Posted by Brad Smith & Horacio GutierrezGeneral Counsel & Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft
Today, Microsoft announced a patent cross-licensing agreement with Samsung that will provide coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for Samsung’s mobile phones and tablets. The agreement also gives both companies greater patent coverage relating to each other’s technologies, and opens the door to a deeper partnership in the development of new phones for the Windows Phone platform.
In the context of all the attention intellectual property matters have received in recent months, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the meaning and impact of these agreements. The Samsung license agreement marks the seventh agreement Microsoft has signed in the past three months with hardware manufacturers that use Android as an operating system for their smartphones and tablets. The previous six were with Acer, General Dynamics Itronix, Onkyo, Velocity Micro, ViewSonic and Wistron.
Together with the license agreement signed last year with HTC, today’s agreement with Samsung means that the top two Android handset manufacturers in the United States have now acquired licenses to Microsoft’s patent portfolio.
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Posted by Kim SanchezDirector, Trustworthy Computing Communications, Microsoft
A new Microsoft study shows that before posting personal information online, more than half of U.S. teens and parents don’t truly consider the potential consequences of their actions. Teens recognize the importance of limiting what they share online, yet they still reveal more personal data than their parents. Six in 10 teens also say they have “friends” in their social networks whom they’ve never met in person.
Chances are, you already have a “digital reputation,” and you may not even know it. On the Internet, we create an image of ourselves through the information we share in blogs, comments, tweets, photos, videos and the like. Others add their opinions – both good and bad – and contribute to our online reputations. Anyone can find this information and make judgments. Accordingly, everyone needs to be cognizant of what they’re posting online, and how that aggregated information can tell one’s personal story and shape their digital impression.
Posted by Anthony SalcitoVice President, Worldwide Public Sector Education, Microsoft
Yesterday, I had the privilege of combining my personal passion with my profession on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting to announce that Microsoft will bring digital access to one million students from low-income families. The video of our announcement can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/cgivideos
Microsoft is extending its global Shape the Future program to the United States. Shape the Future has already provided digital access to 10 million students around the world, and is a continuation of Bill Gates’ original vision of a PC for every desktop and home. Now, through Shape the Future, Microsoft is working with public and private partners to ensure access to technology for youth from low-income households through broadband Internet access at a reduced cost and discounted hardware, software and educational training software.
Posted by Horacio GutierrezCorporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft
For six years, Congress has worked to shape a bill to modernize the U.S. patent system. Throughout this process, Microsoft has been a strong supporter of sensible reforms. Today, the Senate takes up HR 1249, the America Invents Act, a measure approved by the House in June. We urge the Senate to pass HR 1249 without amendment.
HR 1249 it builds on the significant progress toward consensus reflected in the Senate’s own patent reform measure, S. 23, and accomplishes the three core goals supported by large majorities in both Houses and a broad range of stakeholders across industries and the university community:
Posted by Jacqueline BeauchereDirector, Trustworthy Computing Communications, Microsoft
Just more than half of U.S. parents say they’ve used family safety software to limit or monitor their child’s Internet use, according to a new study. Parents not using such features, meanwhile, say they have their own household rules in place, or they trust their children to act appropriately when going online.
The Family Online Safety Institute, a global, non-profit organization focused on making the Internet a safer place for children and families, released its first-ever report entitled “Parents’ Views of Online Safety.” The U.S.-wide study, sponsored by Microsoft and other FOSI partners Google, Verizon and AT&T, was released Wednesday during a special presentation in Washington, D.C. focused on online parental controls.