Microsoft filed patent infringement complaints against Motorola and its Android phones in the International Trade Commission and U.S. federal court Friday, indicating that the software giant may hope to use its strong patent position as one way to set its mobile software apart from the competition.

Intel has reached a proposed settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in the agency's antitrust complaint, with Intel prohibited from giving computer makers benefits for exclusively using its chips.

And lo, Cupertino speaks at last. Responding to numerous complaints and criticisms about poor cell signal reception on the iPhone 4, Apple has issued a letter on its Website saying that the fault is due not to hardware design, but to the algorithm used to calculate bars of reception.

So what if some iPhones lose reception when the hand covers the antenna? That's your problem, not Apple's. "Non issue," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs told a MacRumors forumgoer via e-mail. "Just avoid holding it in that way." Fair enough, but what about iPhone 4's other reported issues, including screen discoloration, reversed volume buttons, stubborn cameras and scratched glass? If Apple's going to pin the antenna problem on users, why stop there? Here's how the company should handle all those other pesky complaints:

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched a formal investigation into four patent complaints filed against Apple by computer graphics hardware maker S3 Graphics, which asked the agency to block Apple from importing the iPhone, iPad and other products into the U.S.

Intel may be close to settling the antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission late last year.

The U.S. International Trade Commission has agreed to investigate Apple based on a complaint filed by handset maker HTC, the Commission said on Friday.

HTC said it filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission charging Apple with infringing on five patents.

TurboHercules accuses Big Blue of freezing out smaller companies.

The inquiry follows complaints filed by three Google rivals.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has decided to investigate separate complaints made against Sharp and Research In Motion (RIM) that each allege the companies are infringing patents held by the complainants.

Ten privacy and consumer groups, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), filed a complaint Thursday with the U.S.Federal Trade Commission, saying that Facebook's newly revamped privacy settings are deceptive and unfair.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has filed an antitrust-related lawsuit against Intel, charging the world's largest computer chip maker with illegally using its dominant market position to stifle competition and strengthen its monopoly for a decade.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will launch an inquiry into Google Voice, the Web-based voice service, after complaints that the tech giant is blocking some calls.

IBM is facing an antitrust inquiry from the U.S. Department of Justice for recent actions the company has taken in the mainframe computer market, according to the trade group that filed the complaint.

Oracle added copyright and breach-of-contract claims to its list of allegations against the German software vendor in an amended complaint filed Friday in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

The European Commission's complaint against Apple Inc. and the major record labels over a possible violation of European rules on cross-border trade has served to highlight the inconsistencies in how music is released and priced online.

Microsoft Corp. has initiated 97 lawsuits throughout Europe and the Middle East during its eight-month investigation into fraudulent Web pages, with another 32 criminal complaints filed in cooperation with local authorities, the company said Wednesday.