Hey, remember that Microsoft / Alcatel-Lucent patent fight from 2006? Yeah, we didn't think so -- but the two companies have been duking it out in court over about ten different patents for a couple years now, and a jury ruled today that Microsoft infringed two user interface-related patents and owes damages to the tune of $376M. The two patents both cover touchscreens, with one describing a system of form data entry, and the other describing stylus data interpretation. Sexy, we know. The jury also found that the Microsoft had not infringed two other Alcatel-Lucent video-decoding patents, but the rulings doesn't mean this is all finally over -- Microsoft is planning on immediately appealing the decision, and there are still several other video-related patents being litigated. Yeah, we're on edges of our seats here -- tune in next time for another excitingly dull installment of Marshall Justice.

Sure, the researchers at Alcatel-Lucent have already sent data 50 miles at 25.6Tbps, but it looks like now they're going for distance rather than speed: the company announced yesterday that it's now pumped bits over a 1584-mile long link at 16.4Tbps. Sure, that's slightly slower than the record, but being able to firehose bits at distances like that is even more impressive, if you ask us (you didn't). The core tech is essentially the same as used in the earlier speed record: bundling several 100Gbps optical signals at different wavelengths into one multiplexed transmission, shooting it down fiber, and splitting it up at the end. This latest test used 164 different channels and updated transmitters and multiplexers to hit the record -- which is fine and all, but guys, if you're not using that old school 25.6Tbps gear anymore we know a few people who are interested.

[Via Slashdot]

In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Lucent Technologies has disclosed the new name of their mega telco-tech merger with Alcatel they announced in April. The newly formed $25 billion company will be formally known as Alcatel Lucent, ending intense rounds of speculation by nobody at all. Everything should be sealed up by the end of year, and Lucent investors will own around 40 percent of combined company, with Alcatel types holding the rest.

[Via The Wireless Report]