Mar
25
The looming broadband war
Posted by Dirk Avery at 9:59 am under Internet.
Google’s recent FCC filing brings to mind our US broadband shortcomings. The basic problem US Internet users face is in the “last mile.” Our Internet access is far slower than many first world countries because of this last mile bottleneck. Rumor has it (though little information is available) that the Internet backbone is relatively clear […]
Mar
24
Happy, uh, Spring?
Posted by Irene Soto at 7:32 am under Uncategorized.
Mar
21
Vote for OpenCongress!
Posted by Irene Soto at 1:48 pm under Internet, Legislation.
After some e-encouragement from a professor, I checked out OpenCongress.org, a “free, open-source, non-profit, and non-partisan web resource with a mission to make Congress more transparent and to encourage civic engagement.” It is fantastic!
With OpenCongress you can create your own account and easily track your favorite bills, Members of Congress, committees, industries, and issues. It […]
Mar
21
Multilingual websites now easier
Posted by Dirk Avery at 1:41 pm under Innovation, Internet, Wikinomics.
Google has announced a new AJAX Language API which allows for translation and language detection. Like its other AJAX APIs, Google aims to provide website developers access to its substantial software resources enabling a new generation of web applications.
The number of languages included is impressive with such common languages as English, Spanish and German, […]
Mar
20
Easier software patents in the UK
Posted by Dirk Avery at 10:21 pm under Patent.
While the US is considering abandoning software patents, the UK High Court has ruled for the first time that computer programs, per se, can be patented. Symbian appealed a UK-IPO rejection of its patent application, which was based on the invention being software based. The decision brings the UK in line with the European Patent […]
Mar
20
New York Takes on Targeted Ads
Posted by Irene Soto at 9:00 am under Internet, Legislation.
NY Assemblyman Richard L. Brodsky is sponsoring a bill that would make it a crime for certain web companies to use behavioral targeted ads generated from the collection of personal data. Two problems.
First, it’s impossible for this law to only affect NY given the nature of the internet. Companies may have to change their behavior […]
Mar
19
LIVE BLOG - Cleantech Talk
Posted by Irene Soto at 11:25 am under Events, Innovation, Patent, Technology.
Thomas Knox, 87′, a partner in Morrison and Foerster’s Northern Virginia office will speak about “The Emerging Cleantech Economy”.
Cleantech is the business of environmentally-sustainable technologies, and the practice involves intellectual property, environmental, energy, and corporate law, among other areas. As the price of oil has skyrocketed and awareness has grown about the need for innovative environmentally-friendly […]
Mar
19
Why isn’t .xxx a good idea?
Posted by Dirk Avery at 11:21 am under Internet, Legislation, Litigation.
A new top-level domain dedicated to… um… pornography is a great idea. A new domain would allow segregation of content in a manner much like content is segregated in the “real” world. This would provide neat and easy control for those who wanted it. Schools and employers could simply not provide access […]
Mar
18
Attention California Drivers
Posted by Irene Soto at 12:18 pm under Uncategorized.
This isn’t IP-related, but it’s important for all of us multi-taskers. So put down your phone, pager and Blackberry and listen up!
Beginning July 1, 2008, two new wireless telephone laws will take effect in California. The first, Vehicle Code § 23123, prohibits all drivers from using handheld wireless phones while operating a motor vehicle. The second, Vehicle […]
Mar
18
Stanford Copyright Fake-Out
Posted by Irene Soto at 10:34 am under Copyright.
Stanford students reading last week’s Stanford Chaparral magazine were shocked to learn that the University had reported thousands of students for illegally downloading music. According to the report, 78 unnamed students had already been reported for violations and approximately 34 percent of Stanford’s undergraduate population were in danger of facing up to $9,250 per song […]