nortel

When Apple, Microsoft and four other technology companies spent $4.5 billion on the patent collection of bankrupt telecommunications giant Nortel nearly a year ago, the big question was where all that intellectual property would end up.

Wired's Robert McMillan today clears that up in a feature about Rockstar Bidco, the consortium comprising Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Sony, which successfully beat out a team consisting of Google and Intel for the collection last June.

The company, which now goes simply by the name of Rockstar, has control of 4,000 of the 6,000 patents … Read more

The consortium of companies who successfully bid on Nortel's patent portfolio last year today received the go-ahead from the U.S. Department of Justice to proceed with the acquisition.

That deal was struck last June by the Rockstar Bidco consortium--a group of companies led by Apple that sought ownership of some 6,000 patents and patent applications from the bankrupt Canadian telecom equipment maker.

The deal was put on hold following a DOJ investigation into the effects of the sale, which had a mandated waiting period that expired today.

"We are pleased to emerge from this review process, … Read more

Nortel Networks was the victim of a series of cyberattacks likely originating from China for almost 10 years, but the company ultimately failed to defend itself, says The Wall Street Journal.

Citing an internal investigation by former Nortel systems security adviser Brian Shields, the Journal (subscription required) found that hackers apparently based in China carried on a decade-long campaign of stealing technical papers, R&D reports, employee e-mails, and other sensitive documents from the network company.

By grabbing just seven passwords from top Nortel execs back in 2000, the hackers managed to gain access to the company's network … Read more

As Microsoft's Mark Murray was wont to say on another occasion: It's a good day for Microsoft. Today also turned out to be a good day for Google, Apple, and, yes, even RIM.

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Justice gave the green light to the sale of a trove of old patents once held by Nortel and Novell. The new patent holders are now free to create new and exciting technologies--or they can try to use their patents as legal clubs to batter rivals into submission. It's a free country.

This is all part of … Read more

The purchase of a number of Nortel Networks patents by a partnership that includes Apple, Microsoft, and Research In Motion has passed antitrust scrutiny, the U.S. Department of Justice said today.

The DOJ's antitrust division came to the same conclusion on Apple's planned acquisition of certain Novell patents, and of Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility Holdings, according to this statement:

After a thorough review of the proposed transactions, the Antitrust Division has determined that each acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition and has closed these three investigations. In all of the transactions, the division conducted … Read more

Despite last month's $4.5 billion sale of Nortel's patent portfolio wrapping up this week, government scrutiny over what its buyers intend to do with the patents continues, a new report says.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is "intensifying" an investigation of the portfolio buyers to see whether they plan on launching litigation against competitors, specifically ones using Google's Android.

That consortium of technology companies, comprising Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Sony, beat out Google, Intel, and others for ownership of the portfolio containing some … Read more

While many secrets remain about how Nortel's patent portfolio, which sold last month for $4.5 billion, is going to be controlled by the consortium of companies that pooled together to purchase it, how much Apple put into the deal is now out in the open. And the figure is a whopper.

Culling through the company's 10-Q (PDF), which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Business Insider this morning pulled out the total of Apple's stake, which was listed in a section about contractual obligations.

"On June 27, 2011, the Company, … Read more

A consortium of companies that includes Apple and Microsoft has been given the OK by courts in the U.S. and Canada to buy some 6,000 patents and patent applications from Nortel Networks.

Reuters reports that judges from both countries approved the sale in a joint hearing held earlier today.

Late last month, Nortel's patent portfolio was sold to a consortium of technology companies comprising Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Sony. The group beat out rivals including Intel and Google with a $4.5 billion bid for the intellectual property, which included patents and patent … Read more

How dominant can Google's Android operating system become? Dominant enough for almost an entire industry of rivals to play a $4.5 billion game of patent keep away. Now it's time to rev up the lawsuits.

Last week, a consortium that included Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Sony won 6,000 Nortel patents for a cool $4.5 billion. Google had started the bidding with a $900 million stalking horse bid, reportedly got cute with pi-related offers, and lost its best chance to defend Android in the courtroom. Nortel's patents are one swell swan … Read more