Microsoft settles with Google over executive hire | CNET News.com

Microsoft settles with Google over executive hire | CNET News.com: "Microsoft has settled its case with rival Google over the hiring of Kai-Fu Lee, an expert in speech recognition technology and the man who founded Microsoft's China research lab in the late 1990s.
'The parties have entered into a private agreement that resolves all issues to their mutual satisfaction,' Microsoft said in a prepared statement released Thursday afternoon. 'The terms of the agreement are confidential and all parties have agreed to make no other statements to the media regarding it.'
Google announced in July its plans to hire Lee to head up its China research lab. Microsoft immediately filed suit in Washington against Lee and Google, arguing that Lee was violating a one-year noncompete agreement that was part of his Microsoft contract.
The tug-of-war over Lee was seen as Microsoft's latest attempt to thwart Google's growing influence. The two have increasingly crossed swords in areas such as search, and Mountain View, Calif.-based Google won an important round this week when AOL chose it over Microsoft as a partner. Google and Microsoft were pursuing AOL to help them expand advertising, instant messaging and video offerings."