oracle-google

Google's acquisition of IBM patents may aid its Oracle case

A latecomer to the patent acquisition game, Google continues to accumulate intellectual property rights, picking up more than 200 patents and patents pending from IBM.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site, Google acquired 188 patents and another 29 patents pending from IBM in a deal recorded December 30. Terms weren't disclosed and both companies declined to comment on the transaction, other than to acknowledge that it happened. The deal was first reported by the Web site SEO by the Sea.

Patents have been a key tool in the battle for smartphone revenue and leadership. … Read more

Oracle, Google far apart on Android talks

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Google CEO Larry Page spent a day in court yesterday to hammer out an Android settlement, but the two sides appear to be far apart. However, the two Larrys are ordered to be in court again in hopes that they can hammer out a settlement.

According to Bloomberg, Oracle and Google didn't get all that far in their negotiation talks. A federal magistrate judge ordered Oracle and Google to have another negotiation session tomorrow.

How far apart are the sides? Oracle wants about $6 billion for Java infringements by Android. Google thinks a $100 … Read more

Ellison, Page have to attend lawsuit settlement talks

Oracle's Larry Ellison and Google's Larry Page are expected to face each other on September 19 in an attempt to settle the year-long patent infringement case between their respective companies.

After trying to skirt any appearances by promising to send other people to the conference table, the two CEOs were ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal last Friday to attend the settlement talks themselves.

"The party representatives required to attend this and any further conferences include, but are not limited to, Larry Ellison of Oracle and Larry Page of Google," according to a copy of the court order … Read more

Google, Oracle eye settlement talks over Android

Google and Oracle appear to be headed to the mediation table as their lawsuit over whether Android infringes on Java gets closer to the courtroom.

In court filings, both Google and Oracle agreed to mediation in an attempt to settle a lawsuit over Android.

Google said:

Google recognizes the importance of having top executives of the parties attend the Court-ordered mediation. Google proposes that Andrew Rubin, who is Senior Vice President, Mobile and reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer, attend for Google together with Kent Walker, Vice President and General Counsel of Google. Mr. Rubin's executive responsibilities include … Read more

This Day in Tech: Google lawyer takes a jab at Apple, Microsoft, Oracle over Android patent wars

To busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Wednesday, August 3.

Google top lawyer calls the patient claims by Apple, Microsoft, and Oracle "bogus" and says the patent feud will increase the price of Android phones. More than 550,000 Android devices are activated daily, through a network of 39 manufacturers and 231 carriers, the lawyer pointed out, adding that the patent wars are getting in the way of innovation, instead of encouraging it.

Also, bogus is the claim that Internet Explorer users have lower IQs. … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1517: RIM is COO-COO for co-execs (Podcast)

In response to shareholder demands for RIM to explain its seemingly disastrous co-CEO structure, RIM decided to add another COO, too. No, seriously. They'll have two COOs and two CEOs (and also lay off 2,000 probably perfectly innocent people who thought there should only be one CEO). Wow. Also, be warned: we talk about politics, because we hope the Internet can save America.

Oracle gets its trial date with Google this Halloween

Oracle was granted at least one of its wishes in its patent infringement suit with Google. The two will go to trial this October. However, Google was given a little room to wiggle.

On Thursday, both legal teams for the Silicon Valley giants continued to present their arguments at the United States Courthouse in San Francisco. However, all they received was a couple of stern lectures from Judge William H. Alsup without any answer to the joint motion filed earlier this week.

However, Alsup did promise an answer about where the proceedings would go next, and that answer is here. … Read more

Scoop: Oracle scrubs site of embarrassing Java blog

In the midst of its nasty legal battle with Google, Oracle seems to have resorted to a bit of Web site scrubbing.

The database software giant is suing Google for allegedly infringing on its Java patents in the Android mobile operating system. Now, quietly, Oracle has removed all the blog posts of former Sun Chief Executive Jonathan Schwartz from its Web site, including one embarrassing one that praised Google's use of Java in Android. Oracle acquired Sun and its Java programming language in January 2010.

In November 2007, when Google launched Android, Schwartz, a prolific blogger, praised Google's … Read more

Microsoft will open 75 new stores within 3 years

Microsoft plans to open 75 new Microsoft stores in the next two to three years, massive expansion of its retail outlets for a company that abandoned an earlier store strategy a decade ago.

The software giant's chief operating officer, Kevin Turner, told the 15,000 attendees at Microsoft's 2011 Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles that the stores have given the company tremendous insight into consumers.

"It's helping us transition from thinking about our customers to thinking like our customers," Turner said today in a speech that was streamed online.

A map of the locations … Read more

Android users: Don't fret over Google's fee battles

Handset makers using the Google Android mobile operating system may be slapped with additional licensing fees if Oracle and Microsoft have their way. But what might that mean for the average cell phone consumer? Would the price of Android devices go up?

It's not likely, say experts. There are several reasons to think that legal victories from Oracle or Microsoft would do little to move the needle in terms of pricing for consumers. What's more, whatever additional costs might be added to the phone would likely be offset by savings elsewhere, still guaranteeing that handset makers generate decent … Read more