A federal judge last Friday denied all but one of Microsoft's motions to toss out antitrust claims brought by a company that sells Xbox 360 accessories armed with video game cheats.

Mac clone maker Psystar last week indefinitely suspended sales of its only product, a US$50 utility that lets customers install Apple's Snow Leopard operating system on generic Intel-based computers.

Mac clone maker Psystar reopened its Web site Saturday as a second company lawyer stepped forward to say reports of the company's demise were greatly exaggerated.

Although Mac clone maker Psystar has turned off the lights at its Web site, the firm is not shutting down permanently, the company's lawyer said today.

Apple and Mac clone maker Psystar agreed Monday to settle a 17-month lawsuit that will effectively stop Psystar from preinstalling Apple's Mac OS X on the Intel-based computers it sells.

Apple has asked a federal judge to shut down Psystar's Mac clone operation and to pay more than $US2.1 million in damages, according to court documents.

A federal judge has dealt a crushing blow to Mac clone maker Psystar by ruling that the Florida company violated Apple's copyright as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) when it installed Apple's operating system on Intel-based computers.

The Mac clone maker that's been battling Apple for more than a year in federal court last week asked a judge to rule that its business is legitimate, and to stop Apple from saying different.

The bankruptcy filing by Apple cloner Psystar is hardly a surprise. Rather, it is hard to imagine any sensible person wanting to take on Apple's legal department and US$29 billion bankroll. However, that doesn't mean business users don't need--and want--Apple clones.