January 2013 in review: Trial of Nortel executives finally ends

January can be a slow month for tech news. Not in 2013.

There was pent-up anticipation for the release – finally – of the new BlackBerry handsets that would be the saviors of the company.

The federal government was preparing for the proclamation of its new antispam legislation with the release of the second draft of regulations, which would be the real muscle behind the law.

Oracle Corp.’s Java was still under fire for weaknesses, with the U.S. saying it should be disabled in PCs for the time being.

Wind Mobile’s biggest financial backer, the Orascom division of Amsterdam-based VimpelCom, was preparing to buy out Canadian chairman Anthony Lacavera in preparation for … well, we weren’t sure for what.

Also in the wireless world, Rogers Communications’ attempt to buy the unused spectrum owned by Shaw Communications was seen as a grab to keep the valuable frequencies out of the hands of competitors.

But the biggest news involved a Canadian company that had been out of business for several years: Nortel Networks. It was known that the network equipment maker had been badly damaged by dot-com buyers of its gear who sunk in early 2000, combined with failing to move fast enough to fight off more nimble competitors in the years after.

So when former CEO Frank Dunn and other executives were charged with playing with the books, some heads nodded.

Not Justice Frank Marrocco of Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice. Read why:

Here’s links to other things that happened that month:

Ottawa releases second set of antispam regulations

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/ottawa-releases-second-set-of-antispam-regulations/47266

U.S. says Java should be disabled

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/u-s-says-java-should-be-disabled/47272

Accenture, SAP add Toronto innovation centre

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/accenture-sap-add-toronto-innovation-centre/47289

Swartz’s death shines light on strict hacking laws

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/swartzs-death-shines-light-on-strict-hacking-laws/47295

Orascom to take over Wind Mobile

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/orascom-to-take-over-wind-mobile/47300

Montreal student expelled for finding security flaw

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/montreal-student-expelled-for-finding-security-flaw/47307

i-Canada pushing ultra broadband plan

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/i-canada-pushing-ultra-broadband-plan/47309

In Conversation: Stratford, Ont., mayor Dan Mathieson on building a smart community

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/in-conversation-dan-mathieson/47310

Steve Ballmer ousted managers that threatened him, alleges former Micrsoft exec

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/ballmer-ousted-managers-that-threatened-him-former-microsoft-exec/47311

Opposition mounts to Shaw-Rogers spectrum deal

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/opposition-mounts-to-shaw-rogers-spectrum-deal/47315

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/rogers-gets-an-edge-on-shaw-spectrum/47282

How security and privacy should merge. To mark International Privacy Day, Ontario’s privacy commissioner and an Oracle exec explain how the two issues compliment each other

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/how-security-and-privacy-should-merge/47337

WhatsApp violates privacy law, says federal privacy commissioner

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/whatsapp-violates-privacy-law-says-stoddart/47340

Reflections on the launch of new BlackBerry devices

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/bb10-launch-the-day-after/47356

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/sidebar-what-some-analysts-say-about-bb10/47355

After the December 2012 fight over Internet regulations at a global conference in Dubai, the head of the ITU urges moderation for next forum. This story prefigures comments that will be made by others later in the year about the future of Internet governance.

http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/itu-head-urges-moderation-for-next-forum/47357