It has been widely reported that Apple secured a patent worth a "billion dollars." According to a patent attorney involved in the issue, Apple will be "after every phone company, film maker, computer maker and video producer to pay royalties on every download of not just music but also movies and videos."

>press release issued by the same patent attorney who represented the patent, and stood to gain the most from a wild spin on its actual valuation.

The patent in question was described in such glowing words that it nearly overshadowed the clear intent of the press release, which was really all about the patent attorney, Michael Starkweather. After all, it was given the headline: “Apple Settlement Decision Lands Patent Attorney in Public Spotlight.”