Google, Apple and Microsoft: They Are All Getting Sued!

In this day and age it is not uncommon for companies and individuals to sue bigger companies over anything and everything. That is exactly what happened in the Google, Apple and Microsoft case. These three major companies are getting sued by Cygnus, a small Indiana based company that claims they developed the technology of file previews first. While their claims seen to be outlandish, we dug up some dirt and found that they might actually be right. See below for more details on the lawsuit and why Cygnus may be in the right.

Gregory Swartz is the person that developed this file preview technology while working as a consult for a few different IT firms and just a quick search at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealed that there was, indeed a patent titled to Greg in 2001. The company Cygnus has sued Apple, Google and Microsoft for royalties on this technology.

Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 all have the same thing in common; they all utilize the coveted file preview technology and they are all being brought up in the lawsuit and Cygnus also is looking to target the newest Apple iPhone.

Whenever a smaller company has sued major corporations like Google and Apple, there are many factors that usually come into play. Swartz has gone on the books and said that Apple, Google and Microsoft are just the beginning of the companies that he has sued because of the file preview technology. Currently, Swartz’s legal team is in search for more companies that may be utilizing the file preview technology so they can sue them and collect royalties.

While many people believe that Cygnus is just trying to get money out of the Google, Apple and Microsoft, many other believers actually think that this small Indiana-based company may be onto something. After all, Gregory Swartz did have the patent first and there is nowhere on the books saying that Google, Apple or Microsoft had any right to use this file preview technology.

We did a little bit of research for you because so many people did not know exactly what file preview technology is; basically, it is a little box that shows you a preview of whatever file you are trying to open. Apple, Google and Microsoft are not the only companies that are using this technology but Cygnus is targeting them too and looking to get everyone sued.

Now it may look like another money-grubbing lawsuit, but in all honesty, Cygnus might be in the right here, after all, they did have a patent to cover all “System and Method for Iconic Software Environment Management’, whatever that covers.

So beware! Cygnus is on the look out to get companies sued for using their technology without giving credit where credit is do. Their legal team is combing over dot com companies in search of illegal use of the file preview technology and if this small Indiana-based company has sued the major three computer companies, they will not hesitate to take on any smaller companies!