Microsoft bagged Patent for Internet Spying Technology

Microsoft is in the news again, this time for winning a Patent on Legal Intercept Technology which will allow organizations to monitor and intercept communications on VoIP based networks.The patent application was filed at the USPTO in December 2009. As per the patent filing , Legal Intercept Technology involves " A method implemented at least in part by a computer receiving data regarding establishing a communication session between at least two entities via a switched packet network for a communication that includes audio and a recorder manager operable to configure a recording agent to silently copy communication transmitted via the communication session". 

Meanwhile , this technology for silently recording communications on VoIP networks opens doors for the governmental organizations and law enforcement bodies to monitor communication between telephone or VoIP users to ensure better ways to intercept Internet communications. It is evident that earlier this year, in May when Microsoft agreed to buy skype for $8.5 Billion, it appeared that Microsoft will make Skype compatible with CALEA (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act), which will make telecommunication carriers to comply with the surveillance norms of the Governmental and Law enforcement agencies. Hence, it can be inferred that  Microsoft patent portfolio has yet another shining technology which holds great promise for the future of legal interception in telecommunication sector.

(Image by Svilen Milev)

Google bagged the top slot at the Global brand index 2011

Google made it to the top slot at the global 500 list of world's top brands. Google wins the slot by acquiring $44.3 billion brand value. The greater and widespread use of internet and google's continuous efforts to launch new technologies all over these years, has enabled it to hit the top slot. Microsoft bagged the second slot with a valuation of about $42.8 billion. It's surprisingly true that the US  technology based companies acquired 13 positions in the Top 20 slot at the global brand index, 2011. Coca cola loses its position in the top 10 list of the world's top brands. This year Coca cola's brand value comes to about $25 billion, which recorded a sharp drop of $10 billion from the last year 2010, when the brand was estimated about $35 billion. 

Amongst the international phone brands, Apple registered itself in the top 10 list with a brand value of about $29.5 billion whereas Nokia witnessed a steep fall with a valuation of about $9.9 billion this year. To conclude, it is very obvious that this year many brands witnessed a steep fall and on the other hand many brands strike back by acquiring greater markets and  revenues, all in all, an interesting valuation.

(Image by Svilen Milev)

Microsoft and Google join hands against patent troll

Well isn't it interesting to see the tech giants Google and Microsoft join hands, who are almost ready to file allegations, constant altercations, litigating each other over issues like search results copyrights etc. Yes, its true as Google and Microsoft poses as co plaintiff's against GeoTag Inc., which sued over 300 firms in the recent past. This whopping data gives GeoTag Inc., acting as a patent troll suing an ample number of entities last year. 

Considering the future prospects and saving Google and  Microsoft's Bing maps from future allegations and controversies, both the tech giants filed recent lawsuit on March Ist 2011, invalidating the geo tag's patent (US Patent No. 5,930,474), on the context of existence of prior art during the filing of above mentioned patent. This could probably exempt some burden from the clients of Google and Microsoft who were sued by GeoTag Inc. recently from using their mapping services for the location of stores.Well what happens next will be an interesting issue but I shouldn't forget to mention that last September Google was similarly sued by Skyhook Wireless over location battle. The near future will reflect the recent developments in this case which will be worth watching.

( Image by Maxime Perron Caissy)