NEWS IN BRIEF
For the record 7 June
07-06-2007
by Charlie Taylor
Microsoft and LG in patent agreement | IBM launches 'ground-breaking' chip technologies
Microsoft and LG Electronics have entered into a patent cross-license agreement to further the development of the companies' current and future product lines, the firms said on Thursday. Through the agreement, LG will be able to use Microsoft-patented innovations in its products, including Linux-based embedded devices. In return, Microsoft will have access to LG's patents and will license other patents developed by LG that are now owned by business solutions provider MicroConnect Group.
In other Microsoft news, the Court of First Instance, the EU's second highest court, is expected to rule on 17 September on whether the European Commission was right when it decided that Microsoft had violated anti-trust laws in 2004. That's according to Reuters, which says that the ruling is expected to clarify whether the Commission can continue to pursue its case against the Redmond-based behemoth. In July 2006, the Commission fined the software giant EUR280.5 million for failing to comply with its 2004 ruling and it has since threatened further fines.
Corporate culture is the main reason why British companies have been so slow to adopt remote working, according to a new study. A study undertaken by Interwise, a firm which provides voice, web and video conferencing for enterprises, reveals that one-third of respondents blame corporate culture for the failure to introduce teleworking in their workplace. Other reasons for slow uptake of remote working cited in the survey were lack of enabling technologies adopted in the work environment, reluctance to give up face-to-face social interaction and management distrust of remote workers. Only half of all employees said they were equipped to work remotely, despite their views that over half of the meetings they travel to do not need to be in-person.
IBM has launched a number of new semiconductor products including the Cu-45 High Performance Custom Chip (ASIC), which represents the commercial introduction of Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technology -- historically only used for high performance microprocessors -- into communications, consumer and other major market segments. Along with the Cu-45HP ASIC offering are three additional digital and analogue semiconductor products for wireless products. These include the SiGe BiCMOS 5PAe, a silicon germanium based analogue offering for clients designing power amplifiers for mobile phones and WLAN/WiMAX applications; the CMOS 11LP, which is optimised for lower device leakage for handset design; and the SiGe BiCMOS 6WL for high-volume consumer applications including mobile phones, WLAN, and global positioning devices.
Vodafone in the UK has launched a new mobile internet service designed to make it easy for subscribers to access websites from mobile handsets. The operator has signed deals with a number of top sites including AOL, eBay, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo in order to bring online services to its customers. Vodafone Mobile Internet uses new rendering technology to make it easier for mobile subscribers to view online content via their handsets. Most customers won't need to purchase new mobiles in order to access the service and the company has reduced its data tariffs to tempt subscribers to try it out.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 