Vindication for Sonoma County software firm

In a press release last week, the Santa Rosa firm Burst.com announced it had settled its two-year legal entanglement with Apple Computer. The company claimed it had developed, and patented, the technology that Apple was using in its iPod and other audio devices.
Burst had prevailed in a similar action against Microsoft, which paid Burst $60 million in 2005 as a one-time, non-exclusive license fee. In avoiding trial, Apple has agreed to pay $10 million to Burst for its license fee; after attorneys’ fees and court costs, Burst will receive $4.6 million. According to its website, Burst has two employees.