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IBM chip exec heads to Apple, but IBM sues to stop him; Taiwanese semiconductor foundries plan to lower 2009 capital expenses; London rolls out new high-tech trash cans; and in a tremendous surprise, video technology adoption is affected by its maturity and user age.
On Halloween eve, what better to do than look at some of the scary and strange stories in high tech? Motorola turnaround plan getting thumbs turned down -- Motorola has been in a tough spot and analysts say it won't get easier. The whole plan to spin off the handset division has been tripped by a $...
Yesterday's Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit (CAFC) decision on In re Bilski continues to keep in the air the future of business method patents. It doesn't automatically eliminate them, as many reports have erroneously suggested, but, if upheld in a likely appeal to the Supreme Court, will likely invalidate many and require some major strategic and tactical changes in virtually every industry. To get a little more insight, we spoke with C. Edward Polk, senior counsel at Foley & Lardner and a former associate solicitor of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where he represented the USPTO in appeals before the Federal Circuit as well as wrote amicus briefs for the USPTO.
DoJ tells Verizon to go ahead in Alltel purchase but only if it sheds a number of local markets; Intel to open a develoment center in Taiwan and puts money into a wireless carrier; EA lowers outlook and plans to lay off employees; Yahoo opens a developer platform; and Apple documents its changes to MobileMe.
This must be a day for patent news. Earlier, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reaffirmed the previous In Re Bilski case so that, barring some reversal by the U.S. Supreme Court, a huge number of business method patents will be invalid, including software patents and financial method patents used in the financial services industry. Ironically, it looks as though the European Patent Office is bringing in its big legal guns regarding the contentious issue of software patents.
Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) affirmed a previous ruling in the In Re Bilski case, striking down many (if not most) business method patents and setting the stage for a likely appeal to the Supreme Court. At stake is whether companies will be able to continue a trend ...
Consumers seriously considering cutting back on cell phone service; semiconductor foundries face losses; web-ad broker shakeup happening; AT&T still talking about an iPhone wireless promotion at Starbucks; and EA spends almost $10 million in 18 months marketing Madden NFL.
Someone might argue that it's early for a headstone, but the signs are clear: Sony's scheme to own a video format has crumbled. All the money, all the time, all the effort, all for nothing. Between burdensome pricing, consumer indifference, and significant competition, the end is probably already written and the market is just coasting, waiting for the knell and the pall.
Google settles suit with publishers, authors; LinkedIn launches app platorm; MIT spin-off tries to power devices through wireless; Logitech buys video communications company; and Office almost goes virtual.
Over on ZDNet, Sam Diaz argued that a tech downturn won't be like the dot com bust and, for a number of reasons, that things won't get that bad. I've got to disagree â€" not with his observations about how ingrained technology is, but on the ultimate outcome, because it depends on a whole lot more than how much people and companies want their gadgets and software. What is happening now could get a whole lot worse.
Q&A with Spock.com co-founder Jay Bhatti.
The financiers of technology projects are seeing defaults rise and that ups the ante for customers looking for credit and the vendors extending loans. The Wall Street Journal connects the dots. In September, 0.86 percent of equipment loansâ€"that includes office gearâ€"were written off. Thatâ...
Talk about a doom-and-gloom outlook for the tech economy. Tech entrepreneur Jason Calacanis - founder of Silicon Alley Reporter, Weblogs, and Mahalo.com - has fired off a pretty glass-half-empty message to startups, via his e-mail subscription list. It's been about a week since Calacanis ann...
Microsoft has cloud version of Windows for developers but only if they are only using Microsoft cloud services; the standalone VCR is now but a memory; Cox Communications decides to join the wireless carrier party; AOL plans on shuttering more services; and Nvidia denies additional lay-off rumors.
In Apple's earnings announcement the other day, it would be easy to overlook that it was starting to report results in both GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) and non-GAAP forms. Accounting standards are a soporific to many, but when a company moves from one to the other, it's time to pay attention -- particularly when, like Apple, the company won't be using the same form of reporting as used by its competitors in what will likely be one of its major product lines: cell phones. But the combination of the two reports offer some insight into just how much money an iPhone makes for the company.
