unions

The patent battle between Apple and Samsung has just taken a very interesting turn.

The European Commission today announced that it has launched a formal investigation into whether Samsung has used wireless patents as an anticompetitive tool, in violation of its commitment to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

Samsung's lawsuits against Apple over the last year--claiming that the iPhone maker violates wireless patents Samsung holds--could come back to haunt the company. In fact, the EC, which is the executive arm of the European Union, said in its investigation discussion that Samsung has "sought injunctive relief in various Member … Read more

U.S. government-backed battery supplier Ener1 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the third U.S.-backed energy company to file in as many months.

Ener1 posted a notice today stating that it "has reached agreement with its primary investors and lenders on a restructuring plan that will significantly reduce its debt." This action will pave the way for up to $81 million for recapitalization, the company said.

A "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 case was filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. Ener1 is planning to complete the restructuring process within … Read more

Jeff almost didn't make it out of court this morning to be on the show, but he squirms out of Lady Justice's grasp just in time to join us, maybe with a few minutes in between to update his Facebook.

We'll talk today about Facebook's Timeline feature coming to a profile near you (whether you like it or not), last night's tech-heavy State of the Union Address, and who's responsible for the state of John Kerry's face.

Obama's made lots of promises in his speech this year, not the least of which is a pledge to give more technology training to Americans looking to expand their workforce skills.

He also mentioned an end to digital piracy and will host a Google+ video hangout on January 30 with questions accepted through the White House YouTube channel.… Read more

Apple earnings reach record highs, Xbox rumors ramp up, and Obama tackles energy and tech industry concerns in his State of the Union address.

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Privacy advocates are one step closer to winning a big one in the European Union.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, today unveiled a set of proposals aimed at improving the privacy of personal data, like e-mails, Facebook posts, and Web activities, across the European Union's 27 countries. The EC, which claims 70 percent of Europeans are concerned that their private data is being misused, says the time has come for the continent to overhaul the 1995 data protection rules that currently govern privacy across the zone.

"Seventeen years ago, less than 1 percent of Europeans … Read more

Despite the spectacular collapse of solar panel maker Solyndra, which declared bankruptcy after receiving more than half a billion dollars from the Obama administration, President Obama said this evening that he doesn't want to give up on government-backed alternative energy projects.

The president used the opportunity of his State of the Union address to say it's time to "double down" on the concept but pointedly avoided mentioning Solyndra by name.

"The payoffs on these public investments don't always come right away," Obama said. "Some technologies don't pan out--some companies fail. But … Read more

The wife of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and the co-founder of Instagram are among the notable guests for tonight's State of the Union address by President Obama.

The presence of Laurene Powell Jobs and Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger signals that at least a part of the State of the Union will focus on technology, which President Obama has long argued can help improve the country's fortunes.

Releasing the guest list for the State of the Union address has increasingly become a way for the White House to call attention to an issue or initiative, using an individual … Read more

Companies will be required to disclose security breaches within 24 hours of their occurrence under European Union proposals being made this week to strengthen data protection rules.

New rules are needed to protect consumers and reduce bureaucracy, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said in a speech at a conference today in Munich.

"Companies that suffer a data leak must inform the data protection authorities and the individuals concerned, and they must do so without undue delay," Bloomberg quoted Reding as saying at the DLD conference. "European data protection rules will become a trademark people recognize and trust … Read more

It's becoming increasingly clear that supporting the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a political mistake--even if you live in Europe.

European Commission vice president and European Union Internet czar Neelie Kroes tweeted today that she's happy to see the "tide is turning on SOPA," adding that we "don't need bad legislation when (we) should be safeguarding benefits of (the) open Internet."

That "tide" came on quite strong recently, with major Web sites, including Google and Wikipedia, staging protests and attracting Web users to stand behind them. Things have become so … Read more