Palm adjusts self, double deuces Apple for veiled lawsuit threats

There was a little confusion yesterday about Tim Cook’s remarks about pursuing lawsuits against competitors who rip off Apple’s IP.

Based on the question being responded to, it seemed pretty obvious Apple was specifically warning Palm about their upcoming multi-touch capable Pre smartphone, but others have speculated that he was simply addressing the Chinese knock-off market (good luck suing those guys, Tim).

Either way, Palm seems to be pretty sure Cook was talking about them, and have released a rather swaggering statement through spokesperson Lynn Fox in return: bring it on.

Palm has a long history of innovation that is reflected in our products and robust patent portfolio (31 pages of patents in Google Patent Search), and we have long been recognized for our fundamental patents in the mobile space. If faced with legal action, we are confident that we have the tools necessary to defend ourselves.”

Miss Fox then picked up the chair she was sitting on, walked across the room and smashed it across the back of Tim Cook’s head. Steve Wilkos rushed to the stage to establish order, but it was already too late. From the crowd, stunned silence, one shrill “Oh no she didn’t!” and then the sudden protrusion of an ocean off wildly rotating fists, accompanied by the insistent, jackal-like chant: “PALM PRE! PALM PRE! PALM PRE!”

Palm to Apple: Bring It [All Things D]

1. [Anonymous]

   Apple didn’t actually rip off the GUI developed at the Xerox parc. They saw it, asked if they could use it and Xerox (who saw no real value to it) said ‘sure’.

   Which is both funny and tragic in itself, but also makes Apple’s subsequent attempt to block microsoft developing a GUI on the basis of it being their IP rather amusing.

2. [Aaron]

   In other words:

   “Sure, we’re infringing on Apple’s patents, but Apple’s infringing on at least as many of our patents. The difference: they’ve sold millions of infringing devices. We’ve shown ours on a Powerpoint deck. Their exposure and potential liability is orders of magnitude greater than ours, so bring it, suckas.”

3. [Anonymous]

   Rich coming from the people that ripped off the Newton…

4. [dculberson]

   Aaron’s got it; that was my read, too. If Apple sues, Palm countersues. Right now, Apple has more to lose.

5. [The Lizardman]

   Let’s just hope that a patent fight isn’t what ends up screwing up palm’s seeming return to glory

6. [Tubman]

   @#6, DCulberson: I read it the same way but I’m not so sure about your conclusion. Apple can afford to lose a whole lot more than Palm can.

7. [Enochrewt]

   Lynn Fox sounds hot.

   Confidence + Violent Tendencies = Sexy

8. [Daemon]

   I seem to recall the apple gui having originally been ripped off of xerox…

9. [coop]

   Go Palm! Go palm!

   Written by an iPhone owner…

   coop

10. [infinity]

    @Anonymous (#2) … Um … You mean the people who ripped off the Casio Zoomer? Oh wait… Palm wrote the apps for the zoomer.

11. [dculberson]

    Jubilant employees were heard whispering “our boss is so cool! She’s totally the warrior princess!”