Blackberry to Sue Ryan Seacrest’s Company for Intellectual Property Theft
Smartphone maker, BlackBerry, has said it has plans to sue a company founded by TV personality, Ryan Seacrest over a slip-on keyboard accessory for the iPhone that offers BlackBerry-like functionality to the Apple gadget.
Typo Products LLC, founded by entrepreneur Laurence Hallier and media personality Seacrest, said that their first accessory, the Typo Keyboard, would be available for pre-order this month, and is set to debut at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show.
Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry’s general counsel and chief legal officer, however said,“This is a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard, and we will vigorously protect our intellectual property against any company that attempts to copy our unique design.
“From the beginning, BlackBerry has always focused on offering an exceptional typing experience that combines a great design with ergonomic excellence. We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation.”
The device has been widely described as a way to turn an iPhone into a BlackBerry. A late December review of the Typo Keyboard case on a technology network call it “a Hands -on with case that turns your iPhone into a BlackBerry.”
