Microsoft deluged with support in its email privacy battle against US government

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Microsoft would prefer if the US Department of Justice (DOJ) refrained from reaching over the ocean and past international law to ransack its Irish servers.

It's been fighting the issue in court since August, when it refused to comply with a warrant for a user's email that was stored in a Dublin data center.

On Monday, much of the tech industry, along with civil rights advocates, backed Microsoft in its legal battle, with more than 75 civil liberties groups, technology companies, trade associations and computer scientists filing legal briefs in support of the software company.

At issue: the DOJ's insistence that it may search Microsoft's overseas servers with a valid US warrant, sidestepping national and international laws that protect such content.

The scope of support for Microsoft's position is unprecedented, its counsel says.

Verizon has said that if the US prevails in this case, it would produce "dramatic conflict with foreign data protection laws."

Apple and Cisco have also come out against the government, saying that the tech sector runs the risk of being sanctioned by foreign governments and that the US should instead seek cooperation with foreign nations via treaties: a position the US has deemed impractical.

The deluge of support that added to these previously filed briefs point to what a precedent-setting case this will be if the company loses - one that would affect the technology world on a global basis, Microsoft Executive Vice President and General Counsel Brad Smith wrote in a blog posting about the outpouring of support:

Seldom has a case below the Supreme Court attracted the breadth and depth of legal involvement we're seeing today. ... This case involves not a narrow legal question, but a broad policy issue that is fundamental to the future of global technology.

Microsoft published the list of backers that filed amicus briefs, including large media outlets such as National Public Radio, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Forbes; leading technology companies such as Verizon, Apple, Amazon, Cisco, Salesforce, HP, eBay, Infor, AT&T, and Rackspace; professors of computer science; civil rights and free speech advocates such as Digital Rights Ireland, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Center for Democracy and Technology; trade groups such as the National Association of Manufacturers and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; and even the US Chamber of Commerce.

The groups and companies are all raising issues similar to those already brought up by Apple, AT&T, Cisco and Verizon, Smith said:

These groups raise a range of concerns about the significant impact this case could have both on the willingness of foreign customers to trust American technology and on the privacy rights of their customers, including US customers if other governments adopt the approach to US datacenters that the US Government is advocating here.

Verizon said in its policy blog that the US government is overreaching:

The law does not allow the US government to use a search warrant to obtain customer data stored overseas. The US Supreme Court has reiterated many times that US statutes are presumed not to have extraterritorial application unless Congress "clearly expressed" its "affirmative intention" to the contrary.

There's good reason why Congress hasn't said that domestic US warrants should apply to data stored offshore, Verizon's Randal Milch wrote. For one thing, the content of private email belongs to a customer, not to a provider.

The DOJ has resisted this argument, claiming that email stored in the cloud ceases to belong exclusively to us, becoming instead the business records of a cloud provider.

Because business records have a lower level of legal protection than personal records, the government claims that it can use its broader authority to reach emails stored anywhere in the world.

But if Microsoft were to give in to the government's demands, it would actually be breaking Irish law, Verizon points out:

Ireland's Minister for Data Protection has made clear that "when governments seek to obtain customer information in other countries they need to comply with the local laws in those countries."

In fact, there are treaties in place that would have dictated whether or not the emails could be dug out of Microsoft's offshore servers. Specifically, the DOJ could have followed procedures under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between the US and Ireland to request the information it needed from the government of Ireland "in a manner consistent with Ireland's laws", Verizon points out.

Why didn't the DOJ go that route? Many suggest that the reason is because it knew full well that it wanted something that was inconsistent with Ireland's laws.

In its latest appeal, Microsoft argued that going outside of well-established treaties and partnerships to get at data wherever it's stored sets a precedent for other countries to do the same and thus threaten the privacy of Americans.

There's good reason why Microsoft and other tech companies store customers' data close to them, Smith said:

As we've said since this case began, tech companies such as Microsoft for good reason store private communications such as email, photos, and documents in datacenters that are located close to our customers. This is so consumers and companies can retrieve their personal information more quickly and securely. For example, we store email in our Irish datacenter for customers who live in Europe.

And even if the treaties need an overhaul, that's no reason to ignore them completely, he suggested:

The US has well-established treaties with countries around the world that allow them to seek the information they need while ensuring that citizens of other countries retain the privacy protections offered by their own laws and Courts. And there's ample opportunity for work to modernize these agreements further.

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Image of data center privacy courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Sony, Microsoft Battle Hackers Over Right to 'Jailbreak' Video Game Systems

Another high-tech and high-stakes copyright battle is brewing—this time between video game console manufacturers such as Microsoft and Sony and the hackers who like to tinker with the devices' inner workings, allowing them to perform new and socially responsible functions, but also perhaps to play pirated media and games.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's Playstation 3 pack an exceptional amount of graphics and computing power at a relatively low price. As tech-savvy consumers and scientists realized this, they began to circumvent the "walled garden" the companies created, using the consoles as cheap computers or number-crunching machines.

University professors, amateur hobbyists, and big-time scientists realized the potential of the Playstation 3's computing power. The United States Air Force networked 1,700 PS3's to form one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. A researcher at the University of Massachusetts used a grid of eight PS3s to simulate gravitational waves. Thousands of amateur game makers began to create "homebrewed" software that could be played on modified Playstation or Xbox systems. Thousands of pirates modified their systems to play "backup" copies of commercial games.

Nearly all of those nonprescribed uses of video game consoles are illegal, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, an expansive law criminalizing digital piracy and the development or modification of devices to allow machines to play pirated media (the USAF has a special agreement with Sony).

[Love and Warcraft: Spouses Being Pushed Aside For Video Games]

A new push by amateur hackers and digital rights activist groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, or EFF, could make "jailbreaking" video game consoles legal under a similar exemption afforded consumers who jailbreak iPhones (a process that allows users to turn their phones into wireless hotspots, install unlicensed software, and achieve a level of customization Apple doesn't provide). The copyright office is taking public input on the subject until Friday, and will likely make a decision soon after.

Andrew Huang, who wrote about modifying an Xbox while studying electrical engineering at MIT and later turned it into a book, argues that jailbreaking allows users to "gain full administrative access" to a video game console to "innovate and take advantage of the device's full potential."

His book includes more than 250 pages detailing how to reverse engineer and modify an Xbox to run homebrewed software developed by amateurs, add USB ports, exploit security holes, and run alternative operating systems such as Linux.

[Sony Says it Has Sold 1.2 Million Playstation Vitas]

The EFF argues the exemption is needed to allow consumers to "use lawfully obtained software of their own choosing," even if it isn't licensed by Microsoft or Sony.

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft and Sony are pushing back hard. In a statement to the U.S. Copyright Office, Sony said jailbreaking "will enable--indeed, may often be intended to facilitate--the unauthorized copying and commercial piracy of a large number of valuable copyrighted works."

It hasn't always been this way. When the Playstation 3 was released in 2006, Sony touted it as an inexpensive computer replacement, and even included a feature that allowed users to run the Linux operating system.

Phil Harrison, then a vice president at Sony, said at the time that the company hoped "that the PS3 will be the place where our users play, watch films, browse the Web … the Playstation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC."

In 2010, hackers found a vulnerability in the company's sanctioned Linux environment that allowed users to play pirated games. It appears that hack soured Sony on the idea of the Playstation-as-computer. It shut down the Linux environment, locking users out from playing homemade games and researchers from modifying the PS3 in the process. In its statement to the copyright office, Sony had a message for homebrew gamers and researchers: Go elsewhere.

View the original article here

NUTS: Hackers Target Government, Apple and Samsung Continue Battle - Forbes (blog)

Jul. 10 2011 - 6:14 am | 1,096 views | 0 recommendations |

Hackers continued their wave of attacks, targeting several politicians including President Obama, while Apple attempts to put a stop to Samsung’s sales in the U.S.

News Under the Sun is a weekly column rounding up all the events on in the mobile industry. Want the news but don’t want it every day? Subscribe to our weekly Facebook or Twitter page.

Hackers Shift to Political Figures

Hacker group “Script Kiddies” gained access to the Twitter account of Fox News and posted a fake message about the assassination of President Obama. White House officials quickly assured the nation of the president’s safety.

Meanwhile, hacktivist group Anonymous targeted Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer by posting photos of a Guy Fawkes mask hanging outside his home, as well as a photoshopped image of two headless police officers. The threats accompanied attacks on the city’s police websites.

Anonymous is proclaiming its disapproval with Orlando’s new policy against feeding the homeless without a license.

Besides political targets, AntiSec, a mix of Anonymous and former LulzSec hackers, broke into an Apple server and collected 26 administrative usernames and passwords. The group claims to have gained entry through a security flaw in third-party software.

The recent spate of attacks prompted European officials to form the International Cyber-Security Protection Alliance, or ICSPA, in an effort to protect organizations against future attacks.

On a positive note, Sony re-launched its PlayStation Network and Qriocity music services in Japan after an 11-week blackout. Nearly 100 million accounts were compromised due to the attacks in April.

Apple Versus Samsung: The Saga Continues

Apple filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission, asking for a ban on Samsung products in the U.S., claiming four of Samsung’s devices — the Galaxy S 4G, Infuse 4G, Droid Charge and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet — violated its iPhone and iPad patents.

In response, Samsung denied the allegations and said it will continue to sell its products until it is legally prevented to do so. The ITC filing hints may offer a faster settlement between the warring companies, since it takes less time to decide than the courts.

Apple’s App Store Breaks Records, Other Break Security

Apple’s App Store platform is expected to surge with apps and e-books at a rate of 39 percent over the next three years, reaching an estimated $13 billion in revenue by 2013.

After debuting in 2008, users have downloaded 15 billion apps. There are now more than 200 million iOS devices worldwide, each with an average of 75 apps.

In total, more than 425,000 apps are currently available in the App Store.

However, the Apple’s popularity has made it a target among hackers. The company acknowledged a security flaw in iOS, allowing attackers to infect users’ devices with malicious software and give them administrative privileges.

Hackers may gain access to information like passwords, online banking data, e-mail and contact information, as well as a person’s camera or calls.

In the courtroom, a judge rejected Apple’s request to stop Amazon from using the “AppStore” name. Apple claims customers may confuse Amazon’s “AppStore” with Apple’s “App Store.”

Amazon is allowed to use its AppStore term up until a trial date for October 2012.

In future products, Apple filed two patents related to augmented reality and transparent touch screens. The AR patent gives Apple a way to populate live photos and video feeds from iPads and iPhones with digital information, allowing users to easily identify unknown objects and places.

The transparent screen patent allows Apple to overlay real-time images with digital data, hinting at improved iPad features in the future.

Cloud Competition Gets Crowded

Swedish-based Spotify is joining the fray in the U.S. The music-streaming service had planned to launch months ago, but licensing negotiations with major record labels delayed its debut.

Meanwhile, Amazon offered unlimited Cloud Drive and Player storage, allowing users to host as much music as they wish for a $20 annual fee.

Consumers unwilling to pay can still host up to 5-gigabytes of music files, as well as upload unlimited files purchased from Amazon. They also receive a free 20-gigabyte storage locker for photos and video.

Verizon Caps Data, Introduces New Phones

Verizon ended its unlimited data plans, ushering in tiered plans starting at $30 a month for 2-gigabytes of data.

Customers already with unlimited contracts can keep their plans for the duration of the contract, but new customers must sign up for capped data plans.

The carrier said about 95 percent of its customers consume less than 2-gigabytes per month, suggesting users will pay the same under the limited plans.

Meanwhile, Verizon plans to sell the Droid Bionic on August 4. The phone packs a 1-gigahertz dual-core chip, 512-megabytes of RAM, a 4.3-inch screen and 8-megapixel camera.

It also unveiled the Motorola Droid 3, which will debut later this summer for $200 with a two-year contract. The device will run on Android 2.3, along with a dual-core processor, 4-inch display, including an 8-megapixel camera capable of capturing 1080p video.

Google+ Sees Familiar Face, NFC Goes Social

Google last week launched its Google+ social network, amid positive reviews. And its most followed member so far is none other than Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

So far, Zuckerberg amassed over 21,000 followers, beating even Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, both with less than 15,000 followers.

Google also launched a Google+ app for Android, which includes a mobile payment component. The app is still in beta, but Nexus device owners can now scan near-field communication, or NFC, tags and post information as a status update on their Google+ accounts

The features blend the world of mobile payments with location check-in sites like Foursquare and Facebook.

The Internet giant is in the courtroom as well. Transcenic filed a complaint against Google, Microsoft and AOL’s MapQuest, claiming Google’s street view-perspective technology, used in Google Maps, violates its patent for collecting and manipulating panoramic imagery.

The Louisiana company is seeking unspecified damages in Federal Delaware District Court.

HTC Sees Profits Rise

HTC posted record sales due to the popularity of its Android phones and a surge in demand from Asia. The company shipped about 11 million units in the April-June period, more than double the total from a year ago.

HTC is pushing ahead by buying chip-designer S3 Graphics for $300 million. The deal gives HTC a portfolio of 235 patents, which it can use to protect itself in the increasingly-heated patent infringement arena, as well as provide it with technology to improve its smartphone lineup.

Nortel Sale Under Investigation

Canadian regulators are investigating the winning $4.5 billion bid for bankrupt telecom Nortel.

Canadian Industry Minister Christian Paradis said the results of the auction, including its 6,000 patents, are subject to the Investment Canada Act, which require the country to gauge whether any foreign investment or acquisition more than $312 million benefits or hurts the country.

A group of major companies including Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Ericsson and Research in Motion won the auction for patents relating to 4G, Wi-Fi, search engines and other telecom areas.

Facebook, Skype Team Up for Video Calling

Facebook announced a partnership with Skype to bring video chat to its 750 million users. The move beefs up Facebook’s offerings before a showdown with Google+. To use the service, people need to download a plug-in for their browsers.

ISPs Cracking Down on Piracy

Internet service providers partnered with entrainment companies to curb online piracy. ISPs agreed to a six-strikes warning program to reprimand those suspected of downloading copyrighted music and movies from sites like BitTorrent.

The Copyright Alert System will monitor users of illegal file-sharing services. If users are caught sharing copyrighted files, the alert system will send users’ ISP a notice to dole out punishment. ISPs can then issue up to six warnings before reducing users’ Internet speeds or suspending services until illegal file-sharing stops.

Government Deals with Online Sexual Material, Cell Phones in Cars

Judge Ralph Beistline struck down an Alaska law that aims to hold adults criminally liable for distributing sexually explicit material to minors over the Internet. Beistline sided with the group of plaintiffs that filed a lawsuit last August, saying such a law violates the First Amendment.

The judge agreed, saying the Internet lacks a reliable mechanism for verifying the age of Internet users.

Meanwhile, the Governors Highway Safety Association, or GHSA, concluded cell phone use while driving increases the chance of crashing. The group studied over 350 scientific papers released since 2000, and found a link between texting and higher risks while driving, but it remains inconclusive on how to prevent phone-related car crashes.

But, the GHSA did agree with a ban on cell phone use for teenaged drivers, who are the highest risk for crashes.

Meanwhile, New Jersey ruled tracking one’s spouse by GPS legal and not an invasion of privacy.

The case originated when Kenneth Villanova’s wife suspected he was cheating but couldn’t confirm this as the private investigator she hired was unable to follow the suspected husband. She then placed a GPS unit in the glove compartment of the vehicle they owned together, eventually tracing him to another woman’s driveway.

Nokia Firesale, Store Closure

Nokia announced it will cut prices on its current line of smartphones, including the popular N8, C7 and E6 models, by 15 percent in Europe, as it readies the release of its Windows phones next year. Nokia claims these cuts are normal and part of on-going business.

Meanwhile, the company is shutting down its Vertu luxury mobile phone stores in Japan. The company said it will continue to do business with Japanese craftsmen on products sold in other markers.

Microsoft Targets Samsung

Microsoft is seeking $15 for each Android device Samsung sells because of alleged patent infringement. If Microsoft demands payment, Samsung may be looking at a shelling out $45 million to Microsoft for past Galaxy S 2 sales alone.

Samsung aims to negotiate a lower fee of $10 per device, in exchange for a deeper partnership with Microsoft to create smartphones using the Windows Phone platform.

It’s a Sad World for RIM

RIM fell to third place behind Apple and Google. The once-strong company now controls just 24 percent of the market, behind Apple’s 26 and Google’s 38, according to ComScore.

Last week, the company agreed to conduct an independent study to determine the effectiveness of a leadership change, much to the chagrin of investment firm of Glass Lewis & Co.

The investor had wanted to conduct a vote over whether to split up RIM’s executive roles at this year’s shareholders meeting. The firm says a change, not a study, is needed to fix the company.

Sprint May Finally Get iPhone

Sprint may add the iPhone to its lineup before Christmas, according to Citadel Securities. If so, the company may attract customers since it is the last U.S. carrier to offer unlimited data plans.

The iPhone is expected to boost Sprint’s fortunes, especially if it struggles to survive in a post-AT&T and T-Mobile merger.

Cell Phones May Not Cause Cancer After All

A group of experts from the U.S., U.K. and Sweden found no convincing evidence linking cell phone use to cancer. The group also added there is little evidence to suggest radio signals trigger tumors. But committee cannot definitively say there is no connection at all between the two.

Meanwhile, a group of researchers are using smartphones to diagnose cataracts.

A team of MIT scientists developed the Catra System, which allows a user to look through an eyepiece that slides onto a smartphone or other mobile devices like tablets. The patient sees lines on the screen and pushes a button when the lines start to cloud. If there are enough lines that look cloudy, Catra diagnoses the cataract and recommends treatment.

Samsung Profits Dip, Sends Nexus S to Space

Samsung profits took a significant hit, even after the success of its Galaxy tablets. The company’s ongoing dispute with Apple casts doubt on the company’s future, especially if Samsung is forced to pay Apple for patent infringement.

Meanwhile, the company’s Nexus S phone joined rival Apple’s iPhone in space aboard the Atlantis space shuttle. The device is set to conduct several experiments with its computing power and camera.

Obama Holds Twitter Town Hall Meeting

President Barack Obama received nearly 170,000 questions and comments at his Twitter town hall meeting. The event was moderated by Twitter co-founder and chairman Jack Dorsey.

More than a quarter of the questions dealt with jobs, while 10 percent were about education. This was the first-ever online, live presidential town hall meeting.

Ebay Strengthens PayPal Service

Ebay purchased mobile payment provider Zong for $240 million. Ebay plans to connect the service’s 3.2 billion users and 250 wireless carriers with PayPal.

Shoppers use Zong to pay for items with their mobile phones by entering their mobile phone numbers, which Zong then verifies the transaction and charges the customer’s cell phone bill.

Japan Strikes… Metal

Japanese researchers reportedly found gadolinium, lutetium, terbium and dysprosium in the mud beneath the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. These are the same metals needed to make iPhones, iPads and other gadgets.

Experts believe the find could total billions of tons of materials, which could be more than 1,000 times the amount found in land sources locally mostly in China.

News Under the Sun is a weekly column rounding up all the events on in the mobile industry. Want the news but don’t want it every day? Subscribe to our weekly Facebook or Twitter page.

This post originally appeared at Mobiledia.

View the original article here

NUTS: Hackers Target Government, Apple and Samsung Continue Battle

Hackers continued their wave of attacks, targeting several politicians including President Obama, while Apple attempts to put a stop to Samsung's sales in the U.S.

News Under the Sun is a weekly column rounding up all the events on in the mobile industry. Want the news but don't want it every day? Subscribe to our weekly Facebook or Twitter page.

Hackers Shift to Political Figures

Hacker group "Script Kiddies" gained access to the Twitter account of Fox News and posted a fake message about the assassination of President Obama. White House officials quickly assured the nation of the president's safety.

Meanwhile, hacktivist group Anonymous targeted Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer by posting photos of a Guy Fawkes mask hanging outside his home, as well as a photoshopped image of two headless police officers. The threats accompanied attacks on the city's police websites.

Anonymous is proclaiming its disapproval with Orlando's new policy against feeding the homeless without a license.

Besides political targets, AntiSec, a mix of Anonymous and former LulzSec hackers, broke into an Apple server and collected 26 administrative usernames and passwords. The group claims to have gained entry through a security flaw in third-party software.

The recent spate of attacks prompted European officials to form the International Cyber-Security Protection Alliance, or ICSPA, in an effort to protect organizations against future attacks.

On a positive note, Sony re-launched its PlayStation Network and Qriocity music services in Japan after an 11-week blackout. Nearly 100 million accounts were compromised due to the attacks in April.

Apple Versus Samsung: The Saga Continues

Apple filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission, asking for a ban on Samsung products in the U.S., claiming four of Samsung's devices -- the Galaxy S 4G, Infuse 4G, Droid Charge and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet -- violated its iPhone and iPad patents.

In response, Samsung denied the allegations and said it will continue to sell its products until it is legally prevented to do so. The ITC filing hints may offer a faster settlement between the warring companies, since it takes less time to decide than the courts.

Apple's App Store Breaks Records, Other Break Security

Apple's App Store platform is expected to surge with apps and e-books at a rate of 39 percent over the next three years, reaching an estimated $13 billion in revenue by 2013.

After debuting in 2008, users have downloaded 15 billion apps. There are now more than 200 million iOS devices worldwide, each with an average of 75 apps.

In total, more than 425,000 apps are currently available in the App Store.

However, the Apple's popularity has made it a target among hackers. The company acknowledged a security flaw in iOS, allowing attackers to infect users' devices with malicious software and give them administrative privileges.

Hackers may gain access to information like passwords, online banking data, e-mail and contact information, as well as a person's camera or calls.

In the courtroom, a judge rejected Apple's request to stop Amazon from using the "AppStore" name. Apple claims customers may confuse Amazon's "AppStore" with Apple's "App Store."

Amazon is allowed to use its AppStore term up until a trial date for October 2012.

In future products, Apple filed two patents related to augmented reality and transparent touch screens. The AR patent gives Apple a way to populate live photos and video feeds from iPads and iPhones with digital information, allowing users to easily identify unknown objects and places.

The transparent screen patent allows Apple to overlay real-time images with digital data, hinting at improved iPad features in the future.

Cloud Competition Gets Crowded

Swedish-based Spotify is joining the fray in the U.S. The music-streaming service had planned to launch months ago, but licensing negotiations with major record labels delayed its debut.

Meanwhile, Amazon offered unlimited Cloud Drive and Player storage, allowing users to host as much music as they wish for a $20 annual fee.

Consumers unwilling to pay can still host up to 5-gigabytes of music files, as well as upload unlimited files purchased from Amazon. They also receive a free 20-gigabyte storage locker for photos and video.

Verizon Caps Data, Introduces New Phones

Verizon ended its unlimited data plans, ushering in tiered plans starting at $30 a month for 2-gigabytes of data.

Customers already with unlimited contracts can keep their plans for the duration of the contract, but new customers must sign up for capped data plans.

The carrier said about 95 percent of its customers consume less than 2-gigabytes per month, suggesting users will pay the same under the limited plans.

Meanwhile, Verizon plans to sell the Droid Bionic on August 4. The phone packs a 1-gigahertz dual-core chip, 512-megabytes of RAM, a 4.3-inch screen and 8-megapixel camera.

It also unveiled the Motorola Droid 3, which will debut later this summer for $200 with a two-year contract. The device will run on Android 2.3, along with a dual-core processor, 4-inch display, including an 8-megapixel camera capable of capturing 1080p video.

Google+ Sees Familiar Face, NFC Goes Social

Google last week launched its Google+ social network, amid positive reviews. And its most followed member so far is none other than Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

So far, Zuckerberg amassed over 21,000 followers, beating even Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, both with less than 15,000 followers.

Google also launched a Google+ app for Android, which includes a mobile payment component. The app is still in beta, but Nexus device owners can now scan near-field communication, or NFC, tags and post information as a status update on their Google+ accounts

The features blend the world of mobile payments with location check-in sites like Foursquare and Facebook.

The Internet giant is in the courtroom as well. Transcenic filed a complaint against Google, Microsoft and AOL's MapQuest, claiming Google's street view-perspective technology, used in Google Maps, violates its patent for collecting and manipulating panoramic imagery.

The Louisiana company is seeking unspecified damages in Federal Delaware District Court.

HTC Sees Profits Rise

HTC posted record sales due to the popularity of its Android phones and a surge in demand from Asia. The company shipped about 11 million units in the April-June period, more than double the total from a year ago.

HTC is pushing ahead by buying chip-designer S3 Graphics for $300 million. The deal gives HTC a portfolio of 235 patents, which it can use to protect itself in the increasingly-heated patent infringement arena, as well as provide it with technology to improve its smartphone lineup.

Nortel Sale Under Investigation

Canadian regulators are investigating the winning $4.5 billion bid for bankrupt telecom Nortel.

Canadian Industry Minister Christian Paradis said the results of the auction, including its 6,000 patents, are subject to the Investment Canada Act, which require the country to gauge whether any foreign investment or acquisition more than $312 million benefits or hurts the country.

A group of major companies including Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Ericsson and Research in Motion won the auction for patents relating to 4G, Wi-Fi, search engines and other telecom areas.

Facebook, Skype Team Up for Video Calling

Facebook announced a partnership with Skype to bring video chat to its 750 million users. The move beefs up Facebook's offerings before a showdown with Google+. To use the service, people need to download a plug-in for their browsers.

ISPs Cracking Down on Piracy

Internet service providers partnered with entrainment companies to curb online piracy. ISPs agreed to a six-strikes warning program to reprimand those suspected of downloading copyrighted music and movies from sites like BitTorrent.

The Copyright Alert System will monitor users of illegal file-sharing services. If users are caught sharing copyrighted files, the alert system will send users' ISP a notice to dole out punishment. ISPs can then issue up to six warnings before reducing users' Internet speeds or suspending services until illegal file-sharing stops.

Government Deals with Online Sexual Material, Cell Phones in Cars

Judge Ralph Beistline struck down an Alaska law that aims to hold adults criminally liable for distributing sexually explicit material to minors over the Internet. Beistline sided with the group of plaintiffs that filed a lawsuit last August, saying such a law violates the First Amendment.

The judge agreed, saying the Internet lacks a reliable mechanism for verifying the age of Internet users.

Meanwhile, the Governors Highway Safety Association, or GHSA, concluded cell phone use while driving increases the chance of crashing. The group studied over 350 scientific papers released since 2000, and found a link between texting and higher risks while driving, but it remains inconclusive on how to prevent phone-related car crashes.

But, the GHSA did agree with a ban on cell phone use for teenaged drivers, who are the highest risk for crashes.

Meanwhile, New Jersey ruled tracking one's spouse by GPS legal and not an invasion of privacy.

The case originated when Kenneth Villanova's wife suspected he was cheating but couldn't confirm this as the private investigator she hired was unable to follow the suspected husband. She then placed a GPS unit in the glove compartment of the vehicle they owned together, eventually tracing him to another woman's driveway.

Nokia Firesale, Store Closure

Nokia announced it will cut prices on its current line of smartphones, including the popular N8, C7 and E6 models, by 15 percent in Europe, as it readies the release of its Windows phones next year. Nokia claims these cuts are normal and part of on-going business.

Meanwhile, the company is shutting down its Vertu luxury mobile phone stores in Japan. The company said it will continue to do business with Japanese craftsmen on products sold in other markers.

Microsoft Targets Samsung

Microsoft is seeking $15 for each Android device Samsung sells because of alleged patent infringement. If Microsoft demands payment, Samsung may be looking at a shelling out $45 million to Microsoft for past Galaxy S 2 sales alone.

Samsung aims to negotiate a lower fee of $10 per device, in exchange for a deeper partnership with Microsoft to create smartphones using the Windows Phone platform.

It's a Sad World for RIM

RIM fell to third place behind Apple and Google. The once-strong company now controls just 24 percent of the market, behind Apple's 26 and Google's 38, according to ComScore.

Last week, the company agreed to conduct an independent study to determine the effectiveness of a leadership change, much to the chagrin of investment firm of Glass Lewis & Co.

The investor had wanted to conduct a vote over whether to split up RIM's executive roles at this year's shareholders meeting. The firm says a change, not a study, is needed to fix the company.

Sprint May Finally Get iPhone

Sprint may add the iPhone to its lineup before Christmas, according to Citadel Securities. If so, the company may attract customers since it is the last U.S. carrier to offer unlimited data plans.

The iPhone is expected to boost Sprint's fortunes, especially if it struggles to survive in a post-AT&T and T-Mobile merger.

Cell Phones May Not Cause Cancer After All

A group of experts from the U.S., U.K. and Sweden found no convincing evidence linking cell phone use to cancer. The group also added there is little evidence to suggest radio signals trigger tumors. But committee cannot definitively say there is no connection at all between the two.

Meanwhile, a group of researchers are using smartphones to diagnose cataracts.

A team of MIT scientists developed the Catra System, which allows a user to look through an eyepiece that slides onto a smartphone or other mobile devices like tablets. The patient sees lines on the screen and pushes a button when the lines start to cloud. If there are enough lines that look cloudy, Catra diagnoses the cataract and recommends treatment.

Samsung Profits Dip, Sends Nexus S to Space

Samsung profits took a significant hit, even after the success of its Galaxy tablets. The company's ongoing dispute with Apple casts doubt on the company's future, especially if Samsung is forced to pay Apple for patent infringement.

Meanwhile, the company's Nexus S phone joined rival Apple's iPhone in space aboard the Atlantis space shuttle. The device is set to conduct several experiments with its computing power and camera.

Obama Holds Twitter Town Hall Meeting

President Barack Obama received nearly 170,000 questions and comments at his Twitter town hall meeting. The event was moderated by Twitter co-founder and chairman Jack Dorsey.

More than a quarter of the questions dealt with jobs, while 10 percent were about education. This was the first-ever online, live presidential town hall meeting.

Ebay Strengthens PayPal Service

Ebay purchased mobile payment provider Zong for $240 million. Ebay plans to connect the service's 3.2 billion users and 250 wireless carriers with PayPal.

Shoppers use Zong to pay for items with their mobile phones by entering their mobile phone numbers, which Zong then verifies the transaction and charges the customer's cell phone bill.

Japan Strikes... Metal

Japanese researchers reportedly found gadolinium, lutetium, terbium and dysprosium in the mud beneath the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. These are the same metals needed to make iPhones, iPads and other gadgets.

Experts believe the find could total billions of tons of materials, which could be more than 1,000 times the amount found in land sources locally mostly in China.

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This post originally appeared at Mobiledia.

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