I agree, I was gonna buy a HTC for my gf for christmas BUTTT now I will not promote their products. ESPECIALLY when they put out widgets for only the Eris and Hero. Might as well sue me too HTC because I am gonna badmouth your company and products whenever I get a chance, at least till something else pisses me off lol.
Beautiful Widgets
- Thread starter stefanl
- Start date
+1, I will not purchase an HTC product, and will down talk any app, or device they come out with.
- Oct 11, 2009
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Or maybe it's not the pretty pictures, but the code behind them that's in dispute.
That doesn't explain why HTC doesn't go after all of the developers that put out similar widgets then?
- Oct 11, 2009
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Because the footprint their code has isn't the same as HTC's. HTC has seen something that leads them to believe their intellectual property has been used by an unauthorized person(s). Their copyright is for the images, animations, and the source code that drives them.
The images weren't the same.
The animations weren't the same.
Only one thing left.
The author of Beautiful Widgets didn't have to pull them if he didn't agree with the C&D letter. Then HTC would need to prove that their IP was stolen. He did pull them, so we are forced to assume that the developer has reason to believe that HTC could prove infringement of some sort.
Until the developer decides to share all the details, all we can do is speculate. I know if I had nothing to hide, I would tell HTC or any other version of "The Man" to feel free to prove to a court that I have stolen their IP, and for some reason the developer of Beautiful Widgets feels differently. When you have a 5 figure money maker, you don't roll over without a good reason IMO.
The images weren't the same.
The animations weren't the same.
Only one thing left.
The author of Beautiful Widgets didn't have to pull them if he didn't agree with the C&D letter. Then HTC would need to prove that their IP was stolen. He did pull them, so we are forced to assume that the developer has reason to believe that HTC could prove infringement of some sort.
Until the developer decides to share all the details, all we can do is speculate. I know if I had nothing to hide, I would tell HTC or any other version of "The Man" to feel free to prove to a court that I have stolen their IP, and for some reason the developer of Beautiful Widgets feels differently. When you have a 5 figure money maker, you don't roll over without a good reason IMO.
herki
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- Dec 15, 2009
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The thing is, the BW dev updated on such a constant and regular schedule, that it's hard to believe that he was simply ripping HTC's code. If that was the case, then I think we'd just see him updating the app a few days after HTC does and not really fixing bugs or things like that. But he didn't. Practically every morning, I got an update for BW.
I think he replied to the C&D and took down his app simply because he knew he couldn't afford the legal costs that would have come with ignoring the request.
Odds are, HTC went after BW because it was the only one AFAIK that was designed to look exactly like the weather widget. And it was integral to the app, not just a skin you could add.
I think he replied to the C&D and took down his app simply because he knew he couldn't afford the legal costs that would have come with ignoring the request.
Odds are, HTC went after BW because it was the only one AFAIK that was designed to look exactly like the weather widget. And it was integral to the app, not just a skin you could add.
gbhil, your logic does make sense but I think its easier to say "stick it to the man" then actually doing it when lawyers send you a possible suit. So I wouldnt rule out he/she got nervous/intimidated by a large corp trying to bully him. (I am thinking the same as you herki)
- Oct 11, 2009
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Unless he loses in the courts, there are no legal fees. I've been through it with Cisco. All I had to do was provide my source code to a 3rd party designated by the California court systems, and they went through it and gave their opinion to the judge and Cisco's attorney(s). Was said and done within a month, and Cisco retracted their demands. This is more common than you think.
You may very well be right, but in the months of November and December levelup made between $10,000.00 and $50,000.00 on the widgets. They are doing what they think will be necessary to make more profit as new Android handsets are released.
I have zero sympathy for either side when two closed source companies fight each other to see who can make the most cash. Some of the profits could have been set aside for legal requirements. Levelup either made the decision on their own and decided not to fight, or under the advice of a patent attorney. Don't fool yourself into thinking that the developers of the most popular application in the Android market walked away from potential hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of sales because they were sure they were right but didn't feel like fighting it out. If they were sure and had nothing to worry about, they would have won the case, and got a tidy sum for lost revenue and besmirchment of their good name in the process. I'm sure HTC's legal dept tosses out C&D letters every week...it's like fishing - if it looks like it's a good spot, try it and see what you get.
You may very well be right, but in the months of November and December levelup made between $10,000.00 and $50,000.00 on the widgets. They are doing what they think will be necessary to make more profit as new Android handsets are released.
I have zero sympathy for either side when two closed source companies fight each other to see who can make the most cash. Some of the profits could have been set aside for legal requirements. Levelup either made the decision on their own and decided not to fight, or under the advice of a patent attorney. Don't fool yourself into thinking that the developers of the most popular application in the Android market walked away from potential hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of sales because they were sure they were right but didn't feel like fighting it out. If they were sure and had nothing to worry about, they would have won the case, and got a tidy sum for lost revenue and besmirchment of their good name in the process. I'm sure HTC's legal dept tosses out C&D letters every week...it's like fishing - if it looks like it's a good spot, try it and see what you get.
Very good point as well, you seem to know a lot more then I do and have more experience with this stuff so I will just agree with you lol. Whatever it is, I hope this app or type of app can get back on the market as it is a favorite and only makes the phone better.
Hello,
I am the author of Beautiful Widgets and would like to correct some of the things here. I never took the pictures from the HTC ROM, I re-designed everything myself, with photoshop, and I just tried to mimick their UI. I wrote all the code myself.
I decided not to fight because I am just an individual and I don't want to take any risks for my family. I am working with HTC to work around all of this, and they are reviewing the new version to make sure that they notice my code is different, and that the new user interface does not look like their.
I am the author of Beautiful Widgets and would like to correct some of the things here. I never took the pictures from the HTC ROM, I re-designed everything myself, with photoshop, and I just tried to mimick their UI. I wrote all the code myself.
I decided not to fight because I am just an individual and I don't want to take any risks for my family. I am working with HTC to work around all of this, and they are reviewing the new version to make sure that they notice my code is different, and that the new user interface does not look like their.
Tama, I still don't understand why they have sent you a C&D but not others who have clearly mimicked HTC weather/clock widgets.
Tama, thanks for clarifying. However, I already knew that based on your other work. FoxyRing and Touiteur look amazing and pretty much speak for themselves. We at Android Central believe you (well 99 % of us). Hope this gets resolved soon. Take care buddy.
Tama,
Best of luck, we are all pulling for you!!
In the short time I have had your products your customer service and response to suggestions etc. have been second to none!!
P.S. Don't forget about Clockopedia when you get BW back on the market!
Dave
Once upon a time , a Hero Sense style Clock , an Android widget .."beautiful widgets"...history of this censorship..
YouTube - beautiful widgets censored Vs Uncensored
htc sense widgets versus beautiful widgets censored and uncensored....
U NEED COMMUNICATION WE NEED INNOVATION ......
YouTube - beautiful widgets censored Vs Uncensored
htc sense widgets versus beautiful widgets censored and uncensored....
U NEED COMMUNICATION WE NEED INNOVATION ......
IzelTokatl
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- Dec 9, 2009
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herki
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- Dec 15, 2009
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That was after it got pulled the first time, since then, HTC asked him to remove the app again until they review the code.
Let's hope HTC doesn't take forever during this "inspection" process. A little bogus to me that they are even asking of this, but all the more reason to make me glad I did NOT get the Eris 
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