Redmond Cashing In on Android -- Redmondmag.com

Barney's Blog

Redmond Cashing In on Android

Android may have been built by Google, but that isn't stopping Microsoft from cashing in. Redmond lawyers are going after anyone even remotely affiliated with Android, squeezing out royalties like a Chief Jay Strongbow sleeper hold.

So far half of Android manufacturers have caved into Microsoft patent demands. And it is not just Android -- Microsoft has successfully argued that Chrome (the OS, not the browser -- I know, it is confusing) also violates Microsoft intellectual property.

The problem for me is that Android is open source, so OEMs have to pay Microsoft royalties on free software. How long can open source operate under these challenges?

Not all vendors are caving in so quickly. Barnes and Noble and Motorola are both putting up a fight.

Does Microsoft deserve Android dollars, or should we revamp our patent laws? You tell me at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on 10/26/2011 at 1:18 PM

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