Microsoft's Steve Ballmer Says Android Isn't Free

[gogogadgetliver]

[citation][nom]milktea[/nom]I am discontent with the players who take advantage/exploit of the patent system, which they treat as a game.[/citation]

Agreed. I do not think that's the case here but we'll see how the litigation pans out. The party in question is the #1 R&D investor in the world not some two bit patent troll.

If you were in charge what would you see Microsoft do?

 

[rohitbaran]

Well more reason why to shun MS.

 

[megamanx00]

Bah

 

[Guest]

Solution: don't deliver software when shipping the phone (what OEMS currently do and get sued for by MS). Ship software able to let users download & install software (read: Android) on their phone. It should be possible to create an app running on a PC with a single button "Install phone software".

Microsoft can't sue Google nor any OEM that way.

 

[rbarone69]

[citation][nom]hoofhearted[/nom]I was actually looking forward to the Windows phone because of its gaming factor. Well, this changes that. To me this seems like a form of extortion. Now if Microsoft truly "creates" something of their own merit, then I say they deserve the market, but I see this as Microsoft "destroying" something that they fear as competition and I hope they burn for it.[/citation]

Quite the comment w/out knowing what exactly they are asking licensing for. If it's licensing to connect to their exchange server they have a right to patent that protocol. Or do you think MS should invest billions into a market just to have it gone to piracy just because it's put into an 'open source' program?

If you came up with an idea, spent money to patent it just to have it used w/out your permission I'd bet you would see it in a differnet light.

 

[smfrazz]

This is no different than any other company looking to protect their intellectual property. You may not like it but it is part of the system. Apple and every other company (especially in the high tech and pharmaceutical industries) do the same thing.

Why should they allow others to benefit (financially) from their investments whether through acquisition or internal hard work and research.

 

[back_by_demand]

Funny how people side with the company they like
Rather than actually knowing the details of the patent or the lawsuit
...
Too many armchair lawyers and fanbois around here
One thing I do know is you don't spend $9 billion on R&D unless you actually make things.
If you make things, you have the right to own it.
If you own it you have the right to defend it.

 

[scook9]

[citation][nom]Bamslang[/nom]What are these fees you are talking about? I'm too busy running DirectX 11 to be bothered with any fees.[/citation]
Don't get me wrong, I have never owned any gaming device in my life that was not a PC

But for those who use the xbox to play online (I stick to only the controller haha - works well on my much more capable PC) I am sure they will get to foot the bill of another flopped MS product

 

[smfrazz]

[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Funny how people side with the company they like rather than actually knowing the details of the patent or the lawsuit...Too many armchair lawyers and fanbois around hereOne thing I do know is you don't spend $9 billion on R&D unless you actually make things.If you make things, you have the right to own it.If you own it you have the right to defend it.[/citation]

SPOT ON!

 

[dustcrusher]

[citation][nom]forrestsun[/nom]Please toms hardware, can we stop putting that picture to every story involving Ballmer?[/citation]
I prefer the last pic (Ric Flair Ballmer, as I like to call it) to this new Gene Simmons Ballmer.

 

[jerreece]

[citation][nom]ares1214[/nom]Dont worry, Apple will soon sue MS for using metal that melts, claiming MS was using liquid metal, MS will sue Apple for having an OS, Apple sues Google for having a better OS, then Microsoft sues Google for being cheaper, then Google sues Microsoft for having Bing, then Bing Sues Yahoo for its nonsense, then Google sues Microsoft for sueing them, and Apple sues everybody for breathing air, which they just put a patent on. These suits and patents are nonsense and are completely destroying things...[/citation]

This is the first logical train of thought I've seen all day! LOL

 

[pinkfloydminnesota]

Well, if Al Gore ever goes after his patent fees for inventing the internet, M$ Google Apple etc. will be up the Potomac without a paddle.

 

[belardo]

Al Gore never said he "invented the internet". Perhaps you should learn a NEW source of information.

Gore said: "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

According to Vincent Cerf, a senior vice president with MCI Worldcom who's been called the Father of the Internet, "The Internet would not be where it is in the United States without the strong support given to it and related research areas by the Vice President in his current role and in his earlier role as Senator."

Perhaps not repeating silly old political lies, you won't look like a fool.

 

[rbarone69]

[citation][nom]pinkfloydminnesota[/nom]Well, if Al Gore ever goes after his patent fees for inventing the internet, M$ Google Apple etc. will be up the Potomac without a paddle.[/citation]

Yes, maybe no paddle, but they would have an outboard 2 cycle motor installed just to piss Al off.

 

[xenophorge]

I think all those lawsuits look like this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/04/microsoft-motorola-android-patent-lawsuit

 

[xenophorge]

..or not, since it didn't like my link

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/04/microsoft-motorola-android-patent-lawsuit

 

[lashton]

[citation][nom]AndiPhone[/nom]*yawn* Windows7 mobile will die off like Courier and Kin. There's nothing new with Windows7 mobile that the existing mobile OS already has. MS is late in catching the train and it's disappearing over the horizon. Ballmer will be gone next year as well. Too man failed projects.[/citation]
and this from a person with iPhone in their username, i mean seriously how f**ked up do you have to be to have iPhone in your username!

 

[alincioaba]

haha MS wins again ))

 

[kronos_cornelius]

I can't wait to see a company stand up to Microsoft. Like when Novel stood up to SCO, we should have that happen more often.

I do think there should be more paid open source projects like RedHat's Linux. This year we've seen Sun Microsystems go down and Novel close to going out of business. Now I feel guilty for not paying for VirtualBox when Sun Microsystems owned it. After all, free is as in freedom, not as in free lunch. Support your favorite open-source projects. Otherwise Microsoft will get them !

 

[Strider-Hiryu_79]

[citation][nom]ceteras[/nom]Disgusting.[/citation]

You mean the picture right?

Yah I thought he resembles this guy from The Goonies:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fQVL-Ns_hYI/SX892TkQFeI/AAAAAAAAACo/QvDLNqiPAio/s1600-h/Goonies+Sloth.jpg

 

[ready4dis]

It's a very smart move. Microsoft knew HTC would just pay, because they have a vested interest in windows phones. This also sets the precedence for follow up lawsuits. HTC was not the first one out with an android phone, so why were they the first ones targeted? Coincidence... highly doubtful. Microsoft isn't stupid. I don't agree with their tactics, but then again, I don't run one of the largest international companies in the world either. Microsoft didn't get where it is today by always being the nice guy.

Oh, and for the guy talking about Rambus: Yes, rambus did have a product, and it actually worked quite well for a short period of time. Their business model was a mess, and nobody in the company knew what anyone else was doing. You had a group of people going to meetings stealing ideas and illegally filing patents on one side, and on the other side, you had people who were completely oblivious and just wanted to cash in on anything they could. Their product when compared to the competing product of it's time, actually won all the benchmarks. The price premium was very hard to overcome, so they figured if they could sue other ram makers, and make them pay royalties it could level the price a bit.

 

[Guest]

3 words. Microsoft is Evil !

 

[alincioaba]

i think google used those patents knowing they belong to MS, or Balmer says bull

 

[Guest]

Gee... same old argument from Microsoft... uh... free software isn't free. Please no Microsoft mobile platform. That's all we need is a virus ridden insecure mobile os.

 

[dEAne]

Then people will go for google.