10 replies to this topic

[Nvyseal]

images/news/hardware.jpgThis one's still a ways off, but the International Trade Commission has just launched a patent investigation into five manufacturers that could result in a ban on hard drive imports if the agency finds evidence of infringement. The patents, which are owned by Californians Steven and Mary Reiber, cover a method of using "ceramic bonding tips" on the internal wiring of the drives, and the couple claims Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell have all infringed by importing the drives. Much like the Qualcomm case, the ITC has a variety of ways of dealing with the situation and the parties have a lot of methods of appeal, but products that infringe on US patents are barred from being imported, so this initial determination will set off a lot of dominoes when it gets made in 45 days. Details are still pretty sketchy on what exactly the ITC is investigating, but we'll definitely keep you updated as we get more info.

ArsTechnica

[WFO]

Does this mean we need to stock up now????

[hog]

WFO, on Oct 11 2007, 09:58 PM, said:

Does this mean we need to stock up now????

Either you buy Maxtor drives or you do like me and live in Canada

[Christopholofigus]

Oh F no. WTF?! Geeze, everyone is out to sue somebody here in the US of A. Sheeze

[m.oreilly]

Christopholofigus, on Oct 11 2007, 10:25 PM, said:

Oh F no. WTF?! Geeze, everyone is out to sue somebody here in the US of A. Sheeze

all you drives of the hardness belongs ah to US

[brewin]

m.oreilly, on Oct 12 2007, 11:39 AM, said:

all you drives of the hardness belongs ah to US

pervert

[chriso_86]

Ah, nothing will happen. They won't shut those companies down. They'll just pay some money out and then change the manufacturing. Go buy a Hitatchi drive if you are worried, they aren't listed.

[m.oreilly]

chriso_86, on Oct 12 2007, 07:43 PM, said:

...Go buy a Hitatchi drive if you are worried, they aren't listed.

i love my hitatchi drives

[chriso_86]

Me to, my Hitachi's have lasted longer than any of my other drives!! Have yet to have one go bad.

[Tweak]

But IBM drives failed fairly often, and Hitachi and IBM are one in the same. This may have changed in the past few years but I haven't personally used any larger capacity drives so I cannot make any statements for the newer models.

[Visentinel]

LMAO.

Its like the Wireless N problem with the CSIRO