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Droid Lurches to Life
November 06, 2009
Today is the day of the Droid. The Motorola smartphone touches down today in what's shaping up to be one of the biggest handset launches in recent memory. Of course Verizon is going all-in as far as advertising is concerned, but there's more to the Droid's story than a marketing campaign.
EU Drafts New Bill of Rights for Internet Users
November 05, 2009
EU lawmakers and governments agreed on new rights for Internet users Thursday, aiming to protect them from arbitrary crackdowns on those who illegally download music and movies on the Internet. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said a deal was reached after EU governments agreed to EU parliament demands to balance measures against illegal downloaders with a broader set of rights for telecom users.

Nokia's Apple Attack: All for One and One for All
November 04, 2009
The reason commonly given for the creation of technology standards is to enable a more open, seamless process for licensing and adoption. However, in its lawsuit filed recently against iPhone maker Apple, Nokia is attempting an interesting spin on this definition, which may very well reflect reality.
ISF Panelists Spar Over Security vs. Anonymity
November 03, 2009
Can the Web's big-time masters of malware really be tracked down? How risky is cloud computing to network security? And what challenges await the Obama administration's plans to lock down the nation's electronic infrastructure -- while at the same time creating a "smart grid?"

Is Facebook's $711M Spam Award Just Monopoly Money?
October 30, 2009
Social networking site Facebook has been awarded US$711 million in damages from prolific spammer and social network scammer Sanford Wallace for bombarding its users with spam, Facebook attorney Sam O'Rourke reported in a blog post. Judge Jeremy Fogel of the U.S. District Court in Northern California also banned Wallace from accessing Facebook.
The Audacity of Droid
October 30, 2009
The Android mobile operating system is graduating soon to 2.0 status, and Google gave it a pretty nice present to celebrate: a free turn-by-turn navigation app called "Google Maps Navigation." It'll run on Android 2.0 phones with GPS, and it'll use the phone's cellular Internet connection to get live map information.

Judge: Customers in Ameritrade Class Action Deserve Better Deal
October 27, 2009
A federal judge has refused to approve a class-action settlement over contact information stolen from online brokerage TD Ameritrade. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco says the deal offers little significant benefit to the more than 6 million current and former customers affected.
Get Your Startup on a Solid Legal Footing From the Start
October 27, 2009
Technology entrepreneurs may understand the importance of protecting their intellectual property, such as trademarks and patents, yet many times they create startups without understanding what is involved in terms of protecting their business through other avenues -- such as contractual mediums, which can be more important than the registration of a trademark or patent.

Nokia Throws the Book at Apple
October 24, 2009
Nokia announced on Thursday that it has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that Apple's iPhone infringes 10 of Nokia's mobile technology patents. The suit asserts that the iPhone infringes Nokia patents for GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN standards covering wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption. At issue are all Apple iPhone models shipped since the device was introduced in 2007.
McCain Locks Horns With FCC on Net Neutrality
October 23, 2009
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has introduced the Internet Freedom Act of 2009, legislation that would negate many of the principles underlying the concept of Net neutrality, which aims to ensure that Internet users have equal and unfettered access to all services available on the Web. The McCain bill calls for continued unfettered competition for Internet activity.

FCC Votes to Begin Net Neutrality Rule-Making Process
October 22, 2009
Federal regulators took an important step Thursday toward prohibiting broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain kinds of Internet traffic. Despite the concerns of the agency's two Republicans and prominent telecommunications companies, the Federal Communications Commission voted to begin writing so-called "network neutrality" regulations.
SCO Tosses McBride Overboard, Continues Flying Lawsuit Flag
October 21, 2009
Unix software firm SCO Group announced a corporate restructuring plan Monday to sever ties with CEO Darl McBride and reduced the company's workforce. The restructuring was designed by the firm's Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee, Edward Cahn. These moves and other corporate adjustments will help the company continue its longstanding court battle.

EC Copyright Overhaul Could Spur Google Book Project
October 20, 2009
The European Commission said Monday it may revise copyright law to make it easier for companies like Google to scan printed books and distribute digital copies over the Internet. Such changes would likely include ways to more easily compensate authors and publishers, possibly through a statutory license in which a company would automatically get rights to scanning and would pay royalties to a collective pool.
IBM Benches Exec Caught Up in Insider Trading Scandal
October 20, 2009
IBM put a top executive on leave Monday after he was charged in an insider trading scandal for allegedly leaking secrets about IBM's earnings and financial dealings with corporate partners. The company said Robert Moffat, a senior vice president and cost-cutting maven who was considered a possible candidate to succeed CEO Sam Palmisano, no longer serves as an officer of the company.

Prosecutors, Booksellers Square Off on Internet Child Protection Law
October 20, 2009
The Ohio Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday in a case that pits defenders of online child protection against advocates of free speech. It is one of the longest running cases in the country that grapples with how states protect minors from pornography and predators on the Internet without stepping on the rights of adults and older minors to hear, see and read certain protected content.
The Big Bilski: A Hope for Clarity on Business Method Patents
October 20, 2009
One year ago, the Court of Appeals that handles all appeals of patent cases in the U.S. issued a landmark decision. In re Bilski sent shockwaves through the high-tech legal community. The court held that in order to be patentable, a method must either be "tied to a particular machine," or "transform[ ] a particular article into a different state or thing."

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