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Intel, Genentech back Apple in subpoena case

Declan McCullagh Former Senior Writer
Declan McCullagh is the chief political correspondent for CNET. You can e-mail him or follow him on Twitter as declanm. Declan previously was a reporter for Time and the Washington bureau chief for Wired and wrote the Taking Liberties section and Other People's Money column for CBS News' Web site.
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Declan McCullagh

Apple Computer has received some help in its legal effort to unmask people who leaked information about unreleased products.

Intel Corporation and Genentech have submitted a brief supporting Apple's lawsuit in a San Jose state court and subpoenas sent to online rumor sites, according to a Bloomberg report.

Apple filed a "John Doe" lawsuit in December against unnamed people who leaked information about the company's purported plans to release a product that would link Macintosh computers and musical instruments. As part of that case, Apple fired off subpoenas to PowerPage and Apple Insider, which had published reports about such a product. (The lawsuit is related to but separate from one Apple filed directly against Think Secret.)

Taking the side of the Mac rumor sites in another brief filed earlier this month: a group of media organizations, including the Associated Press, Hearst, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Jose Mercury News.

It's worth noting that the Mac sites' rumor-mongering is somewhat scattershot. Think Secret said that "highly reliable sources" have confirmed that Apple would upgrade its PowerMac, iMac, and eMac lines this month. Only the PowerMac announcement happened.