3 Count: Copied Bean

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1: Oracle Wants to Include New Android Developments in its Java Lawsuit

First off today, John K Waters at ADT Mag reports that Oracle has amended its lawsuit against Google and expanded it to include six additional versions of Android as well as mentions of new Android-based devices and Android’s dominance in the phone marketplace.

Oracle sued Google in 2010 alleging that Android used elements of Java, which is owned by Oracle, to encourage developers to write applications for the platform. A lower court judge ruled that the application programming interfaces (APIs) Oracle is claiming were infringed were not copyrightable. Oracle appealed and the matter was taken up by the Supreme Court, which ruled in Oracle’s favor and kicked the case back down to the lower court.

Now Oracle has amended its five-year-old complaint with updated information about Android saying that, since they originally filed, six new versions of the mobile operating system have been released based to some degree on Java and that it’s gone on to be the leading mobile operating system. Google did not challenge Oracle’s request to amend the complaint.

2: Anish Kapoor Accuses China of Copying ‘Bean’ Sculpture

Next up today, the BBC is reporting that artist Anish Kapoor is claiming that a sculpture in the Chinese town of Karamay is a plagiarism and a copyright infringement of his famous “Bean” sculpture in Chicago.

Kapoor unveiled the metallic “Bean” sculpture in 2006 under the title Cloud Gate. Designed to reflect the city’s skyline, the reflective structure has been a mainstay of the city and featured in several movies. Kapoor claims that the sculpture in Karamay, entitled Big Oil Bubble, is based on his work.

Though both works are curved reflective sculptures, the town of Karamay claims that their version is different, saying that theirs is designed to reflect the ground rather than the skyline. Kapoor said he is planning to take the matter to court and is hoping that the Mayor of Chicago will support him as he does so.

3: Leeds Woman ‘Shocked to Find T-shirts for Sale with Her Face On’

Finally today, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports that hairstylist Melanie Armsden, best known as Diablo Rose, is turning a copyright settlement into a charity fundraiser by selling copyright infringing shirts with her face on it to raise money for Little Princess Trust, an organization that provides wigs for children who have lost their hair to cancer treatments.

The story began when a friend of Armsden sent her a photo of a t-shirt featuring her face. Armsden routinely posts images of herself in different hairstyles and one of them somehow ended up being picked up by a manufacturer in India, who in turn sold the shirts to Shop Direct, a UK retailer.

After approaching Shop Direct and proving her ownership of the image, Shop Direct pulled the shirts and gave her all 267 that hadn’t been sold. She’s now selling them for £10 ($15.50) apiece and donating all of the proceeds to the charity.

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.

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