GeoHot, Sony Settle Lawsuit

In a surprise move, Sony announced that it and hardware hacker George Hotz have settled their bitter lawsuit. Hotz, the creator of the software that unlocked PlayStation 3 consoles and gave users unprecedented access to their devices, has been the target of the suit which has involved subpoenas against social media sites he used and potential probes into anyone that may have visited his site.

The deal, which Sony is calling an “agreement in principle,” was apparently reached on March 31. In it, Hotz agreed to cease publication of the jailbreaking tool and to never produce such a tool again. The deal also shields him from any claims of wrongdoing, which protects him from any claims of involvement with the denial of service attacks against Sony’s networks that have resulted in the wake of the trial.

Though it seems that this is the end of Hotz’s saga with Sony, he posted a parting shot on his Geohot Got Sued blog:

As of 4/11/11, I am joining the SONY boycott. I will never purchase another SONY product.

I encourage you to do the same.

Though one less patron will probably mean little to Sony, one wonders if the folk-hero status he’s garnered won’t keep him as a thorn in Sony’s side for years to come. After his swearing off Sony on his blog, he promises that more will be coming soon.

(via Electronista, Joystiq)