Apple Gains Control of ‘billion dollar patent’

A recent out-of-court settlement between Apple and the owner of the patent that covers the downloading of music and video with the ability to play music and video on a device (technology essential to the iPod and other music and video technology) will affect the “future of the whole cell phone, iPod and PDA industry,” says Michael Starkweather, who wrote the patent in 1996 for a Vermont inventor who, he says, originally didn’t show interest in patenting the idea or understand its value….. more