Barely two years after entering the market, Microsoft Corp. said it is quitting the Wi-Fi space, otherwise known as 802.11b. “After careful evaluation, the Microsoft hardware group has decided to scale back its broadband hardware and networking business,” a representative was quoted as saying. “Instead the plan is to apply the knowledge we have gained in that category to future products and services.” Microsoft said it will sell all the products its has rolled out, which include base stations, laptop cards, and USB and PCI add-ons for desktops. It announced its USB product in February. The company did not say why it is opting out of the market, but it lagged behind the competition in unveiling its 802.11g product.
CallWave Inc., which provides services that allow customers to bridge between wireless and home phones and their PCs, said it has filed for an initial public offering to raise up to $69 million. CallWave’s software, which can be downloaded at its Web site, enables customers to identify incoming callers while they are online, then opt to take a message on their PCs, take the call on their home phones, or transfer the call to cell phones. The service starts at $4 per month. The company said it has more than 780,000 paying subscribers and earned $22 million in revenues in 2003.
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court has ruled against CDMA proprietor Qualcomm Inc. in a patent case against Maxim Integrated Products Inc. The court held a contrary view to Qualcomm’s claim that Maxim had no right to sell receivers and transceivers to cell-phone makers because of Qualcomm’s CDMA licenses. Qualcomm sued Maxim for patent infringement in December 2002. In April, Maxim countered with an antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm.
Royal Philips Electronics said it joined the Symbian Platinum Program, which the semiconductor maker said is part of its commitment to mobile multimedia. Philip’s offerings include solutions that support mobile multimedia features, such as audio, video, imaging and connectivity applications; color (touch) screens; built-in cameras; organizer functions; and Internet access.
