Microsoft denied "Killer Instinct" trademark, as Microsoft-Google patent fight rests on "fairness" definition and Motorola is denied injuction against Microsoft in patent suit. Microsoft-Intel push to combat Apple in tablet space, meanwhile, seen as "sputtering."

American Suzuki forges ahead with incentives amid US wind down.

Apple wins six new design patents, sees increasing pricing tension with retailers and Steve Jobs bio pic starring Ashton Kutcher heading to Sundance.

Applebee's plans to open "green" restaurant in New York's Harlem where Hot Bread Kitchen is a rising local brand.

Balenciaga hires designer Alexander Wang as creative chief.

Baxter agrees to buy medical-equipment maker Gambro in company's biggest acquisition.Continue reading...

Airbus designs new way to build planes and scraps sales target for A380.

Amazon tests a smartphone.

American Airlines opens door to merger with U.S. Airways.

Apple pulls game with Japanese Ninjas invading island chain.

Barclays former CEO Bob Diamon hits back at U.K. lawmakers over interest-rate scandal.

Drew Brees nears becoming highest-paid player in NFL history.

Expedia features real travelers' experiences in new campaign.

John Varvatos taps British musician Paul Weller as new face.Continue reading...

LVMH acquires storied French luxury brand Arnys.

Nokia to cut 10,000 jobs, sells Vertu luxury brand.

GM plans to close Opel factory in Germany.

Amazon and Google rush to wrap up new gTLD domain-name suffixes with ICANN.

Applebees sees franchisee's new marketing campaign diverge controversially from corporate brand.

Aung San Suu Kyi warns investors off Myanmar's state oil and gas firm on historic visit to Europe.

Coca-Cola renews sponsorship of BET's 106 & Park.

Facebook launches real-time bidding for "Marketplace" ads.

GE promotes new refrigerator in online-only video.Continue reading...

Zynga prices IPO at $10/share (which CEO Mark Pincus played early). Its $7 billion valuation could lift all social gaming.

BlackBerry crisis mounts as troubled RIM co-CEOs announce they're deferring smartphone relaunch until late 2012.

Amazon reports selling more than 1 million Kindles a week.

Apple struggles to take a bigger bite of China.

Covidien to spin off pharmaceutical unit.

Dell abandons netbooks.

eBay counters Amazon's shopper incentive.Continue reading...

Buddy Media, the WPP-backed Facebook management system, is taking on Europe and opening a headquarters in London. A $54 million raise (Series D funding) is fueling a seemingly indefatigable global expansion as the company continues to dominate the social media enterprise software space.

A new group of late-stage investors, including Insight Venture Partners, joined current Buddy Media investors GGV Capital, Institutional Venture Partners and Bay Partners.

Buddy Media serves eight of the world’s top ten global advertisers including Nivea, Bacardi, All Saints, Vodafone and Mercedes Benz. In 2011, the company added 165-plus new customers, including Kraft Foods, Hanes, ESPN, Ford Motor Company and Virgin Mobile USA.Continue reading...

Alfa Romeo lures European auto giants. 

AOL said to acquire Outside.In, a hyperlocal media network.

Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Nelly Furtado caught up in Gaddafi scandal.

BP denies bonuses to three top executives over oil spill. 

Burberry designer lauded for tech savvy by Vogue.

Chevrolet readies experiential events for SXSW. 

Chrysler recalls a quarter-million vehicles, while spider prompts Mazda recall.Continue reading...

The Ford brand is coming into focus — make that Focus — globally, with the imminent launch of the Ford Focus globally.

For the most accomplished global automotive brand of the last two years, Ford has been lying a bit low lately. Expect that to change beginning Tuesday, however, when Ford introduces its crucial new Focus subcompact in the US with TV ads on American Idol. 

Ford brand marketers met with journalist this week in New York to talk up the fact that the 2012 Focus is the company’s first truly global car.Continue reading...

* Apple is close to a deal with Disney to rent ABC TV shows via iTunes, the Wall Street Journal reports. It's also looking to trademark several of its mobile app icons.

* Burger King reported slumping sales.

* AARP research finds brand-name drug prices increased 8% last year.

* Barnes & Noble reported a tough quarter and increased legal costs due to proxy fight with investor.

* Best Buy named Aura Oslapas its new chief design officer.Continue reading...