The settlement means Apple will no longer seek the identities of those sources, who informed Think Secret about a project called Asteroid. That was rumored to be a Firewire-connected box with analog inputs for musical instruments.

That device, which would connect to Apple’s acclaimed GarageBand software, never materialized. But the lawsuit over disclosure of the project persisted, leading to the settlement Think Secret announced:

As part of the confidential settlement, no sources were revealed and Think Secret will no longer be published. Nick Ciarelli, Think Secret’s publisher, said "I’m pleased to have reached this amicable settlement, and will now be able to move forward with my college studies and broader journalistic pursuits."

In 2006, Low End Mac suggested Apple used Asteroid as a way to sniff out leakers and shut down rumor sites like Think Secret. That scenario would have a "mole" leak information to those sites, and Apple would follow up their publication with lawsuits.

If that was the case, it worked with Think Secret.