Posts Tagged: secret
Apple reaches possible settlement with the startup it sued for trade secret theft
Apple has reached a possible settlement with Rivos, the Mountain View startup it accused in 2022 of poaching its employees and stealing its trade secrets. In the companies' filing seen by Bloomberg and Reuters, they told the US District Court for the Northern District of California that they have signed an agreement that "potentially settles the case." Their deal would allow Apple to conduct a forensic examination of Rivos' systems, as well as of its activities.
When the iPhonemaker sued Rivos, it said the startup led a "coordinated campaign" to hire away employees from its chip design division. Apple also accused the defendant of instructing the employees it hired away to steal presentations and other proprietary information for unreleased iPhone chip designs that cost billions of dollars to develop. Rivos countersued Apple last year, accusing the larger company of restricting employees' ability to work elsewhere and of hindering emerging startups' growth by using anticompetitive measures.
The court dismissed Apple's trade secret claims against Rivos in April 2023, though the company was allowed to file a revised complaint. Apple already settled with its six former employees who filed a countersuit against the iPhonemaker along with Rivos after they dropped their claims against each other last month. Both companies are now requesting the court to put their cases on hold until March 15, when they expect the settlement to be completed.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-reaches-possible-settlement-with-the-startup-it-sued-for-trade-secret-theft-121513902.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Dyson lifts lid on ‘top secret’ project
Electronics firm Dyson has revealed it’s planning to take on hundreds of engineers for a major new robotics-based project.
Emerging Tech | Digital Trends
Twitter parts ways with two-factor provider following claims of secret surveillance
Twitter has informed US Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) that it's transitioning away from using Mitto AG's services to deliver two-factor authentication codes to its users, according to Bloomberg. Swiss tech firm Mitto is an established provider of automated text messages that some big companies have been using to send out not just 2FA codes, but also sales promotions and appointment reminders. Bloombergreported in December, however, that one of its co-founders operated a secret surveillance operation that helped governments locate users through their phones.
Company COO Ilja Gorelik allegedly sold surveillance technology firms access to Mitto's networks, allowing them to track people using their mobile devices. Those companies, in turn, contracted with government agencies. Mitto told Bloomberg back then that it had no knowledge or involvement in Gorelik's surveillance operation and that it's launching an internal probe to determine if its technology and business had been compromised. The Wyden aide Bloomberg talked to said Twitter cited media reports as a major factor for its decision.
Aside from Twitter, Mitto's clients include Google, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, Tencent and Alibaba. Mitto has reportedly been telling customers that Gorelik is no longer with the firm. Still, the publication says several other clients have cut ties with Mitto since the report came out, though it's unclear if Google and the other well-known tech companies and services that it counts as customers are also parting ways with it.
Waymo sues to keep autonomous vehicle emergency protocols secret
Waymo has sued the California Department of Motor Vehicles. In a case first reported by The Los Angeles Times, the Alphabet subsidiary filed a complaint with the Sacramento County Superior Court on January 21st to prevent the agency from disclosing what it believes to be trade secrets.
At the center of the lawsuit is a public records request an unidentified party made to obtain Waymo’s driverless deployment application. Before sharing the requested documents, the DMV allowed the company to redact any sections it believed would reveal its trade secrets, including questions that were asked by the agency. When the DMV eventually forwarded the package to the requester, that individual or group challenged the redactions. The agency then contacted Waymo and invited the company to sue it to resolve the matter.
Some of the information Waymo wants to prevent from entering the public domain include details on how it plans to handle emergencies involving its autonomous vehicles. Another redacted section details the abilities of its Driver software to handle San Francisco’s tricky one-way streets and hills. The company began offering taxi service to a limited number of customers in San Francisco in August. Those vehicles operate with a backup human driver.
The company contends it has publicly shared almost all of the information contained in its application with the DMV. According to Waymo, the redactions involve technical details that touch on how it achieves the safety performance it has detailed in other public venues. Waymo claims that information could give a competitor an edge on it. The suit's purpose here is to either forestall or completely prevent the disclosure of the requested information. As TheLos Angeles Times notes, resolution for these types of cases can take years.
“Every autonomous vehicle company has an obligation to demonstrate the safety of its technology, which is why we’ve transparently and consistently shared data on our safety readiness with the public,” a spokesperson for Waymo told Engadget. “We will continue to work with the DMV to determine what is appropriate for us to share publicly and hope to find a resolution soon.”
The DMV declined to comment on the case, but said it's currently reviewing the complaint.
Amazon is having a SECRET SALE on Apple products today
Amazon is offering discounts for a wide range of Apple products, including the AirPods Pro, the 2021 iPad, the Apple Watch Series 6, and the 2020 MacBook Pro.
Wearables | Digital Trends
US Secret Service is probing how crooks use smart credit cards for fraud
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How to use Facebook Messenger’s secret conversations in iOS and Android
In recent years, encryption and the privacy it affords has become a very important issue. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to learn how to enable so-called “secret conversations” in Facebook Messenger.
The post How to use Facebook Messenger’s secret conversations in iOS and Android appeared first on Digital Trends.
Nintendo hid a secret message in the Famicom Mini
The NES Classic and it's Japanese counterpart are already incredibly cool — but you know what makes an awesome toy even better? A secret message. Apparently, developers that worked on the Famicom Mini emulator left a short, hidden message in the cod…
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Keep it secret, keep it safe: 6 homes with awesome hidden rooms and passages
Harry Potter isn’t the only one who enjoys a ducking into secret passages. Check out these six homes from around the globe if you’re a fan of hidden rooms and secret passageways.
The post Keep it secret, keep it safe: 6 homes with awesome hidden rooms and passages appeared first on Digital Trends.
At CES 2016, Samsung’s going to show off three cool, secret tech projects
Three exciting tech projects from inside Samsung’s C-Lab innovation workshop will be on display at CES 2016. They include a cool smart belt that works like a fitness tracker, and a weird smart band that turns your finger into a speaker only you can hear.
The post At CES 2016, Samsung’s going to show off three cool, secret tech projects appeared first on Digital Trends.
Store movies on your projector — the JmGO View has a secret stash
JmGO View is a sleek projector with built-in storage and operating system, dismissing the need to bring along an extra storage unit.
The post Store movies on your projector — the JmGO View has a secret stash appeared first on Digital Trends.
IBM unlocks the secret to carbon nanotube transistors
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