Smackin' the 'Station

Jury slaps Sony with $82 million verdict.

Immersion makes force feedback devices. I have a mouse that vibrates, and is made using Immersion's technology. It really adds to the fun playing Jedi Outcast or Academy when your mouse vibrates when your lightsaber is on. I guess a jury has decided that the same technology is used in controllers for the Sony Playstation. And Immersion is trying to get an injunction that will prevent Sony from infringing in the future. Permanently.

ouch! Microsoft has apparently settled with Immersion already, so the Xbox should be okay. But Sony has a lot of money they can throw at litigation, and they'll be making a lot of post-trial motions, and the judge hasn't handed down a final judgment yet, so we'll see what happens.

(Hat tip to EP, who turned me on to BNA news).