Apple has hit out at a website offering a $100,000 bounty, around 61,300, to anyone from Apple willing to leak details of the company's long rumoured Mac tablet.
Gawker owned lifestyle and gossip blog Valleywag, notorious for revealing salacious news about Silicon Valley personalities, offered the bounty earlier this week.
"Apple has said absolutely nothing about its tablet, but everyone expects it to be unveiled in San Francisco on Jan. 27. So, that gives you to two weeks to play in Valleywag's Apple Tablet Scavenger Hunt: If you can find the first genuine photos, video or — the holy grail — the actual messiah machine itself before then and they're exclusive to us, we'll give you a cash prize."
In the Scavenger Hunt, Valleywag is promising $10,000 for picture evidence of the Apple tablet, $20,000 for video evidence, $50,000 for a photo of Apple's CEO Steve Jobs holding one, and $100,000 to "let us play with one for an hour."
Apple however aren't impressed. Michael Spillner of Menlo Park law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has written to Valleywag demanding the Apple tablet Scavenger Hunt be taken down.
"I am writing on behalf of Apple regarding the notices on Gawker.com and Valleywag.com Web sites that Gawker Media will pay someone a financial reward for sending you photos, video, or a sample of an unannounced and highly confidential Apple product," Michael Spillner notes in a letter dated 13th January and scanned by the website.
"While Apple values and appreciates vibrant public commentary about its products, we believe you and your company have crossed the line by offering a public bounty for the theft of Apple's trade secrets. Such an offer is illegal and Apple insists that you immediately discontinue the Scavenger Hunt."
The $100,000 bounty still stands despite Apple being unhappy about the Scavenger Hunt.
Spillner then clarifies why they believe the Scavenger Hunt is illegal and in violation of California trade secret law.
According to Valleywag the letter and specifically the quote: "Apple has maintained the types of information and things you are soliciting ... in strict confidence," is the "most concrete evidence (from Apple itself, no less!) yet that there may indeed be a tablet in the works."
In return for the revelation, Valleywag have sent Spillner a modest reward - "A DVD of Legally Blonde 2, a $25 Zune Marketplace giftcard and a fabulous set of steak knives!" - for his efforts.
"If you've found proof that the Apple Tablet exists and can share it with us, we're still offering prizes," Valleywag's Gabriel Snyder still insists.
"Apple, of course, has plenty of good lawyers like Michael Spillner, so we reiterate our advice 'to stay within the bounds of the law.'"
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