Topic: Patent Trolls

Adam Carolla's previous legal battle against patent trolls is reviewed in light of the EFF's recent victory. The hosts discuss the million dollars raised by Carolla for his defense and speculate on the status of those funds following the settlement of his case. They note that Carolla faces additional legal challenges from former employees while the broader patent issue has been resolved by the EFF.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is reportedly deferring to Congress on the issue of patent ownership transparency. The hosts argue that the inclusion of software in the patent system has ruined the process, turning it into a tool for large corporations rather than a protection for individual inventors. They suggest software should be treated under copyright law rather than patent law.

Adam Curry provides a detailed analysis of the Personal Audio podcasting patent lawsuit. He critiques Adam Carolla for raising money for a "fight that doesn't exist" after the suit was dropped and urges him to give the funds to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Curry argues the patent review process is the only way to actually invalidate the 504 patent.

Adam Curry criticizes Adam Carolla for his "Fund Anything" campaign to fight a patent troll. Carolla claims that if his network loses the lawsuit, all of podcasting will be destroyed. Curry disputes this narrative, calling it a lie and noting that he and Dave Winer have a more significant claim to the medium's origins than Carolla.

A brief discussion touches on the "podcast patent" troll (Personal Audio) and why Leo Laporte has stopped talking about it on his shows. Adam Curry reveals that Laporte was likely advised by lawyers to remain silent during legal proceedings. Curry defends Laporte's decision to "shut up," noting that he acted as a "company man" during his own recent appearance on Laporte's network.

Adam Carolla's "Fund Anything" campaign to fight a "patent troll" lawsuit is criticized. The hosts argue that the company involved, Personal Audio, is not a troll but a patent holder protecting a specific episodic content process. They claim Carolla and Dr. Drew are using "scare tactics" and misinformation to raise a million dollars for legal fees.

A company called Personal Audio has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Adam Carolla's Ace Broadcasting and HowStuffWorks.com. The patent, which dates back to 1996, involves the distribution of episodic content and playlists. While many label the company a "patent troll," the hosts note that the inventor, Jim Logan, has a legitimate background in touchscreen technology and has licensed patents to major corporations like Apple.

Volo Media is reportedly in talks with Apple regarding its podcasting patent. The hosts suggest this is a classic legal strategy where a patent holder gives a "big fish" a free license to create the appearance of validity, which is then used to intimidate smaller companies into paying royalties.