No sooner had Apple announced a $60 million settlement in a longstanding dispute with a Chinese firm over the trademark for “iPad,” than another lawsuit has reared its head.
In the first instance, Proview Technologies alleged it trademarked iPad in mainland China 12 years ago. The second suit is a little harder to take seriously. Read More
Even as we speak, you are leaving digital bread crumbs scattered all over the Internet, there for the taking by marketers. Nor do the details have to be anything particularly consequential to translate into a money-making opportunity.
For example: Orbitz has realized that customers who visit its site from a Mac tend to spend more money on hotels. The company is therefore adjusting its search results accordingly.
In a statement released by Foxconn today, the company acknowledged the first suicide since the supplier brokered an agreement with Apple in March to improve “sweatshop-like” conditions. The worker in question was a 23-year-old male who jumped from his apartment yesterday outside a Foxconn plant in Chengdu, reports Reuters. He joined the company last Read More
If a labor organization forms and only reporters follow it, is it for real? Earlier today, SiliconBeat reported on a new website called App Developer Union ostensibly launched to organize iOS developers burned by Apple’s policies–just days before this year’s WWDC. The site also has an accompanying Twitter (@AppDevUnion) and an attendant hashtag (#appdevunion). But so far, its only followers are four tech reporters, including us, and a men’s lifestyle blog.
As SiliconBeat noted, the domain’s registration information on WhoIs is listed as private. Of course, that doesn’t mean that their grievances don’t ring true. It’s quite possible that interested developers might be nervous about publicly signing up for the cause. After all, Apple’s had an uneasy relationship with developers for years. Back in 2009, Marco Arment said of their reluctance to answer questions at WWDC, “We could probably have a more open discussion with Kim Jong-il about North Korea’s nuclear policy.” Read More
Ashton Kutcher has found his nemesis. Entertainment Weekly‘s Inside Movies blog is reporting that Matthew Modine will play John Sculley in upcoming Steve Jobs biopic called jOBS. As Jobsian scholars will recall, Mr. Sculley was the former Pepsi CEO personally recruited by Jobs in 1983 with the pitch, “Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life? Or do you want to come with me and change the world?” Um, door number 2?
Jobs resigned after clashing with Sculley, who was forced out in 1993–a move we imagine will be accompanied by a triumphant classical score. Read More
We haven’t really been following All Things D’s D10 conference, but when we heard Aaron Sorkin was slated to hit the stage, we decided to cue up the livestream. It’s a slow news day, after all.
We’re glad we did, though. In a discussion with Walt Mossberg, Mr. Sorkin revealed a few interesting details about the current film he’s working on–an adaptation of Walter Isaacson’s biography of the late Steve Jobs–including what kind of actor he envisions playing the title role. Read More
Oh look, someone at Forbes found this vaguely sad Craigslist ad soliciting extras for a “movie on Steve Jobs” filming next week in Palo Alto. Cult of Mac and Gizmodo both conjecture that, probably based on the general paltriness of Craigslist extra trawling, the ad is for serial entrepreneur Ashton Kutcher’s Steve Jobs biopic, jOBS, though it doesn’t explicitly state that. Read More
Makers of the other Steve Jobs flick–you know, the one starring Ashton Kutcher–must be feeling pressure to ratchet up the publicity since Aaron Sorkin has been attached to Sony’s big-screen version of the Walter Isaacson biography.
On Friday Five Star Feature Films issued a press release announcing that when principal photography begins in June on jOBS, early scenes will be filmed “in the actual Los Altos home where Jobs grew up and in the historic garage where he and Steve Wozniak founded Apple.” Read More
One Steve Jobs biopic isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? TWO Steve Jobs biopics. At least according to Hollywood.
Though it’s been widely-rumored since late last year, a press release issued by Sony Pictures yesterday confirmed what is either your worst nightmare or dream come true, depending on how pearl-clutchy you are about the tech industry: Aaron Sorkin will be adapting Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography of Steve Jobs for Sony Pictures. We’re positive it will be every bit as packed with heavy-handed dramatic irony and “so bad it’s good” euphoria as The Social Network is. Read More
The indie Steve Jobs biopic continues chugging along, locking in cast members with an eye to that award-season-friendly timeline. With Ashton Kutcher firmly ensconced in the lead role, the latest addition to the cast is Book of Mormon star Josh Gad. Variety reports he’s in talks to play Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak. But how’s his tango? Read More
Affordable Housing or Lack Thereof
