Franklin Electronic Publishers, originally founded in 1981 as Franklin Computer Corporation, began its journey by manufacturing popular clones of the Apple II computer. This led to a landmark 1982 copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Apple Computer, which Franklin ultimately lost, establishing crucial legal precedents for software and computer code copyrightability. After being forced out of the desktop computer market, Franklin strategically pivoted in 1986 to focus exclusively on handheld electronic references. Since then, the Burlington, New Jersey-based company has become renowned for creating devices like spelling correctors, dictionaries, translation tools, and electronic Bibles. Franklin was publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange until its merger with Saunders Acquisition Corporation on September 30, 2009.