As plenty of folks must have expected, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said in an initial ruling that Dell cannot register “cloud computing” as a trademark because the term is a generic one describing services offered by many companies. The ruling, however, is a “non-final” one, meaning Dell has six months to respond.Microsoft faces antitrust investigation in Taiwan. The country’s Fair Trade Commission kicks off an investigation specifically looking into complaints that Microsoft is limiting consumer choices by restricting the availability of Windows XP on new PCs, as well as whether or not Microsoft’s pricing is fair to consumers there. Chipmaker Intel says that it will increase the frequency ranges supported by its WiMax chipset next year beyond the 2.5GHz profile, though an executive did not specify the additional WiMax profiles it plans to add. Hewlett-Packard unwraps a pair of EliteBooks targeted at business users. The company claims the machines meet U.S. military standards for harsh elements and can easily switch between wireless 3G broadband networks. Related news: Fujitsu Siemens to launch mini-laptop. And a complex blend of laws and regulations aim to protect the confidentiality and integrity of personal data and the individuals who stand to be harmed by a breach. Not complying with these mandates can result in grave legal consequences should your organization suffer a breach. Here’s what you need to know. Data security: What the law requires of IT. Technology Industry