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Google will escape fines in EU antitrust case by promoting rival services
Google has finally reached a settlement in its long-running dispute with the European Commission over the way that it displays search results. From now on, it must give equal visibility to rivals like Bing and Yahoo when it shows ads for its own products and services, like hotel reservations or customer ratings. The EU has been probing Google for over three years now about its practices, and recently said that it would need to substantially improve its offer, and fast, or face a fine of up to $5 billion. Google's competitors accused it of burying their ads in its search results, and a recent offer to display them in a shaded box was sharply rejected. A way of showing such services so that they're "clearly visible" to consumers as equal to Google's will now be determined "objectively," according to the commission. Once that happens, it'll need to comply for at least five years.
Samsung throws money at Ericsson to end smartphone patent war
We prefer it when companies make devices, not courtroom drama, so it's delightful to see that Samsung has silenced another one of its litigation-frenemies this morning. The company has signed a cross-licensing agreement with former Sony beau Ericsson, with a figure of around $650 million being paid up-front, and an undisclosed regular payment to follow. Now that Samsung has appeased both Google and Ericsson, let's hope we can get back to reporting on gadgets, or else we may have to rename this place Enlawsuit. [Original image credit: Wikipedia]
Google and Samsung agree to license each other's patents for 10 years
It's no secret that Google and Samsung need each other given that Samsung dominates Android device sales. It only makes sense, then, that the two companies have just struck a deal to license each other's patents for the next 10 years. In addition to accelerating product research, the agreement should reduce the chances for future patent lawsuits. The move suggests that Samsung isn't keen on burning any bridges -- even if it starts drifting away from Android, it should remain in Google's good books.
Apple reportedly strikes deal to launch iPhone on China Mobile later this month (update: or not)
That was quick -- just hours after China Mobile granted its first 4G licenses, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has reached a deal to launch the iPhone on the giant carrier. China Mobile would stock hardware later in December, likely starting with the recently approved iPhone 5s and 5c variants for the country. Neither side has confirmed the deal just yet. If real, though, it could help Apple recover some lost smartphone market share in the region. With over 700 million subscribers, China Mobile has a large volume of potential customers. Update: Ruh roh. China Mobile told Reuters that it is actually "still negotiating with Apple." But hey, it's just a matter of time, right?
CIA reportedly pays to collect foreign call data from AT&T
The NSA wields its legal authority to collect phone call data from American telecom providers, but the CIA apparently doesn't even need to apply pressure. The New York Times claims that the agency has a years-old voluntary agreement with AT&T that lets it obtain the call records of foreign suspects; the CIA pays $10 million per year in compensation. While the carrier reportedly hides identifying data for American participants, intelligence officers can demand that information as well if they get FBI subpoenas. Both AT&T and the CIA tell the Times that they're obeying the law, but that may not be very reassuring to those who want to keep their international calls private. [Image credit: David Drexler, Flickr]
Renewed Bing deal keeps Twitter posts in your search results
Microsoft has made a big deal of weaving social networking into Bing's search results, and it has just proven that commitment by renewing an agreement with Twitter. The extended pact lets Bing explorers see public tweets alongside the usual web links, making it easy to track down posts from celebrities and friends. It's not clear how long the new deal will last, although Microsoft told TechCrunch that the past four years of working with Twitter have been "great" -- Redmond is clearly in it for the long haul.
AT&T agrees to LTE interoperability with smaller US carriers
Numerous regional US carriers have called for AT&T to support their 700MHz bands, which would give them the LTE devices and roaming coverage they need to compete with national rivals. These networks may soon get their wish: as part of an FCC-led deal, AT&T has agreed to support LTE on the 700MHz A Block frequencies held by smaller providers. While AT&T is short on details, it's already modifying its network to support the additional bands. Compatible devices will arrive in a "reasonable time frame," the telecom giant says. The commitment doesn't address LTE interoperability problems with Verizon and other major US networks, but it should help at least a few tiny carriers stand a fighting chance in the 4G era.
CBS and Time Warner Cable end blackout, programming to resume at 6PM ET today
Well folks, it looks like Time Warner Cable customers will soon get CBS stations back in their living rooms. The two sides have reached an agreement after dropping channels back in July and programming is set to resume at 6PM ET this evening. TWC says that all customers should have channels back in 24 hours at the latest. In a press release announcing the deal, specific terms were not disclosed but they do include retransmission consent alongside Showtime Anytime for VOD and CBS stations in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas. Of course, this means CBS will be up and running on TWC when the NFL regular season kicks off in less than a week's time. For a look at the full statement, venture on past the break.
GenShock electricity-generating active suspension is coming to passenger cars, eventually
Levant Power's energy-producing GenShock suspension has been stuck in limbo for a while, but the company has just announced a deal that could finally put the technology in passenger cars. Automotive component firm ZF has agreed to help develop a GenShock-based active suspension that will both convert road bumps to electricity and smooth out its host vehicle's ride. The system will theoretically offer the comfort of a luxury sedan, the power efficiency of a hybrid and the nimble handling of a sports car. It might even simplify repairs -- since GenShock recovers energy through pumps, it can raise each wheel without needing a jack. ZF doesn't yet know when we'll be driving cars with the new suspension, but the technology is reportedly inexpensive enough that buyers won't require a supercar-level budget.
Lenovo's Windows 8 PCs to bundle SweetLabs' Start menu replacement, app store
Software developers and PC vendors have frequently catered to reluctant Windows 8 buyers with Start menu replicas, and that trend doesn't appear to be slowing down. Lenovo has just reached a deal that will bundle SweetLabs' Pokki suite with its Windows 8 PCs, including a Start menu replacement, an app store and a game arcade. The two companies haven't said which particular systems will first ship with Pokki, although the deal starts with consumer-focused devices and will spread to include multiple PCs across the IdeaCentre, IdeaPad and ThinkPad lines. The SweetLabs agreement should cheer those who want the old Windows experience or an alternative software store. The bundle may prove bittersweet for Microsoft, however -- it usually wants Windows PC buyers to embrace the future.
NetZero strikes deals to use Sprint LTE and Verizon 3G
We like the idea of NetZero's budget-friendly mobile broadband -- just not its use of Clearwire's small, aging WiMAX network. The provider should soon take care of that problem through new MVNO agreements with Sprint and Verizon. The five-year Sprint pact gives NetZero both LTE and EV-DO; the Verizon deal serves more as a safety net, supplying EV-DO alone for three years. Both agreements only take effect in the second quarter of 2014, but they should finally give the NetZero broad coverage and higher peak speeds that it needs to compete with more expensive rivals.
Time Warner Cable reportedly offering incentives to keep video content offline
It's no real secret that TV giants like Time Warner Cable have formal agreements which prevent video from going online -- like it or not, that's the nature of content exclusives and windowing. However, the anti-internet strategy may be considerably murkier. Bloomberg hears from sources that TWC and its peers offer "incentives" to keep video content offline, whether they're sweeter deals or threats of losing existing programming arrangements. While the assertions aren't surprising given a protectionist industry, they're still quite serious -- they suggest that operators unfairly prevent content producers from treating online services as equals to old-fashioned TV. TWC isn't accepting any of the accusations, as you'd imagine. The provider doesn't directly acknowledge Bloomberg's claims in a statement to Engadget; instead, it argues that exclusives of all kinds are virtually necessary for competition. That's a tricky position to hold when many viewers don't like exclusives in the first place, but you can judge its legitimacy for yourself by reading the full statement after the break. [Image credit: TWC Untangled]
US and Canada reach border spectrum sharing deals for broadband
Wireless use along the US-Canada border can be problematic: when there isn't direct interference, there's sometimes a fight over which devices get dibs on given frequencies. Don't worry that the countries will rekindle their old disputes, though -- instead, they've just struck interim deals to share more of their spectrum. Along with harmonizing 700MHz public safety networks, the pacts address AWS (1,700MHz and 2,100MHz), PCS (1,900MHz), 3.7GHz wireless broadband, mesh networks and even WiFi hotspots. When possible, both sides will use contention protocols to automatically resolve any conflicts. While the deals aren't yet final, they should be strong enough to maintain some semblance of peace on the northern airwaves. [Image credit: National Film Board of Canada. Photothèque / Library and Archives Canada]
Google paying $1 to run Provo fiber, must build it out within five years
While it's well-established that Google Fiber's expansion into Provo, Utah hinges on Google buying the city's existing iProvo network, we didn't immediately learn what it took to land the tentative deal. Newly available details of the agreement reveal that the up-front cost is largely in the visitor's favor -- it's the long-term development that rewards the locals. Google only pays $1 to buy the local fiber network, but it has five years to finish upgrades and deployments that could ultimately cost $30 million, according to the Deputy Mayor's estimates. About the only remaining costs for Provo are its already existing (if significant) development loans, and the city can always buy the network back for $1 if things go sour. The pact also leaves the door open to public WiFi, although there are no guarantees that Google will mirror its New York City efforts anytime soon. When the search giant has a very healthy bank balance, we doubt there will be much quibbling over the exact terms; just know that the arrangement isn't strictly one-sided.
Aptina and Sony cross-license their camera patents, Nikon smiles
Sometimes, it's the behind-the-scenes deals that matter the most. See Aptina's newly signed patent cross-licensing agreement with Sony as an example: the pact lets the two imaging veterans use each other's know-how in camera sensors for everything from dedicated cameras through to smartphones and TVs. We know customers of both companies will be glad to see technology spreading beyond corporate borders, but we have a feeling that Nikon will be the happiest. When Nikon is using Aptina sensors in its 1 series mirrorless cameras and Sony sensors in its DSLRs, it's likely to reap the benefits, regardless of which sensor maker got the better deal.
Sky cuts a deal with Disney for exclusive access, launches Sky Movies Disney
In Sky's latest bid (after getting Sony and Warner on the hook) to corner premium viewing content in the UK before rivals including Lovefilm and Netflix get traction, it has announced an extension to its 24-year agreement with Disney. Beyond guaranteeing Disney -- which means Lucasfilm, of course -- Pixar and Marvel flicks will be on Sky (plus Sky Go, and 3D movies on Sky 3D) a year before any other service, it's also creating a new Sky Movies Disney Channel in its lineup that launches March 28th. In order to reach those not with the typical TV package, the deal also brings Disney's movies to Sky's Now TV internet video service for users with a monthly movie pass. We're sure 24 years ago, such deals didn't cover so many devices or avenues of access but snagging exclusives to gain a market advantage has stayed exactly the same.
Kodak licenses its name to JK Imaging for cameras and projectors
Kodak has been offloading many of its signature businesses, and we're seeing a another symbolic changing of the guard today: after deciding to quit digital cameras last year, the company is licensing rights to make Kodak-branded cameras to JK Imaging, a subsidiary of global supplier JA Capital Holdings. No, we're not expecting those names to be immediately recognizable, although the Kodak-badged cameras, pocket camcorders and projectors that should result from the deal will be familiar enough. While it's unfortunate that any future Kodak cameras won't come straight from the original source, we won't judge just yet -- after all, similar deals have led to surprising new directions for some of Kodak's competitors.
Nokia and RIM settle 'all legal action', shake hands on new patent license agreement
Nokia and RIM have decided to make nice (at least after the BlackBerry maker lost some patent scuffles) and are withdrawing any pending legal action in the US, UK and Canada. Instead, RIM will be making both a one-off and on-going payments to Espoo. Although the exact amount it'll be costing the Canadian company is still confidential, it's something that's also likely to affect its next earnings report.
Department of Commerce renews VeriSign control of .com registry, demands price freeze
In many ways, VeriSign has been one of the internet's true arbiters. It's ICANN's official registry operator for .com domains, which lets it determine how (and how much) we pay to get a particularly coveted address. As we're learning, the US Department of Commerce is only comfortable with that state of affairs to a certain point. It just approved a deal renewal that will let VeriSign watch over .com between December 1st this year and November 30th, 2018, but it's requiring that the company drop a previous right to hike registration prices as many as four times, at up to 7 percent, over the length of the term. The current $7.85 price will last unless VeriSign either faces exceptional circumstances or can prove that the market is healthy enough to lift the ceiling. We're sure the business isn't happy when the DOC move dictates how much money it can make, but compulsive domain hunters will enjoy the extra dollars in their pockets.
New agreement lets Facebook and Zynga play the field, still shack up
It wasn't so long ago that Facebook and Zynga were making beautiful music (and money) together, but it seems that each is now looking for a bit of fresh air in the relationship, according to Reuters. A new agreement will give Zynga more freedom to offer games on its own website, while also allowing Facebook to develop its own -- though for now, the social network said it "was not in the business of building games and we have no plans to do so." For its part, Zynga now has the option of opting out of Facebook's payment mechanism and display ads, according to a recent filing by the Farmville maker. Both companies have seen their share of foibles, lately, but Facebook would perhaps be wise to not let its main dance partner too far out of sight -- Zynga still kicks in more than 15 percent of the now-public company's revenue.
