Feb
28
Counterfeit Crackdown
Posted by Irene Soto at 1:49 pm under Copyright.
On Tuesday, NY police and city agents shut down “Counterfeit Triangle,” which includes Canal, Walker, Baxter, and Centre Streets. This area, like its Los Angeles counterpart Santee Alley, is known for selling counterfeit handbags, watches, sunglasses, perfumes, and more. According to the New York Times, consumers can score a Prada handbag for $40; a Patek Philippe watch […]
Feb
28
Test your inventor IQ
Posted by Irene Soto at 12:36 am under Uncategorized.
See how much you really know about famous inventors with the PTO’s Inventor IQ test on the Kids’ pages. It’s fun!
While you’re at it, try to figure out “whodunit:”
Which U. S. President held a patent?
Can you get a trademark for a smell?
What trademark do you think of for in-line skates?
Who invented the process […]
Feb
28
Chat live with the Patent Office TODAY
Posted by Irene Soto at 12:18 am under Events, Patent.
What a wonderful idea:
“Senior officials of the United States Patent and Trademark Office will be available live on-line this Thursday, February 28th, from 2 to 3 PM (EST). They will be answering questions and offering tips for independent inventors.”
Check out the FAQs from previous PTO chats.
Feb
27
S. 428: 9-1-1 Bill Passes
Posted by Irene Soto at 11:47 pm under Internet, Legislation.
Yesterday, the Senate passed the IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act of 2007.
Section 2:
“Amends the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 to impose on IP-enabled voice service providers engaged in interstate or foreign communication a requirement to provide 9-1-1 service, including enhanced 9-1-1 service, to its subscribers.”
Full text of the bill is […]
Feb
27
“Foster Innovation, Encourage Creativity, Thwart Infringement.”
Posted by Irene Soto at 11:27 pm under Copyright, DMCA.
An article in this month’s GC California magazine discusses the User Generated Content Principles recently promulgated by a coalition of motion picture, television, computer and Web 2.0 companies. The proposed “best practices” for UGC sites are intended to supplement the notice-and-takedown regime of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and have already been implemented by many […]
Feb
25
Microsoft “Opens Up To Sharing”
Posted by Irene Soto at 1:06 pm under Technology.
Good news for consumers or open source money-maker?
Microsoft’s announcement overview is available here, and, as Alexander Wolfe points out, it isn’t available in an open format, but rather in Microsoft’s proprietary Office 2007 docx.
Feb
22
Encrypted Data Thiefs
Posted by Irene Soto at 12:53 pm under Technology.
In software news…
A group led by a Princeton University computer security researcher has developed a simple method to steal encrypted information stored on computer hard disks.The technique, which could undermine security software protecting critical data on computers, is as easy as chilling a computer memory chip with a blast of frigid air from a can […]
Feb
22
Girls Gone Geek
Posted by Irene Soto at 12:43 pm under Technology.
“Sorry, boys, this is our domain.”
The prototypical computer whiz of popular imagination — pasty, geeky, male — has failed to live up to his reputation. Research shows that among the youngest Internet users, the primary creators of Web content (blogs, graphics, photographs, Web sites) are not misfits resembling the Lone Gunmen of “The X Files.” […]
Feb
20
Lessig’s Final Lecture: Free Culture
Posted by Irene Soto at 3:30 pm under Copyright, Events.
Feb
19
Scope of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act (S. 1957 H.R. 2033)
Posted by Irene Soto at 12:28 pm under Copyright, Patent.
Yesterday Dirk wrote about the testimony of Narcisco Rodriquez in support of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act.
Steve Maiman, co-owner of Stony Apparel Corp. testified on behalf of those in the industry who oppose the bill. Specifically, he argued that it is “impossible to determine the originality of a design because all designs are inspired by […]