Small startup sues Google for $1B

A small start-up is suing Internet search giant Google for misappropriating technology that it claims to have developed. The company, LimitNone, is claiming economic damages that resulted from Google's actions to the tune of nearly $1 billion. LimitNone created a tool called gMove that allowed Microsoft Outlook users to easily migrate their emails, calendar entries and contact lists to Google's platform.

When it was demonstrated to senior executives of Google's Apps team in early 2007, LimitNone was invited to be part of the Google Enterprise Professional program to further develop and market their tool. LimitNone alleged that despite repeated assurances to the contrary, Google released a competing product in December 2007 that mirrored the "look, feel and functionality" of gMove. It will be given free to "Premier" customers, which culminated in this lawsuit.

For more on this lawsuit involving Google:
- check out this Wired blog article