August 2014

A patent dispute lawsuit Microsoft has just brought against Samsung could have wide-reaching impact on the Windows Phone business.

Microsoft has enjoyed a pretty sweet deal by collecting a royalty, widely believed to be several dollars for every phone that uses Google’s Android operating system. Exactly what patents, and how, is a long and complicated story: suffice it to say that most of the industry has gone along. This has given Microsoft a steady revenue stream from one of its main rivals in the mobile world. In addition, it has helped Microsoft position Windows Phone as the more economical alternative to Android as Microsoft now gives away Windows Phone to licensees and does not collect a royalty fee on these patents from them. Since device makers have to pay Microsoft for Android, it is no longer free. But Samsung has thrown a wrench in the lucrative arrangement by threatening to stop paying the royalty altogether. To be clear, Samsung didn’t deny Microsoft’s patent claims; rather, it seems to be claiming that Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia somehow invalidates the 2011 deal with Microsoft under which it agreed to pay the patent royalty.

The Department of Energy released its plan to implement a White House directive aimed at opening up more federally funded research to the public. But some access advocates, such as Heather Joseph, the executive director of Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), say the policy "falls short in some key areas." Among the complaints is that there's a lack of clarity around reuse rights. Under the DOE plan, publishers retain their rights under copyright to their version of the research, while the metadata in PAGES will be in the public domain.

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a draft eligible services list (ESL) for the schools and libraries universal support mechanism (also known as the E-rate program) for funding year 2015.

In the E-rate Modernization Order, among other things, the FCC restructures the ESL into category one and category two services, streamlines the list of eligible internal connections components to focus support on those services and components needed for broadband connectivity within schools and libraries, and eliminates other services and components beginning in funding year 2015. The draft ESL the FCC releases with this public notice implements the changes required by the E-rate Modernization Order. The FCC seeks comment on the draft ESL for funding year 2015. Commenters should highlight whether the draft manifests the FCC’s decisions and intent in the E-rate Modernization Order, and to the extent that they find additional changes are necessary, we encourage commenters to be as detailed as possible with their recommendations.

ABC owned KGO San Francisco and Univision owned KDTV will “strategically collaborate” on stories of interest to both of their audiences, both stations announced. They will cross promote newscasts and share “unique” news content. ABC and Univision are increasingly collaborating around the nation. Disney/ABC Television Network and Univision created the news and pop culture channel Fusion in October 2013, and WPVI (ABC) and WUVP (Univision) partner on some stories too.