News.com »Patents

Making sense of Microsoft and open source

The software giant's latest move offers a nice dose of kumbaya to open-source developers, but it goes only so far.

February 22, 2008 1:48 AM PST

Silent start-up readies to take on Intel in notebooks

Montalvo has some cash and a lot of execs with deep backgrounds in the chip industry. But will it have the staying power to survive against Intel?

February 6, 2008 12:00 PM PST

Week in review: Apple goes into thin 'Air'

Ultrathin laptop debuts, along with other Apple products, as Microsoft gets patent-happy. Also: Detroit auto show goes green.

January 18, 2008 6:00 PM PST

Eco-Patent Commons shares earth-friendly tech

Launch of Eco-Patents Commons puts environmental sustainability patents from IBM, Sony, Nokia, and Pitney Bowes into the public domain.

January 14, 2008 5:05 AM PST

Google applies for image text patent

Search giant filed a patent application last year for extracting and using text that can be seen in image and video files.

January 7, 2008 5:03 PM PST

Red Hat voices concerns over Microsoft patent model

After EU antitrust ruling, company questions whether Microsoft's patent arrangement is compatible with open-source licensing.

October 25, 2007 5:23 PM PDT

Aruba strikes back at Motorola's patent claims

Sued by Motorola in August over four WLAN-related patents, Aruba is now countersuing, arguing that its use of the patents had gone unchallenged for years.

October 22, 2007 7:30 PM PDT

Dell: Microsoft warnings haven't hurt Linux uptake

CEO Michael Dell says Microsoft's patent-infringement claims have not affected sales of its Linux servers.

October 12, 2007 5:24 PM PDT

Fixing a broken patent system

Copyright attorney Alex Chachkes says the pressure is on to fix a system generally agreed to be in a state of disarray.

October 10, 2007 5:38 PM PDT

Week in review: Microsoft gets its game on

Long-awaited Halo 3 makes big debut, Vonage loses patent appeal, and Washington looks at Google-DoubleClick and Net taxes.

September 28, 2007 5:36 PM PDT

Patent law overhaul: Bad for start-ups?

Patent-dependent companies and inventors have fighting words for a bill that passed the House and, they hope, will die in the Senate.

September 20, 2007 9:15 PM PDT

Gauging Microsoft threat to Europe's Linux users

Company could call on patents filed with the European Patent Office to sue U.K. open-source users, but the situation's complicated.

September 20, 2007 5:33 PM PDT

House OKs revamp of patent system

Congress takes major step toward changes long sought by big tech companies. But there's no guarantee that proposal will become law.

September 7, 2007 10:11 PM PDT

NetApp files patent suit against Sun

Network Appliance alleges Sun Microsystems' ZFS storage software violates seven of its patents, seeks permanent injunction.

September 6, 2007 1:04 AM PDT

Week in review: Patent woes

Telephone tech's No. 1 obstacle? Patents. Also, Apple's summer hardware harvest, and Linux spreads its wings.

August 10, 2007 6:00 PM PDT

Google joins open-source patent network

Membership in Open Invention Network will see it agree to cross-license open source-related patents to other members for free.

August 8, 2007 4:35 PM PDT

Qualcomm cell phone ban to take effect

Qualcomm loses latest battle to reverse the International Trade Commission's import ban on its technology, says it will continue the fight.

August 7, 2007 1:10 AM PDT

Novell boosts legal team with litigation expert

Company taps high-powered patent lawyer Eric Acker, who has a formidable history, including 45 jury trials as a federal prosecutor.

August 6, 2007 5:22 PM PDT

eBay wins round in 'Buy it now' patent redux

Judge won't force the auction giant to stop using the MercExchange patent, but the tiny patent-licensing firm plans to appeal.

July 30, 2007 5:40 PM PDT

Attorney: GPLv3 may not bind Microsoft

Software giant likely will be able to extricate itself from the implications of the open-source license, lawyer says.

July 25, 2007 4:23 PM PDT