law

CE Association Ruffles Feathers at the Mere Hint of Limiting Flat-Screen Sales

BY Kit EatonThu Nov 19, 2009 at 9:02 AM

Ed. Note: This piece has been edited significantly from its original version to reflect factual inaccuracies related to exactly what the California Energy Commission has proposed. We regret the earlier error. The Consumer ...READ»

GOOGLE BOOKS | Comment

Google Books Takes a Hit: Foreign-Language Works Ditched

BY Kit EatonMon Nov 16, 2009 at 9:33 AM

Google's Book deal is so controversial it makes fascinating news every time the story takes another turn. But for Google, things have just turned pretty sour: Due to huge legal pressure, it's chopping foreign texts from the ...READ»

EU | Comment

New EU Cookie Law Smacks Of Windows Vista's Constant Nagging

BY Chris DannenWed Nov 11, 2009 at 1:19 PM

Regulators in Europe have approved a new law that would require users to approve each cookie stored by their Web browser. Cookies are little informative tags that tell a Web site details about your last visit there. The EU Council ...READ»

LAWSUITS | 2 comments

Huge, Stupid Tech Lawsuit Might Just Be Crazy Enough to Work

BY Chris DannenWed Nov 4, 2009 at 2:09 PM

A defunct navigation company called WebMap Technologies is suing 15 different major companies in what might be the most bloated and fatuous IP lawsuit in recent memory. And it just might pay off. WebMap's principals are claiming that ...READ»

COCKPIT GADGETS | 2 comments

In Defense of Laptops, MP3 Players, and Gadgets in Airline Cockpits

BY Kit EatonTue Nov 3, 2009 at 12:24 PM

After a single airliner went ever so slightly astray because its flight crew were using laptops in the cockpit, lawmakers are poised to bring regulations crashing down that forbid almost any kind of gadget being used by pilots. That's ...READ»

BEAR STEARNS | 2 comments

Gmail Records Show Bear Stearns Anticipated "Blow-Up Risk" to Investors

BY Chris DannenFri Oct 9, 2009 at 1:08 PM

If you're planning to mediate on the collapse of your publicly held company, you'd better think twice about doing it on Gmail. Google's email service promises that you'll "never need to delete another message," and in fact it keeps ...READ»

CRIMINAL TWEETS | 6 comments

G20 Protesters in Court: Criminal Tweeps or Free Speech Champs?

BY Kit EatonWed Oct 7, 2009 at 8:15 AM

Protesters at last month's G20 meeting were arrested due to allegedly criminal Tweets. Their attorney is defending the two men by saying they were merely relaying public info. Now the courts will have to decide: Is Tweeting an offense?READ»

COPYRIGHT | 2 comments

The Glenn Beck Rape Meme Goes to Court

BY Chris DannenWed Sep 30, 2009 at 2:41 PM

Everyone loves Web memes--except, of course, the people they victimize. Conservative commentator Glenn Beck has filed a complaint against the owner of a satirical website called glennbeckrapedandmurderedayounggirlin1990.com, which has ...READ»

MP3 DEAFNESS | 2 comments

Say What? The E.U. Wants You To Turn Down MP3s?

BY Kit EatonMon Sep 28, 2009 at 11:32 AM

Always a caring bunch, E.U. lawmakers have just mandated that MP3 player makers remind their users of the risks of hearing damage from prolonged, loud headphone use. Their ruling is based on some sensible science, and it's aimed at ...READ»

SEARCH ENGINE WARS | 1 comment

Is Google Getting Into Mortgages?

BY Kit EatonThu Aug 27, 2009 at 7:37 AM

Google's got tentacles everywhere--and it just grows and grows and grows. But here's a head-scratcher: News has surfaced that suggests Google's getting into the mortgage business. Specifically, the loan aggregation business. What ...READ»

COPYRIGHT FEES | Comment

Score One for Sanity in Yahoo Music Webcast Ruling

BY Kit EatonFri Aug 21, 2009 at 12:53 PM

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled in favor of Yahoo's appeal against punitive music royalty fees levied on its online Launchcast music service. Sounds bland? Nope--it may have a big impact on the online music ...READ»

IRAN CIRCA 1984 | Comment

Iran Declares War on 21st Century Media

BY Kit EatonMon Jul 6, 2009 at 9:33 AM

Iran's government just vowed to prosecute people who "cooperate with satellite television programming providers." Along with blocking Twitter and messing with cell-phone networks, it means the power mongers are declaring war on ...READ»

UN-PIRATE BAY | Comment

Pirate Bay Pulls a Napster: Sells for $8 Million

BY Kit EatonTue Jun 30, 2009 at 5:57 AM

Just like Napster, the music sharing site that was sold in the midst of its legal woes, Pirate Bay has just been bought by Global Gaming Factory for $7.8 million. So while its creators still face jail time, the Bay's about to go ...READ»

ANTITRUST | Comment

Microsoft and Intel Fight E.U. Lawsuits Just as Antitrust Policies in the U.S. Get Tougher

BY Kit EatonMon May 11, 2009 at 7:29 AM

The European Union's taking a strict line on anti-competitive behavior by two giants of the computing industry: Intel and Microsoft. This week, Microsoft is wriggling to try and fend off an E.U. ruling against it, while the chip maker ...READ»

CAMBRIDGE WHO | 1 comment

Harold Kestenbaum on Franchising for Success

BY Cambridge Who's WhoMon May 4, 2009 at 11:00 AM

The Cambridge Who’s Who contributing author series continues with an informative introduction to franchising by Harold Kestenbaum.READ»

ATTORNEY | Comment

A Little About Jorge Chalela

BY Jorge ChalelaWed Feb 18, 2009 at 1:42 PM

Jorge Chalela’s career in Tampa Bay has spanned 13 years. During his time in the legal profession, Jorge Leon Chalela has provided his services to thousands of clients in need, over 200 of whom already through until trial verdict, ...READ»

CONSUMER PRODUCTS | 2 comments

The Google Guide to Infuriating Your ISP

BY Chris DannenThu Jan 29, 2009 at 5:25 PM

Google [GOOG] has launched a new website in cooperation with a pair of nonprofit organizations. It does two things: it analyzes your network connection, and it makes companies like Comcast [CMCSA] and TimeWarner [TWX] wish that Google ...READ»

LAW | Comment

Digital Music a la Francaise

Tue Mar 21, 2006 at 2:06 PM

Love 'em, hate 'em, the French aren't afraid to buck the norm. While students riot in the streets over a proposed change in the labor laws, the French parliament tossed an egg at copy-protected digital music systems with a law that ...READ»

LAW | Comment

Quattrone Questions

BY Jennifer ReingoldTue Mar 21, 2006 at 11:06 AM

Yesterday, a federal appeals court overturned (subscription required) the May 2004 conviction of Wall Street uber-banker Frank Quattrone on obstruction of justice charges. At issue was not Quattrone's actual guilt or innocence, but ...READ»

LAW | 5 comments

In the Black

BY Kevin OhannessianFri Mar 3, 2006 at 5:45 PM

BlackBerry users can breathe a sigh of relief. Your hand-held email device won't fail--BlackBerry maker RIM settled its patent-infringement lawsuit with NTP. The final settlement calls for RIM to pay $612.5 million. RIM's problems ...READ»

LAW | 1 comment

The Papadam Chase

BY Jennifer ReingoldTue Oct 18, 2005 at 11:30 AM

Ask an American lawyer how secure her career is and she'll probably give you the standard flip response: In a litigation-loving society like this one, there will always be a need for our kind. And at first blush, she'd be right: ...READ»

LAW | Comment

The Broad Wave of Open Source: Quieting the Alarm

BY Don JarrellMon Aug 8, 2005 at 5:50 PM

Any time market-leading companies feel challenged by an emerging competitor, or disruptive phenomena, sweeping alarmist generalizations show up from a variety of sources. Lots of business leaders, attorneys and other vested in the ...READ»

LAW | Comment

Web Cites

BY Heath RowWed Jul 13, 2005 at 12:02 PM

The Internet Archive has come under fire because of an old Web site used as evidence in a trial. At issue is not whether a public archive of "expired" online resources should be available, but whether voluntary, collaborative ...READ»

LAW | Comment

Competition in Legalese

BY Kevin OhannessianTue Jun 28, 2005 at 12:14 PM

It was bound to happen: AMD is suing Intel. This is an antitrust lawsuit alleging that Intel coerced PC-makers like Dell and Gateway, and national retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City, to boycott AMD processors. After Microsoft ...READ»

LAW | 5 comments

Unjust Compensation?

Thu Jun 23, 2005 at 4:14 PM

The Supreme Court recently ruled that local governments can seize the homes of private citizens for private development as long as the home owners are given "just compensation." When should business and economic development ...READ»