The suit was filed Tuesday in the US District Court in San Francisco, close to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters, court papers posted Wednesday showed.

Elan, which makes touchpads, claims it owns the patents covering the touch screen technology that has helped the iPhone, MacBook and other Apple products become huge hits.

The technology allows users to control a wide range of device functions by using their fingers to tap icons and letters on the screen, as well as to zoom into and out of images and flip them around. On the iPhone, for example, sliding two fingers together on the screen shrinks an image, while moving them apart enlarges it.

In its filing, Elan said it owned a “fundamental patent” that “governed the detection of multiple fingers on a touch pad or touch- sensitive input device to enable the detection and use of a multi- finger gestures in various applications.”

Elan won a preliminary court injunction in a similar 2006 case against touchpad maker Synaptics, and the two companies settled the suit last year.

The company asked for unspecified monetary damages against Apple and an injunction preventing the company from selling touch screen devices. (dpa)

The suit was filed Tuesday in the US District Court in San Francisco, close to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters, court papers posted Wednesday showed.

Elan, which makes touchpads, claims it owns the patents covering the touch screen technology that has helped the iPhone, MacBook and other Apple products become huge hits.

The technology allows users to control a wide range of device functions by using their fingers to tap icons and letters on the screen, as well as to zoom into and out of images and flip them around. On the iPhone, for example, sliding two fingers together on the screen shrinks an image, while moving them apart enlarges it.

In its filing, Elan said it owned a ‘fundamental patent’ that ‘governed the detection of multiple fingers on a touch pad or touch-sensitive input device to enable the detection and use of a multi-finger gestures in various applications’.

Elan won a preliminary court injunction in a similar 2006 case against touchpad maker Synaptics, and the two companies settled the suit last year.

The company asked for unspecified monetary damages against Apple and an injunction preventing the company from selling touch screen devices.

The latest issue of the magazine hit the stands with its front cover carrying expressions “In Loving Memory” and “Jade Goody 1981-2009″.

It also featured her “final words” while the brave 27-year-old continues her battle with cervical cancer.

“She is sticking two fingers up at the Grim Reaper (death),” the Sun quoted a family friend as saying.

The “memorial” edition has incurred the wrath of fans who have pledged to boycott the magazine, with some even calling the edition to be taken off shelves and editor Lisa Byrne sacked.

One furious email from Donna Morton said: “I am horrified. Heads should roll,” while Lisa Barry dubbed the edition “disgusting”, adding “OK! should apologise.”

But the magazine said: “OK!’s tribute issue is a celebration of Jade’s amazing life.”
Meanwhile, the terminally ill mum-of-two has been proving medics wrong, for she was expected to have just few hours to live.

The family friend added: “She is showing just how strong she is and refuses to just curl up and die.” (ANI)

If they find a big difference in length between ring and index finger, he is likely to be more aggressive and dominant, a study has found.

Men whose index and ring fingers are closer in size tend to be physically weaker and more prone to compromise.

The trend is thought to be linked to the amount of the male sex hormone testosterone a baby is exposed to in the womb.

In the study, 121 adults were shown an aggressive video from German heavy-metal band Rammstein.

They were each given 9 pounds and asked how much they would like to give to another person.

The researchers found that participants with a greater difference between the two fingers offered less money after the video than in a repeat experiment when they were not shown it. Those with less difference in finger length did the opposite.

Previous studies have found a correlation between finger length and pre-natal testosterone exposure.

In women, ring and index digits are usually almost the same length but in men the ring finger tends to be much longer.

However, men exposed to less testosterone are likely to have more feminine finger lengths and less aggressive personalities.

“Levels of testosterone people are exposed to before birth go on to affect their behaviour throughout their lives and there might be a real-life explanation for our results,” the Daily Express quoted researcher Kobe Millet, as saying.

“It’s likely that people with large differences in finger length, reflecting more testosterone, are also physically strong, so after a violent stimulus an aggressive response may be appropriate for them.

“However, those people with smaller differences in finger length may not be so physically strong, and so reacting to aggression by trying to please the other person, rather than acting aggressively, may be their best option,” Millet added. (ANI)