PST

Win Patent - Lose Trade Dress Lawsuit

Joe Belkin   Dec 9, 2005, 1:25 PM PST

Re:

Darrius L   Dec 9, 2005, 1:00 PM PST

Dr. Sbaitso's lament?

Azrielle K   Dec 9, 2005, 12:50 PM PST

Your kidding me?

Azrielle K   Dec 9, 2005, 12:44 PM PST

 Read more comments >
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