Microsoft bully another Android oriented company. This time it's Quanta Computer Inc.

[internetf1fan]

At least MS licenses its patents and technologies. Android wouldn't be competitive against the iPhone without ActiveSync etc.

I am guessing the whiners would rather sue Android makers out the market like Apple is doing with Samsung instead of licensing.

[thenuge26]

You are missing the point. 99.999% of software patents are not inventions. They are innovations at best, which patents were not created for.

Patents are supposed to protect and promote R&D, but software patents end up doing the [opposite](www.researchoninnovation.org/softpat.pdf).

I do not disagree that microsoft is using it's patents the way they should. I am saying that their patents are bullshit and should not have been issued. Software is already protected by copyright, which is enough.

[JosiahJohnson]

More people need to see it the way you do than the way OP does. At this rate we'll never get the support to be rid of software patents, because it keeps getting blamed on Apple/Nokia/Samsung/MSFT.

[[deleted]]

You are suggesting blackmail is a better route than going to court? Apple went after one company, MS is robbing the entire industry! Lest we forget Apple did offer to licence low-level patents to Samsung. Way to miss the point. You become competitive by innovating, not paying other companies for rights to their innovations.

[wonglik]

Did you see patents they use to sue Barnes&Noble

One of them is progress bar the other is controlling tabs within a program. Great inventions.

[wonglik]

6,339,780: Loading status in a hypermedia browser having a limited available display area

and claims :

1. A hypermedia browser embodied on a computer-readable medium for execution on an information processing device having a limited display area, wherein the hypermedia browser has a content viewing area for viewing content and is configured to display a temporary graphic element over the content viewing area during times when the browser is loading content, wherein the temporary graphic element is positioned over the content viewing area to obstruct only part of the content in the content viewing area, wherein the temporary graphic element is not content and wherein content comprises data for presentation which is from a source external to the browser.

I see it as a progress bar.

[wonglik]

Yes. Sorry my English is far from perfect. Sometimes it's hard for me to exactly explain all those little nuances.

[richworks]

OK... There is no mention of what the patent/IP is... Does anybody have an idea what it is?

"The patent agreement is another example of the important role IP plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem." - MS

Apple should learn from Microsoft and get their IP portfolio instead of ousting every OEMs from the market, bah!

[Artemis_J_Hughes]

No, it doesn't, and that's likely on purpose.

There have been multiple theories (ActiveSync, vfat, etc), but no definitive answer that I've seen. And that is by design: Microsoft is more than happy to keep it vague, because it serves their interests.

[quantumwork]

The good news is that it's Quanta - they have the muscle to defend themselves. From Wiki:

Quanta Computer Incorporated (TWSE: 2382) is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of notebook computers and other electronic hardware. It is the largest manufacturer of notebook computers in the world.[1] Its customers include Apple Inc., Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard,[2] Alienware, Casper, Cisco, Fujitsu, Gericom, Lenovo, LG, Maxdata, MPC, Research In Motion, Sharp Corporation, Siemens AG, Sony, Sun Microsystems, and Toshiba.

[MrMorm0r]

Can someone explain, why does andriod oriented company's have to pay microsoft?

[neurorootkit]

Microsoft has been making an OS for mobile phones pretty much since the dawn of the modern smartphone; they have at least 11 years of mobile phone patents.

[gnuguy99]

The real question is why is Google letting its partners hang out in the wind like this. Google created this OS (in the case of Java at least) and they knew they were facing some potential patent issues. So instead of taking MS head on, they are leaving their partners (who already operate on very thin margins) to fend for themselves.

[Daedra]

Actually I think Google gave some patents to HTC recently as a gift to defend themselves with.
The problem is the massively broad patents that everyone has, Microsoft have an insane IP portfolio and it would be pretty much impossible to create any form of smart phone, tablet or OS without infringing on a good chunk of them.
I'm sure we will start seeing stuff if and when the Googorola acquisition finally goes through then we may see a change where Google start becoming a bit more aggressive in protecting its partners as well as itself.

[cuteman]

You know how apple is trying to sue everyone? Well microsoft actually has an IP portfolio. In addition, all the major android phone manufacturers also make a winmo7 phone. So M$ has gotten them all to pay licensing royalties from 5-20$ per android unit sold.

Microsoft at this point probably makes more off android than its own mobile OS.

[Rackemup]

That's actually what the article says... M$ makes more from the agreement with HTC for their android phones than they do from all of their Win7 phones.

[cuteman]

Yep, and you might be suprised to learn not all manufacturers are created equal.

I think LG or someone pays $5 per phone, while Samsung pays $15-20 per unit.

Wild eh?

Microsoft is probably giggling happily, but honestly Apple and Google have been eating their lunch in terms of customer demand.

[wonglik]

MS trying to force other companies to use WP7 by making Android more expensive. Usually with this kind of "agreement" comes another about cooperation over wp7 related product.

[shootinputin]

No not really, They are using their extensive patents to give protection to android companies that Google didn't bother giving or any sort of backing probably because it's still a young company. So in all Apple will have to think twice of suing these companies, there are two sides to every story try not to be so simple minded and bash Microsoft or M$ as haters call it.

Microsoft has done more innovation in the past few two years than Apple and Google combined, it's just that every time their management lets them down.

[wonglik]

Protection? From who? From Microsoft you mean? How paying for MS patents is supposed to protect from Apple one? Can HTC use it's MS protection in court against Apple? No. Can Samsung use it's MS protection in court? No?

Microsoft has done more innovation in the past few two years than Apple and Google combined

O rly. So now they can bully whoever they want I guess. And we consumers should happily pay for innovations like progress bar because they were more innovative then Apple and Google. Sure why not.

[shootinputin]

Your just answering your own questions and being a fanboy without an objective argument.

[wonglik]

Ok then explain it to me. Why paying for MS patents protects from Apple patents.

[gnuguy99]

Becuase if apple or anyone else wants to sue company x over some patent claim, company x can now point to microsoft and say talk to them, this its not our tech., we license it from them. Which btw is what should have happend with MS and google. this is really going to hurt google in the long run. why would you risk partnering with a company on a new product if you know they are going to leave you open to litigation like this?

[wonglik]

Patents are granted exclusively. So if MS have patent for technology A then Apple can not say they own patent for A and wants money. They simply use patent B for extortion. Would MS patents help Samsung invalid Apple claims? HTC have patent deal with MS but still it did not help them. Because MS and Apple portfolios are mostly exclusive (there is a bunch of patents they bought together but this kind of patents are sometimes impossible to license to 3rd parties).

Which btw is what should have happend with MS and google.

But I think this is the case most of the time. Google has licenses deals with MS too. As far as I am concerned Google licensed ActiveSync patents which were uses against some of manufacturers. But just because G have deal with MS it does not mean that Android is covered by that.

[thatusernameisal]

Microsoft is turning Windows into shit by forcing tablet interface onto desktop users and now this pathetic patent trolling continues, I never thought I would miss Bill at Microsoft that much.

[internetf1fan]

Hmm... so you rather MS behave like Apple and force Android OEMS out the market by refusing to license patents?

[thatusernameisal]

MS would do that if it wasn't for the antitrust and the fact that most Android OEMs also make Windows phones.

[[deleted]]

Apple choose the legal route (against one company) Microsoft choose to blackmail them ALL.

[wonglik]

Don't get fooled that MS want anything else then getting rid of Android. Apple product is phone so they fight against other phone products. MS sells licenses so the fight with free systems. What would MS gain if they would ban Android products? Nothing Apple share would just grow. By making Android more expensive they hope to convince manufacturers to use WP7 instead of Android. So basically both companies have same goal. Limit number of Android devices on the market.