Archive for the ‘HP’ tag
Of course Android will survive the patent mess.
I just love reading the missives surrounding the whole Android patent mess that Google not only allowed to happen, but they seemingly encouraged. There were a lot of things that Google could have done to prevent this mess from being such an issue, they just didn’t.
Way back in 2005 when Google bought Android they could have dedicated a floor in the Android building to patent lawyers. You know, the kind that put a unique spin on the plainly obvious and file for a patent. They didn’t. They could have bought up some IP from trolls, small companies and other inventors. They didn’t. Hell, they could have licensed patents from others. Again, they didn’t. There was also the route that they took; do absolutely nothing.
For sure, Google’s inattention to Android IP issues created a mine field for device manufacturers. HTC, Samsung, Motorola, Barnes & Noble and even Google themselves are all being sued, being threatened with a lawsuit or have already entered into various licensing agreements with the likes of Microsoft and others to cover the Android technology in the phones that they sell. As an Android user do I like the fact that the vendors surrounding my phone OS of choice have to pay royalties to the likes of Microsoft to sell me my phone? No, I don’t like it. In fact, I hate it, but patent royalties have absolutely no impact on my life, my daily usage of my phone or my investments, so I ignore it.
