When someone says they had an idea first, it's almost always not true. I didn't know any similar technology but I was sure that statement was bullshit. Comments here proved me right. Just say "before them" instead of "first" and you won't end up looking like a douche (well, a smaller douche because it's still bad to cry about things like this).

PS: It might be that the writer came up with the word "first" as it is not cited.