Intel is the latest company to buy up some patents, but rather than spending billions upon billions of dollars, it seems to have picked up a relative bargain, snapping up RealNetwork’s patents for just over one tenth of a billion, at $120m.

Motorola Mobility has scored an initial victory over Apple in an intellectual property dispute in which Apple alleged that Motorola had violated three of its patents relating to smartphones.

IBM was granted a record number of US patents during 2011.

Microsoft has been granted a patent for a system that generates pedestrian routes taking into consideration a wide range of factors.

Vodafone has sent an email to customers with details on how they can get their hands on the much hyped Galaxy Tab 10.1, the 'iPad killer' previously banned in Australia but finally available down under.

When it comes to software patents, Melbourne developer Ben Sturmfels is sure of one thing: his campaign to end them in their entirety will succeed in the long run.

Another set of patent infringement suits have been filed against major tech companies.

After a bitter and protracted legal battle with iPad maker Apple, Samsung has announced the release of its Android powered rival tablet computer, the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The High Court today denied Apple the right to appeal its earlier decision to allow Samsung to sell its tablet in Australia and lifted the injunction that had been imposed until today.

As Apple and Samsung continue their wrestle to death in the US and a number of other countries, Apple has provided evidence to show that this nasty fight need never have been.

Not long after losing an Australian Federal Court injunction case against Samsung to prevent sales of the iPad 2 lookalike Galaxy tablets, Apple has lost a similar injunction bid in the US. Appeals to higher courts notwithstanding, Apple's court cases could turn around and deliver a vicious bite to its backside.