Philip K. Dick's daughter claims Google infringement

As Google Inc. launches its Nexus One phone, one call that the company hasn't made is to the family members of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick, who complain the device's name infringes on one of Mr. Dick's most famous novels.

"We feel this is a clear infringement of our intellectual-property rights," said Isa Dick Hackett, a daughter of Mr. Dick and the chief executive of Electric Shepherd Productions, an arm of the Dick estate devoted to adapting the late author's works.

"Our legal team is dealing head-on with this," she said Tuesday. An attorney for the estate declined to elaborate on what legal steps it has taken.

Mr. Dick's 1968 novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?," which served as the basis for the 1982 cult film "Blade Runner," follows a bounty hunter chasing androids known as Nexus-6 models.

Ms. Hackett believes Google referenced that work in coming up with the name for its new phone, but the company never called her family or attorneys for permission to license the name.

A Google spokesman declined to comment.

Ms. Hackett argues the association between the phone and the book are cemented by the fact that the Nexus One runs Google's Android operating system.

Google has its "Android system, and now they are naming a phone 'Nexus One,'" she said. "It's not lost on the people who are somewhat familiar with this novel."

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Kew Bridge eco village marks six month anniversary as big freeze continues

 It was a sunny summer's day when a group of 30 eco-warriors set up camp on a disused field earmarked for development next to Kew Bridge.

Six months later, the residents of the impromptu sustainable community are still living on the former Scottish Widows site, in Kew Bridge Road, Brentford, despite the looming threat of a nine-storey block of flats being built there by developer and site owner St George.

The sub zero temperatures brought by the big freeze – one of the lengthiest cold spells to hit the capital in more than a decade – have also failed to deter the eco-villagers from leaving their wooden structures, herb gardens and compost toilet and shower.

Peace activist Gareth Newnham, 30, said: “Actually, the coldest time for me was the first night back in June. Since then we have become a lot more organised and now that winter's here we are unaffected by the weather.

“A few weeks ago we had a six month celebration and invited people from the community to a fire party. It was a great success.”

In September last year, villagers cheered when Hounslow councillors put off a plan by St George to build 164 flats, a riverside pub, a business hub and a piazza on the site.

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