Over the last couple of decades a number of automakers have transitioned from using real names on their products to often inscrutable alphanumeric nomenclature. This is particularly prevalent in the premium segments with brands like Lincoln dropping names like Continental, Zephyr and Town Car in favor of MKS, MKZ and MKT. This year, +Infiniti announced a transition from it's earlier scheme where each model line had it's own letter such as G, M and EX combined with a number that represented the engine size to a system where all cars are Q with all SUVs being QX each followed by a seemingly random number. 

Ever since Apple announced the iPhone in January 2007, it has been involved in a series of legal disputes over both that name and later the iPad. The problem is that by using a derivative of a real word, it's very difficult to find something that hasn't already been used somewhere. The word's iPhone and iPad had already been used but Apple in their usual arrogant approach pressed ahead and used the names anyway. In most cases they ended up having to reach licensing agreements to use the names, but this is exactly what automakers want to avoid. 

We may not like ridiculous alphanumeric nomenclature, but I suspect we'll have to learn to live with it. 

A federal judge today declared national security letters illegal and banned them. Let's hope this hold up under appeals but unfortunately I'm not too hopeful. 

Reshared post from +Jonathan Askin

BLIP students and I are launching www.firsttodisclose.org today (in advance of America's move tomorrow, March 16, from a “first-to-invent” to a “first-to-file” patent regime).  www.BLIPclinic.org blog

Our objective is to provide a platform for small innovators to post their ideas for the world before a well-heeled enterprise can file a patent on the same idea with the Patent Office.  One consequence of the move from “first to invent” to “first to file” is that it will likely be difficult for small inventors to beat larger enterprises to the patent office with their innovations.  First-to-Disclose is an effort to counterbalance the burden imposed on small inventors.  Info is available at www.firsttodisclose.org

We’ll likely get some minor attention from the patent law community, but I hope the positive ramifications will resonate for years.

When my daughter was up for an upgrade last summer, she opted for the Galaxy S3 but by the time I got my new phone in the fall I went for the +Motorola Mobility Razr Maxx HD and I'm glad I did. Last week my wife had no interest in the Samsung and opted for the superior battery life of the Razr HD over the Droid DNA. 

Reshared post from +Phil Nickinson

+Darren Murph nailed this.

With the departure of Nissan, the team has now adopted a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four based on a Mazda engine and starting at the 12 Hours of Sebring this weekend, it will be running with the big boys in the LMP1 class. Should be fun to watch.