Microsoft sues counterfeiters in the US

Microsoft is suing eight system builders and resellers in the US for selling counterfeit versions of its software. The alleged pirates are the latest to be trapped via Microsoft's test purchase programme. In this scheme, undercover Microsoft agents buy systems which are suspected to be running illegal copies of Microsoft software. ...more

Apple secures patent on music and video downloading

Apple could reap revenues from every song and video downloaded over the Internet after securing a 1996 patent. The company has reached an out of court settlement with the patent's original holder, an unnamed Vermont 'inventor' of a system comprising desktop computer holding multiple songs with an interface allowing a hotel guest to select three songs and play them on an electric grand piano. The inventor's lawyer, Michael Starkweather, claims that he spotted the potential in the patent and extended and redefined it to cover music and video downloading on a much larger scale. ...more

Samsung claims first 80nm DDR2 volumes

Samsung Electronics says it is the first manufacturer to start volume production of DDR2 DRAM chips on an 80nm process. It says the move from 90nm to 80nm boosts production efficiency for the 512MB chips by some 50 per cent. The company says that because there were many shared geometric features, the transition was relatively striaghtforward. ...more

Google, YouTube sign video content deals with media majors

In a flurry of announcements, Google and YouTube have signed a series of deals with many of the major music and television giants to broadcast their content for free through Google and YouTube video channels. This accompanies the announcement that Google is acquiring YouTube in a deal worth $1.65bn. ...more

Euro Commissioner slams US tech companies' China links

A senior European Commissioner has condemned US high-tech companies for pandering to the Chinese authorities and restricting freedom of speech in order to be able to do business in the People's Republic. Writing in her blog Margot Wallstroem, the Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication, says that some companies 'have flexible ethical standards depending on where they operate.' Wallstroem says that she was 'disappointed' when she heard that Microsoft had complied with a Chinese government demand that it block blog entries that use words and phrases like 'democracy', 'freedom', 'human rights' and 'demonstration'. ...more