Peter Sayer

Alcatel SA has accused Microsoft Corp. of infringing seven of its U.S. patents. The patents describe how to implement fast-forward and rewind functions in digital video streams, among other things.

Alcatel has filed two suits in Texas claiming Microsoft Corp. infringed seven of its U.S. patents. The patents describe how to implement fast-forward and rewind functions in digital video streams, among other things.

An association representing 400 French book publishers has joined La Martini

Advanced Micro Devices plans to make chips integrating its x86 with a graphics processor on a single piece of silicon by early 2009. The announcement came as AMD completed its $6.08 billion merger with Canadian graphics chip manufacturer ATI Technologies on Wednesday.

Microsoft Corp. and Orange SA will link their instant messaging systems later this year, allowing up to 375 million people to chat with each other using their PC or mobile phone, the companies said Wednesday. In reality, take-up will be much more limited.

Microsoft Corp. said it was on track to launching Windows Vista simultaneously worldwide. Less than a month ago it warned that antitrust problems could delay the launch. It had made changes to Vista to address the concerns the European Commission had expressed and addressed the concerns of South Korea

Accenture Ltd. has walked away from two contracts to deliver regional IT systems and services to the U.K. National Health Service (NHS).

Toshiba Corp. has offered to exchange 340,000 notebook computer batteries, but said they do not pose a fire hazard. Instead, defective batteries could unexpectedly cut power to the notebooks, causing users to lose unsaved work.