After months of legal bickering that made their lawyers very happy and rich, Apple Computer and Singapore-based Creative Technology indicated their willingness to "remain open to the possibility'' of putting court battles over handheld music players patent infringement. The trade commission already agreed to investigate Apple's complaint that Creative infringes its patents and Creative's complaint against Apple, as well.

In case you're keeping score, here are the lawsuits filed by the two companies against each other:

• Apple Computer Inc. v. Creative Labs Inc., 06cv263, U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin (Madison). The trade complaint against Creative is In the Matter of Portable Digital Media Players, 337-TA-576, U.S. International Trade Commission.
• Apple Computer Inc. v Creative Technology Ltd., 06cv114, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Lufkin Division).
• Creative Technology Ltd. v. Apple Computer Inc., 06cv3218, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco); and In the matter of Portable Digital Media Players, 337-TA-573, U.S. International Trade Commission.

Apple has sold more than 50.8 million iPods in 2001, while Creative has less than a 10 percent share of the U.S. market for digital music players.