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Facebook is set to pay Microsoft USD 550 million for 650 patents recently auctioned by AOL in its effort to boost its IP for the looming litigation against Yahoo.   Under pressure from its stockholders to make changes to prevent further revenue fall, AOL was obliged to sell and license over 800 patents to Microsoft on April 9. It would retain over 300 applications and patents after the auction.   Aside from the 800 patents bought by Microsoft, AOL will also give them license to 300 patents it has retained for a tag of USD 1.056 billion. Thus, Microsoft ultimately acquired 925 AOL patent applications and patents, 650 of which will go to Facebook. The 2 firms has also agreed to license their patent holdings to each other.   It is not yet clear what technologies Facebook has acquired rights to or those that has remained with Microsoft. But considering that the legal battle with Yahoo concerns messaging, social networking, etc, it looks like Facebook would want to have ammunition of its own.   According to a statement from Springhill Group Home, the deal with Facebook has allowed Microsoft to at least recoup more than half of its costs while accomplishing its goals from the auction of AOL. However, it cannot be readily said that Microsoft has really profited from the agreement as patent valuing is a complicated process.   Microsoft has a relatively long history of close relationship with the social network giant. In 2007, it has invested USD 240 million in  Facebook, giving it a 1.6% stake. Since then, the 2 firms have had collaborations like Microsoft's Bing search and search ad technologies being used on Facebook. Its video chat technology also comes from Microsoft as it has acquired Skype last year.   On the other hand, Microsoft also has a close business relationship with Yahoo as Bing powers their advertising and search engine. Yahoo has filed a lawsuit against Facebook for allegedly infringing 10 of its patents covering online ad technology. F

Facebook is set to pay Microsoft USD 550 million for 650 patents recently auctioned by AOL in its effort to boost its IP for the looming litigation against Yahoo.   Under pressure from its stockholders to make changes to prevent further revenue fall, AOL was obliged to sell and license over 800 patents to Microsoft on April 9. It would retain over 300 applications and patents after the auction.   Aside from the 800 patents bought by Microsoft, AOL will also give them license to 300 patents it has retained for a tag of USD 1.056 billion. Thus, Microsoft ultimately acquired 925 AOL patent applications and patents, 650 of which will go to Facebook. The 2 firms has also agreed to license their patent holdings to each other.   It is not yet clear what technologies Facebook has acquired rights to or those that has remained with Microsoft. But considering that the legal battle with Yahoo concerns messaging, social networking, etc, it looks like Facebook would want to have ammunition of its own.   According to a statement from Springhill Group Home, the deal with Facebook has allowed Microsoft to at least recoup more than half of its costs while accomplishing its goals from the auction of AOL. However, it cannot be readily said that Microsoft has really profited from the agreement as patent valuing is a complicated process.   Microsoft has a relatively long history of close relationship with the social network giant. In 2007, it has invested USD 240 million in  Facebook, giving it a 1.6% stake. Since then, the 2 firms have had collaborations like Microsoft's Bing search and search ad technologies being used on Facebook. Its video chat technology also comes from Microsoft as it has acquired Skype last year.   On the other hand, Microsoft also has a close business relationship with Yahoo as Bing powers their advertising and search engine. Yahoo has filed a lawsuit against Facebook for allegedly infringing 10 of its patents covering online ad technology. F

"Internet Marketing & SEO Forum - 12 ON YOUR SIDE: Warning about loan offer text message - Springhill Home Loans Group Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Isabella Amber, Today at 9:54 PM. Isabella Amber New Member RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Not every text that shows up on your phone is legit. Some messages come with potential danger. 12 On Your Side investigates a text that appears to be from an international financial institution - but it's not. If you get a text directing you to a company promising cash right now, and bad credit is ok, delete the message and spare yourself the trouble. It may not be a scam, but you could wind up paying a lot for a small loan. Mary Presley had suspicions from the start that the text on her cell is a bait-and-hook fraud. It claims to come from Wells Fargo Bank - that's the bait. "Wells Fargo has approved you for a $1000 cash loan wired to your account in 24 hours!" It instructs Presley, who's been looking for a job since she got laid off in December, to apply for the fast cash advance from her mobile phone online at cashin2hrs.com. That's the hook - Presley did not grab. "People have a hard enough time now," said Presley. "If these people that do this kind of thing, would work as hard at a legitimate job, they could be millionaires." When you click on cashin2hrs.com, payday lending options pop up. A long list of short-term loan offers entice people desperate for emergency cash. Filling out the application means giving up personal and banking information. The same text that Presley reported, I forwarded to Wells Fargo Corporate Communications. "That text message is not endorsed by Wells Fargo," said Kristy Marshall. "We do not contact our customers in that form." Also, online payday loans are illegal in Virginia. It's ok to search for a lender online, and even fill out an application, that's all legal - but the deal must be closed face-to-face. These type messages are prevalent and have many different company names and numbers attac

South Korea Group of Springhill | edublogs.org May 22, '12 12:35 AM by SpringHill for everyone http://tonybricks96.edublogs.org/ http://tonybricks96.edublogs.org/2012/05/21/scrap-n-test-china-tells-n-korea/ China has been quietly and gently pressuring North Korea to scrap plans for a third nuclear test, said two sources with knowledge of closed-door discussions between the countries, but there is no indication how Pyongyang will react. If North Korea goes ahead with the test, China would consider taking some retaliatory steps, but they would not be substantive, a source with ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said. North Korea has almost completed preparations for the test, Reuters had reported in late April, a step that would further isolate the impoverished state after last month's failed rocket launch that the United States says was a ballistic missile test. "China is unhappy … and urged North Korea not to conduct a nuclear test near Changbai Mountain," said the source, who declined to be identified. China feared a radiation leak and damage to the environment from a blast, the source added. "China also complained about the environmental damage to the area after the first two tests." When North Korea conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, it caused environmental damage to the mountain straddling the border with China. North Korea ceded part of the mountain to China in 1963. It was unclear if the secretive North Korean government, typically unwilling to bow to outside pressure, would defer or drop the plans. China is the closest thing to an ally that North Korea has. "The impact on China's northeast would be huge," the source said of a third test. Chinese officials have discussed whether threats of diplomatic action would be effective, but any action might be restricted to some economic measures to signal China's displeasure and would not affect vital food aid for North Korea, the source said. A Western diplomat, who also asked n

Business owners take all possible steps to ensure customer satisfaction. One of the most successful and recommended strategies in this regard is to begin with a virtual receptionist service. This service brings in extra representatives for a business and eases the lives of the customers. When the customers have questions or queries to be answered or any problems to be solved, they try to reach the authoritative body telephonically and it is not uncommon for them for not having to been able to do so. This is where the need for virtual receptionists comes in. Virtual receptionists are basically persons who work for the customer support but do not work from the office or any specified location.