May 2012

Microsoft and Motorola Mobility Holdings will get their day in a Seattle court, as a federal judge considers whether they are unfairly wielding patents involving standard technologies.

At issue is whether Motorola has violated its contract for licensing technology considered part of an industry standard. Patent owners are expected to license their technology on reasonable terms once it becomes part of a standard. Motorola's patents for video streaming and Wi-Fi are essential for mobile and entertainment devices and Microsoft adopted them for use in products including its core Windows operating system. Microsoft says Motorola's terms -- royalties of 2.25% on net sales of devices using its technology -- discriminate against major competitors when the patent is a small part of a large device. Microsoft argues that Motorola is breaking its promise to make standard patents available on reasonable terms. "We hope this hearing is a step toward holding Motorola to its commitments," Microsoft deputy general counsel David Howard said in a statement. Motorola says Microsoft rejected its license terms by filing the 2010 lawsuit, relieving it of the obligation to extend a license at all.

The Obama campaign is spending $25 million on an ad buy this month that will target nine swing states, including Ohio and Florida. The announcement by the campaign comes two days after President Barack Obama held his first official campaign rallies and as it released a 60-second spot titled “Go,” touting Obama’s accomplishments and continuing the campaign’s “forward-looking” theme. Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod said their likely opponent Mitt Romney has spent $55 million on ads already in the 2012 campaign and that 90 percent of them have been aimed at his opponents. Axelrod called the Republican super-PACs “Koch brothers contract killers,” and said the campaign will “respond vigorously” to each ad put out by the outside groups.

ABC News and Univision News announced they have agreed in principle to form a multiplatform joint venture targeted to Hispanic Americans in English while providing all audiences with “coverage of current events with a unique perspective.”

The agreement would capitalize on Univision’s news leadership and expertise in reaching U.S. Hispanics and ABC’s global news leadership to serve over 50 million Hispanics, the youngest and fastest-growing demographic in the US, according to ABC. The new 24/7 network will include America’s first English-language channel for English-dominant and bilingual Hispanics, as well as integrated digital and social platforms. It will deliver news content focused on issues, lifestyle interests and culture of importance to Hispanics, and will feature the journalists of ABC News and Univision News. The transaction is subject to the completion of definitive agreements. The two companies said Hispanics represent 16% of the total population in the United States, a number that is projected to double to 30% by 2050. Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of the population, wield considerable spending power of over $1 trillion, and have an increasing impact on social, economic and political trends.

As the general-election season kicks off, President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) will be looking to weave competing narratives out of the same set of numbers, analysts say.

While crucial undecided voters most likely aren't paying attention yet, the campaigns and their affiliated Super PACS are testing out approaches in key swing states. Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, should focus on the economy, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Sabato said the president has a tougher task. "He has to use his ads to convince voters that they are better off, even when they may not feel they are. Selective use of economic data is key," he said. "Obama must stress the positive -- remind viewers of his domestic and foreign-policy accomplishments in his first term." President Obama should also go negative, Sabato said, defining Romney as a change for the worse.