According to multiple reports coming out of China, Microsoft is set to partner up with search giant Baidu, as early as next week.

Baidu will take over the paid ads on Bing China, while Microsoft will provide all of the English results for Baidu.

In China, Bing is a very small player, taking less than 5 percent share.

Baidu is the giant, with 76 percent, while Google has a still-relevant 19 percent.

The deal is expected to be announced next week, possibly even Monday.

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The U.S. ITC has ruled in favor of Eastman Kodak this week, claiming the company's camera technology does not violate Apple's patents.

Two of the patents were ruled to not be infringing while the third was "invalid." The decision will go to the six-member ITC for a final review.

Apple opened the case in April 2010, counter-suing Kodak after the camera patent company sued Apple and RIM over patents related to how images are previewed on smartphones.

Kodak's original complaint was also ruled against by the ITC, meaning there have been no winners in this ongoing dispute.

That ruling is headed to the ITC panel for final review, as well.

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Earlier this year, Sony Ericsson sued Clearwire over its logo, claiming it is too similar to its own logo and therefore would confuse consumers, especially if Clearwire eventually came out with smartphones, like it planned.

Says SE:

Over the past year, Sony Ericsson grew concerned that Clearwire's logos were moving progressively closer to Sony Ericsson's registered logo. Since Clearwire also previously announced it would enter the field of mobile devices by launching a smartphone, Sony Ericsson brought the litigation in January 2011 and sought a preliminary injunction against Clearwire to prohibit its further use of the logos.

In response, Clearwire represented to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia that it had no present intention to launch a smartphone. This representation effectively provided Sony Ericsson with much of the emergency relief it sought.

Because Clearwire is no longer planning a phone, Ericsson has dropped the case, but it can bring it back in the future should the same concerns arise.

Pic via AC

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