Archive for September 4th, 2007
On Wednesday, Microsoft 
said it will acquire Chicago-based Parlano and will integrate the company’s enterprise group chat technology, known as MindAlign, into Microsoft’s unified communications products.The deal is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2007. At that time, Microsoft will add group chat to Office Communications Server and Office Communicator. Microsoft will offer the group chat functionality as part of the standard client access license for Office Communications Server 2007 Software Assurance customers.
“Parlano has been successful in meeting the rigorous communications needs of companies in financial services and other vertical markets,” Gurdeep Singh Pall, corporate vice president of the Unified Communications Group at Microsoft, said in a statement. Microsoft is betting MindAlign will give its enterprise presence, instant messaging, conferencing, and VoIP software suite an upper hand.
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September 4th, 2007
On Thursday, Nokia launched four new mobile devices optimized for entertainment, music, and games at its Go Play event in London. Combined with the unveiling of Ovi, the door to Nokia’s new Internet services, the quadruple release is designed to draw some attention away from the Apple iPhone and perhaps even the rumored Google Gphone.All four devices — the N81, the N95, the 5310 XpressMusic, and the 5610 XpressMusic — feature dedicated music or gaming keys, expanded memory, large screens, and extended battery performance. The devices range in price from 225 to 560 euros and are expected to begin shipping later this year.
“From the compact Nokia 5310 XpressMusic music phone to the fully featured Nokia N81 multimedia computer, Nokia offers a range of entertainment-enabled devices for consumers who want their music, games and favorite media with them wherever they go,” Nokia executive vice president Kai Oistamo said in a statement.
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September 4th, 2007
Big news in digital media this week. Nokia launched a music store, while Sony closed one. NBC nixed its TV shows on iTunes, while YouTube signed royalty deals with UK artists. And the headlines roll on.One of the biggest media stories this week saw YouTube’s parent company, Google, agree to pay 50,000 UK songwriters, composers, and music publishers for content consumers view on the site. It’s a move to ink deals that expand YouTube’s library of legitimate professional content. And it comes in the midst of a bloody $1 billion legal battle with Viacom.
“YouTube is demonstrating it wants to be a good corporate citizen,” said Phil Leigh, senior analyst at Inside Digital Media. “As long as the content rights holders are willing to negotiate reasonable terms, YouTube is going to pay them.”
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September 4th, 2007
An eight-year court battle between Microsoft and Eolas Technologies has come to an end. The software giant settled with Eolas for an undisclosed amount to put the case in the annals of intellectual property war history.The drama began in February 1999, when the University of California spin-off filed suit against Microsoft for patent infringement. Eolas claimed that Microsoft trespassed on its plug-in and applet technologies. Specifically, the company accused Microsoft of using its patented technologies in Windows 98, Windows 95, and Internet Explorer, and said it wanted royalties on the sales of the products.
Although the companies aren’t publicizing details of the settlement, a letter Eolas COO Mark Swords wrote to the company’s shareholders offers some dollars and cents information. Shareholders will gain a $50 to $72 per share dividend thanks to the Microsoft payout. “We hope that you will understand we simply cannot now or in the future provide any confidential details regarding the terms of the settlement,” Swords’ letter stated.
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September 4th, 2007
