

Apple Sends Cease and Desist Letter to Gawker - jsm386
http://gizmodo.com/5448255/

======
mootothemax
The quotes say no such thing! Apparently this is evidence:

 _While Apple values and appreciates vibrant public commentary about its
products, we believe you and your company have crossed the line by offering a
bounty for the theft of Apple's trade secrets. Such an offer is illegal and
Apple insists that you immediately discontinue the Scavenger Hunt._

Confirms absolutely nothing but that Apple has trade secrets.

 _The information you are willing to pay for, such as photos of a yet-to-be
released product, constitutes Apple trade secrets._

Confirms nothing but that Apple has products that are yet-to-be-released.

 _Apple has maintained the types of information and things you are
soliciting—"how it'll work, its size, the name, the software," as well as any
possible details about the product's appearance, features, and physical
samples—in strict confidence."_

Confirms absolutely nothing yet again! Seriously, these trade secrets could be
for an iPhone upgrade, a new iMac or a set of new and oh-so-trendy headphones!

~~~
telemachos
From the linked article:

> Sure, it could be a note protesting the scavenger hunt in principle,
> speaking to any and all confidential knowledge of any unreleased Apple
> product, but _this scavenger hunt is purely for Tablet evidence_. And, do
> companies send C&Ds for non existent devices? Not in our experience.

The emphasis is mine.

~~~
Lazlo_Nibble
The C&D is not for a "device", the C&D is for an act: bribing people to
violate their agreements with Apple.

If the $100k bounty had been offered for secret information about a released
Apple product, it would have been C&D'd just as quickly.

------
mattmaroon
They will actually be my heroes if they did this and there is no tablet.

~~~
randallsquared
Given the stock hit they'll take after participating in running up
expectations, it seems that being your hero is expensive... :)

------
houseabsolute
This is one of the few cases where I wouldn't mind seeing a big company file
and win a lawsuit against a smaller one. These guys have no respect and they
really have gone too far with this.

------
karzeem
When I heard about the contest, my initial reaction was that it's a clever
move for Gawker, both for publicity and to actually get what they want.

But apparently, they could easily be sued for this. It's called tortious
interference. They're off the hook if the prospective bounty winner hasn't
broken any contracts, but I don't imagine anyone could ever see the iNigma and
leave Apple alive without signing an NDA.

~~~
vijayr
Yes, they could be sued. They might even take the contest down.

But the real win for Gawker here is the publicity. Just look at how many links
they've gotten to the story and the buzz, however short lived it is.

It doesn't matter if they go ahead with the contest or pull it down. Either
way, they get what they want - some buzz, link juice and some publicity.

~~~
wallflower
Remember Gizmodo's CES stunt/prank in 2008? They seem to have only increased
in influence and reach.

The one where they used Tv-B-gone to kill power to tens if not hundreds of
TVs, leaving exhibitors freaking out.

[http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone/index?a=2008/1/gizmodo...](http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone/index?a=2008/1/gizmodo-
stunt-fallout-lam-banned-from-ces)

------
jm4
I don't know if I'd go so far as to say this is confirmation of a tablet, but
it is certainly suggestive. It seems like they're much more concerned about a
bounty for trade secrets than a leak about any particular product, though. In
any case, that's probably the most friendly C&D I've ever seen.

~~~
shaddi
Undoubtedly. This was a cordial and informative C&D, and in my opinion quite
justified. Regardless of what someone thinks of trade secrets, Gawker is quite
obviously inducing breach of contract here. I guess it's good buzz for Gawker
though, which I suppose is how they make their money.

------
dolinsky
The conclusion that Gawker comes to as a result of this CnD is a logical
fallacy. Specifically, an Appeal to Probability
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_probability> (regarding the following
quote):

Sure, it could be a note protesting the scavenger hunt in principle, speaking
to any and all confidential knowledge of any unreleased Apple product, but
this scavenger hunt is purely for Tablet evidence. And, do companies send C&Ds
for non existent devices? Not in our experience.

------
Mystalic
Is it actual confirmation? No. Is it the closest thing to confirmation yet?
Yes, but it's about as useful as having a canister of gasoline to put out a
fire.

------
wheels
Bonus points to Orrick for writing a really straightforward notice absent the
usual heavy-handed stuff you see in cease and decist letters.

------
pdubroy
All you need to know about this can be found here:

<http://isthetabletout.com>

~~~
pramit
this too [http://bighow.com/news/10-things-you-must-know-about-
apple-t...](http://bighow.com/news/10-things-you-must-know-about-apple-tablet-
and-tablet-computers)

------
cpach
The title submitted to HN is incorrect. There is no confirmation in the
letter. (See mootothemax' comment.)

~~~
cpach
Title fixed now. Thanks!

------
noodle
wouldn't that be an interesting way to test the market for an undeveloped
product idea?

"hey, maybe we should make a tablet. lets tell some people to leak the fact
that we're working on one and see how people react. if reactions are good,
lets build it."

~~~
icefox
Except a good tablet would take a few years to make...

~~~
noodle
if it really is just a big iphone, though, would it really take that long? a
good bit of the technology is already established, both hardware and software.

------
metra
Isn't it all but officially confirmed already?

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RyanMcGreal
So does Apple get the reward?

