Microchip News: Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM)’s Definitive Agreement, Intel Corporation (INTC)’s Potential Partners & Broadcom Corporation (BRCM)

Qualcomm Assigned Patent (HispanicBusiness)
QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM), San Diego, has been assigned a patent (8,513,089) developed by Arvind Chandrasekaran, San Diego, for a “discontinuous thin semiconductor wafer surface features.” The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A semiconductor wafer has a semiconductor substrate and films on the substrate. The substrate and/or the films have at least one etch line creating a discontinuous surface that reduces residual stress in the wafer. Reducing residual stress in the semiconductor wafer reduces warpage of the wafer when the wafer is thin. Additionally, isolation plugs may be used to fill a portion of the etch lines to prevent shorting of the layers.”

ESPN via Google, Apple or Intel? TV sports giant considers streaming (BizJournals)
ESPN Inc., the self-proclaimed “Worldwide Leader in Sports,” has its eye on another market, and the network is considering tech leaders such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) as potential partners. ESPN President John Skipper tells Bloomberg the Bristol, Conn.-based sports-TV giant is considering teaming up with an online TV provider with some of its more popular channels, such as ESPN and ESPN2, as well as mobile applications – seemingly referring to WatchESPN – offered to existing pay-TV subscribers. He declined to specify which companies have been in talks with ESPN.

Intel Media opens US offices in Internet television push (Dawn)
Setting up shop in Los Angeles’ Santa Monica and New York’s Nolita brings Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) closer to the major TV networks and production studios that the world’s biggest chipmaker must strike deals with to gather content for its live and on-demand service, Intel spokesman Jon Carvill said. Opening the offices is a sign that Intel is committed to moving ahead with the venture even though progress making deals has been slow. Some industry insiders have expressed doubts about Intel’s ability to successfully create a business to challenge traditional cable operators.