FutureFive New Zealand - Consumer technology news & reviews from the future
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Tue, 8th Nov 2011
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Apple has been barred from selling certain mobile devices by a German court in response to a patent infringement claim from Motorola Mobility.

The ruling won't affect Apple's activities in the country, though, as it sells its products there through a subsidiary.

Motorola Mobility, currently being acquired by Google, says the Apple products infringe on two of its patents relating to wireless technology.

If Apple sells the devices it faces a fine of up to 250,000 euro.

Meanwhile, in court action with HTC Apple has raised a grievance over its rival's use of a comma in the company name.

As patent expert Florian Mueller points out in his blog, part of Apple's ‘otherwise boring' response to an HTC filing was to clarify that its official name is Apple Inc., not Apple, Inc., as HTC had been using.

Apparently Steve Jobs' well-documented mean streak is still a part of the company culture.