Google: Apple, Microsoft Waging War on Android

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scuba dave

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And how exactly would "jointly" purchasing those patents have "not" helped protect Android from lawsuits? Joint owner is still "owner", and therefore still covered by the patent, "protection" wise and all...
 

CaedenV

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This just in: Companies that cannot compete do not survive. That's right, this is earth shattering news. Of course companies like oracle, microsoft, and Apple are ganging up on google... it would have NOTHING to do with the fact that they each have their own flawed OSs that require patents to improve. With the fevered pitch of OS development in the mobile sector it just makes patents that much harder to come by. So if Android cannot compete in the game of patents then maybe it is time for them to get to work on the innovation front, which I always thought they were pretty good at before, but with whining like this I am having my doubts.
 

nekatreven

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[citation][nom]scuba dave[/nom]And how exactly would "jointly" purchasing those patents have "not" helped protect Android from lawsuits? Joint owner is still "owner", and therefore still covered by the patent, "protection" wise and all...[/citation]

I don't really understand that part either. Microsoft could still attack them with other patents that they had but Google lacked, but it seems like if they had tried to attack them under one of the joint-licensed patents wouldn't Google's response just be "Uhm, yea, we have that patent too."
 

cjmcgee

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This comes across like a temper tantrum because someone took the toy they wanted. It's called competition. I know Google is not used to it with their virtual monopoly in search engine space, but your competition is always going to be trying to take you down. The idea with patents is to get a mexican standoff going; if you all hold enough patents then you can hold each other at bay. All parties knew these patents were dangerous and went after them for their own safety. If Google doesn't play and get enough patents of their own, then they will be the one bringing a pocket protector to a gun fight.
 
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@scuba dave

Google purpose for the patent was to protect them from future law suits, a joint patent would not provide a defense from a MS or Apple because they jointly hold the patent, basically Google will use these patents to defends against other patent (force a cross licensing agreement)
 

2ms

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Like the richest company in the world is weeping that they got outbid by competitors in an auction that they had themselves put up bid for nearly as much for? And then they want to make up the difference by crying in the press and begging for some kind of sympathy?

And I wonder what they'd be saying if they'd placed the highest bid and role reversed with MS, Oracle, Apple group :D

All I have to say is that if you're going to build an entire operating system off another company's software (Oracle) and try to make billions off it, then freakin' pay for the damn license and be prepared for bidding wars on other related ones. Always been bewildered by use of Java in first place. not only for this exact reason but also for the fundamental performance disadvantages.
 

saxplayingcompnerd

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The legal system for software is broken, you can always do the same thing 50 ways with 50 different ways of coding it to serve the same function. The patent system should only be applied for PHYSICAL objects, no programming. Just like you cant patent life because it is ever changing, you should not be allowed to patent computer code because it is ever evolving.
 

shanky887614

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lol i find this funny, there doing this because apple and microsoft both aggree there os's are ****

instead of making there os's better there trying to stop manufacterers installing andriod instead
 

acadia11

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[citation][nom]cjmcgee[/nom]This comes across like a temper tantrum because someone took the toy they wanted. It's called competition. I know Google is not used to it with their virtual monopoly in search engine space, but your competition is always going to be trying to take you down. The idea with patents is to get a mexican standoff going; if you all hold enough patents then you can hold each other at bay. All parties knew these patents were dangerous and went after them for their own safety. If Google doesn't play and get enough patents of their own, then they will be the one bringing a pocket protector to a gun fight.[/citation]


I don't think it's a tantrum, I think Google has it right. But Apple, MS, Oracle aren't doing anything illegal by doing so. I think the patent system is a joke, and needs, serious overhauling
 

acadia11

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They should expire patents like they do medicine. Basically, yoh can own that patent for several years, after that people can profit from it, however, they want by exactly copying, this was be especially useful in the tech industry because it changes so fast. It would end this non-sense of patent hording, immediately. Also, if you are not the original creator the patent, you should not be allowed to enforce it, this will end all these buying binges.
 

shanky887614

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the patent system was never developed for digital media so it should have never applied to digital media anyway

patents were originally designed to stop people stealing other companies designs and using them
 

NuclearShadow

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It's sad to see that the grand idea of patents has come to this in the modern age.
In the past a patent was handy because the innovating inventor could get their work protected so that way no one could steal it. Even the little guy who came up with the next big thing would be able to stop the giants from simply copying and undercutting his prices.

Nowadays its just patent trolls, The giants taking over and massively buying them, or even the little guy who has a legit case getting stomped on by the giant's lawyers. This was not what the system was made for. Ceasing the patent system all together would simply just spell complete disaster for the little guy so that is certainly not the answer. But with out a doubt it needs to be reformed.
 

amk-aka-Phantom

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Lol, they can argue all they like... I'll just continue to use both Android and Windows. Don't exactly care what these two companies think of each other.

That said, patent trolling is getting annoying. Apple managed to forbid Galaxy Tab sales in Australia (now poor Aussies have to import them, lol) - though what they should be scared of is not the Galaxy Tab, but the Galaxy S II and Asus Eee Pad Transformer, since these sell much better - and it shows just how much messed up the system is. Since when do Apple's patents extend to other countries? I might be missing something, but I think this is pretty much like that notorious case where Intel has been bribing manufacturers to preven AMD sales. Just in case with Intel, everyone went "bad, Intel, bad! Screw you and pay a fine!" and in case of Apple, which bribes authorities, no one cares.

After that kind of stuff, not much of a surprise that MS wants to do the same. And it's not like Google is a saint, either... Would be cool if Google would teach Apple a lesson or two when it comes to patents.
 

dstigue

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If you don't get it. Patents for corps are like nukes. You need to have your own to stop them from deploying theirs. So if you have one they are using and vice versa. No one goes to court because it's a wash. So if google shared the patents with M$FT and didn't have any of their own. M$FT could sue for the ones they totally own and Google would have nothing to counter with.. So in other words the jointly shared patents you need 2 codes to unlock both M$SFT key and Google's key.. But Microsoft has nukes that they only need their key for.. Now imagine we did that with China.. Would would be the result.. You want to joint share nukes with them and get rid of our own?? That sounds like a plan..
 

jackbling

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This whole IP patent nonsense is getting tiresome; One of two things need to be done:

1.) Throw the IP/software functionality patent systems out the window and let companies compete with end products. The market will decide which is better, and this will foster innovation in the private sector.

2.) Rewrite the entire system with revised required criteria (i.e. must have working model within 6 months and show plans to sell or release as open source, or you cannot renew the patent(or variants); rework review process to prevent fluff patents and generalizations, etc.)

All in all, the entire system is ludicrous; Anyone who thinks you should be able to patent an update button, or teleporter is smoking rocks. People waste government/taxpayer money filing these ridiculous fluff patents generated from "invention companies" with no intention of ever making a product. The review process doesn't work.
 

ralfthedog

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The function of a patent is to give the holder exclusive use of that technology. The function of a patent is not to license out that technology to your competitors. The holders of the patents have every right to tell Google where they can shove it.
 
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