4 ms·

Do no evil. Google exploring borderline evil tactics.

• realcul 13y ago
  Borderline?...4 billion for Frand patents...lol
• praxulus 13y ago
  This lawsuit was based on events from a year before the Google acquisition. I'm not saying Google is good or bad, but this isn't evidence of either.
  • throwawaykf02 13y ago
    Microsoft cast the first stone in October 2010, and made its FRAND allegations in November 2010 [1]. Google announced its acquisition of Motorola in August 2011 [2] and completed it in May 2012 [3]. This decision comes more than a year after the close. Granted, regulatory concerns did not allow it to affect the lawsuit until the acquisition closed (other than maybe the extreme measure of abandoning the acquisition itself)... But a year is a long time -- and many, many settlement opportunities -- to pursue a lawsuit to its bitter end, especially with all the disapproving judgements they were getting [1]. I think "evil" is a stupid term used too readily around these parts, but I also think a year is more than enough time for Google to bear responsibility for this. Essentially, Google decided to bear the negative publicity (if any) of being convicted of pursuing unfair business practices rather than settle with Microsoft. Judgements of "evilness" aside, given that Google is pretty savvy about its public perception, this probably has a few significant implications. 1. http://www.patentprogress.org/cases/microsoft-v-motorola-inc-and-motorola-mobility-inc-w-d-of-wa/ http://www.patentprogress.org/cases/microsoft-v-motorola-inc... 2. http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html 3. http://investor.google.com/releases/2012/0522.html http://investor.google.com/releases/2012/0522.html
  • 300bps 13y ago
    ...and yet Google vows to appeal right in the article.
• jkn 13y ago
  What is evil about a high opening bid? Especially when it has been the standard official royalty rate of Motorola for years..
  • bsdetector 13y ago
    An impossibly high "opening bid" is not an opening bid at all, it's a threat. It says, "sure we said FRAND, but now that it's in the standard we changed our mind, now empty your pockets". Extortion is evil.
    • nknighthb 13y ago
      Oh poor little Microsoft, being extorted by a single piece of paper from big bad Motorola. This is one of the most pathetic things I've ever heard.