The patent wars: a lawyer’s perspective
The Economist recently commented on the US$12,5bn bid by Google to acquire Motorola Mobility, the search giant’s biggest-ever deal. The magazine noted that the attraction for Google is not principally Motorola’s 19 000 employees, or even its 11% share of the US
Understanding SA’s place in the patent wars
The patent wars in the technology industry are intensifying. Google’s proposed US$12,5bn acquisition of Motorola Mobility is regarded as a defensive move by the search giant to buy up a patent portfolio to protect itself from companies like Apple that are
New adult domain: companies need to act
Companies have been urged to protect their trademarks online following the decision earlier this year by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) to introduce a new top-level Internet domain for the adult entertainment industry. Mike du Toit
Password abuse costs businesses billions
The South African economy loses about R150bn per year to white collar crime, most of which can be attributed to technology security breaches within a business. That’s the word from Steven Powell, head of forensics at law firm Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs.
‘Cell ©’ okay for now, says top lawyer
Cell C can continue using its controversial new branding, which includes a design that resembles the copyright symbol. There’s even a “reasonable possibility” it will be successful in registering “Cell ©” as a trademark, despite the fact that various applications it made in December 2009 have been “provisionally declined” by the Registrar of Trademarks. These are the views of Don MacRobert, one of the country’s leading intellectual property and trademarks lawyers, who says the cellular operator can continue using the branding despite the registrar’s decision, which was handed down on 2 August, just two days before Cell C unveiled its new branding.
Greg Mahlknecht: 
Steven Zahl: 
BritinSA: