Kodak Files New Patent Infringement Lawsuits Against Apple and HTC

[thekev]

#7,453,605
Want to know what is even worse? This was filed for in 2005! Hello, this had been going on for some time. I cannot see this patent being worth anything.

It seems weird to me that any of those you mentioned were filed so late. This was a company that was into digital imaging since the 1980s. They really could have taken a better stance. I recall when the initial 1DS and 22 megapixel backs hit the market (2003 ish). That pretty much pushed it over the edge in publishing.

 

[foiden]

But hasn't the capture images to be sent over email something everybody did? Why just sue Apple and HTC? Isn't every single computer/laptop/machine with a camera and the quick and easy ability to turn around and deliver those pictures via email available on practically every OS? You'd think they'd sue just about every OS owner and camera-maker that isn't them. Not that I'd expect such a loose patent be validated given that any one of us, in the position, would move to do the same things because it's common sense industry demands.

 

[nateo200]

Kodak is such a sad case. Here is a company that practically invented digital photography, but instead of bringing it to consumers, tried to milk the "film-based photography" for as long as possible. Why? Because they believed their "customers" were the drug stores that ran the film developing and they knew that digital photography would upset their best "customers".

Instead Kodak did nothing in digital for years, completely missed the digital revolution, and now is finally coming across some patents they owned from way back when which they never asserted and trying to go after companies that were actually smart enough to come up with the same things on their own.

Many of their patents fall in the "obvious" realm and simply need to be challenged and invalidated. The rest of their patents should be purchased and donated to the public domain. Let Kodak go out of business and pay off whatever they can to their creditors.

Once great company now produces next to nothing and becomes a patent troll -- so sad.

Just as I was thinking of this I saw this beautiful post...sad but true. How could they simply let Arri, Canon, and RED (a brand new company for christ sake!) walk all over them! Arri made film cameras for a long time and everyone looked at them like Panavision "They will always be true to film", but Arri was smart and started moving to digital (Panavision was late with their genesis) and will undoubtedly stay afloat offering things like their digital film cameras shooting in Apple ProRes natively and making accessories for Canon, Panavision and others. Kodak just sat around and got crapped on by EVERYONE. Christ did they just sit around all those years and make disposable film for drug stores? :O

 

[PracticalMac]

Lawyers going to make a MINT!

Either way, Kodak holds key patents, and they will go after anyone and extracts a KINGS RANSOM for them.

Kodak is desperate, its board will pull every dirty trick to get money, and it will only make it more then likely someone will buy them out.

It is FAR, FAR cheaper to buy a nearly bankrupt company like Kodak then haggle over license fees.

Considering Kodak's power in commercial media, it may be a good fit for Apple's graphic dominance.... Or just dismantle it.

PS:
http://www.investorplace.com/2012/01/proof-kodak-was-doomed-14-years-ago/

 

[PracticalMac]

Lawyers going to make a MINT!

Either way, Kodak holds key patents, and they will go after anyone and extracts a KINGS RANSOM for them.

Kodak is desperate, its board will pull every dirty trick to get money, and it will only make it more then likely someone will buy them out.

It is FAR, FAR cheaper to buy a nearly bankrupt company like Kodak then haggle over license fees.

Considering Kodak's power in commercial media, it may be a good fit for Apple's graphic dominance.... Or just dismantle it.

PS:
http://www.investorplace.com/2012/01/proof-kodak-was-doomed-14-years-ago/

Seems like gonna happen, more or less.

Apple and Google Lead Separate Groups in Bidding for Kodak Patents

 

[rogerbarrett]

Oh too many cases between top companies...