Microsoft

Google: Microsoft Uses Patents When Products 'Stop Succeeding'

Lindsy Embree — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:28:32 -0500

Full article: Ars Technica
Timothy B. Lee
A Google patent lawyer says that the patent system is broken, and he accuses Microsoft of abusing the system. Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday, Google's Tim Porter pointed to Microsoft's attacks on Linux as an example of its broader corporate strategy.

Skype's Future Under Microsoft: Integration Everywhere?

Lindsy Embree — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:01:47 -0400

Full article: Ars Technica
Jon Brodkin
Microsoft has big plans for Skype; we just don't know exactly what they are. But with Microsoft gaining both U.S. and European regulatory approval for its $8.5 billion acquisition, the merger is likely to be completed in the near future, letting Microsoft integrate Skype into various product lines.

EU Clears Microsoft's Skype Acquisition

Lindsy Embree — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:11:15 -0400

Full article: Reuters
Microsoft secured EU approval to purchase Internet voice and video service Skype for $8.5 billion, its biggest ever acquisition.

Google's Rivals Unite on Ads

Lindsy Embree — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:55:30 -0400

Full article: Wall Street Journal
Emily Steel
In their boldest attempt to battle the growing dominance of Google Inc. and save their embattled advertising businesses, Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp. and AOL Inc. plan to band together to sell ads on each other's sites, according to advertising executives pitched on the initiative.

Lawsuit Says Microsoft Tracks Customers Without Consent

Stevie Converse — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:04:25 -0400

Full article: Reuters
Dan Levine
Microsoft allegedly tracks the location of its mobile customers even after users request that tracking software be turned off, according to a new lawsuit. The proposed class action, filed in a Seattle federal court, says Microsoft intentionally designed camera software on the Windows Phone 7 operating system to ignore customer requests that they not be tracked.

Google Cries Foul on Apple, Microsoft Mobile Gang-Up

Lindsy Embree — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:35:53 -0400

Full article: Reuters
Edwin Chan
Google, fresh from losing a bid to buy thousands of patents from bankrupt Nortel, lashed out at its biggest rivals and accused them of banding together to block the Internet giant in the red-hot smartphone arena.

Microsoft Seeks Patent for Spy Tech for Skype

Lindsy Embree — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:20:40 -0400

Full article: Computerworld
Jaikumar Vijayan
A technology called Legal Intercept that Microsoft hopes to patent would allow the company to secretly intercept, monitor and record Skype calls. And it's stoking privacy concerns.

Big Names in Tech Back AT&T's T-Mobile Bid

Lindsy Embree — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:59:12 -0400

Full article: New York Times
Michael J. De La Merced
In its quest to win approval of its $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA, AT&T just got a lot of help from its friends. Eight technology giants, including Facebook and Microsoft, and 10 venture capital firms, filed letters supporting the acquisition.

Microsoft's Plans for Skype Are Unclear

Lindsy Embree — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:13:50 -0400

Full article: New York Times
Kevin J. O'Brien
If Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, the Internet communications company, goes through, supporters of Network Neutrality may be losing a standard-bearer.

5 Reasons Why Skype Will Be an Office Hit

Lindsy Embree — Mon, 16 May 2011 09:37:00 -0400

Full article: ReadWriteWeb
Alex Williams
What Microsoft's acquisition of Skype represents is the potential for greater adoption by business people. Of course that will depend on how Microsoft treats Skype. It will be integrated into the Microsoft suite for use as a sanctioned communications tool. But the signs are there that Microsoft will respect the service as a stand-alone product for the millions of people who love it for what it is. Considering these two factors, we see five reasons for why Skype will be a hit in the business world.