Is Google+ the Facebook killer that we are all waiting for? Facebook has dominant the social network scene for years. Google came out last week with their answer to Facebook, Google+. If Google+ is going to be the Facebook killer Mark Zuckerberg wants to be the first to know. Mark, the founder of Facebook has the most followers even though he is yet to post anything on his profile. He has over 34,000 followers, over 10,000 more than Google CEO, Larry Page.
Android dominance in the smartphone market has grown increasingly since the days of G1. Now Apple is concerned, and Microsoft with their poor performing Windows mobile OS is running around suing as much as possible Android devices makers to rate-in in the booming Android money. Below is a nice post by CNET on the Android dominance and what other big tech companies are doing to stop Google and Android.
How dominant can Google’s Android operating system become? Dominant enough for almost an entire industry of rivals to play a $4.5 billion game of patent keep away. Now it’s time to rev up the lawsuits.
Last week, a consortium that included Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Sony won 6,000 Nortel patents for a cool $4.5 billion. Google had started the bidding with a $900 million stalking horse bid, reportedly got cute with pi-related offers, and lost its best chance to defend Android in the courtroom. Nortel’s patents are one swell swan song for the bankrupt telecom equipment provider that has already been split up and sold in chunks.
Few parties involved in the consortium are talking, but Android must be a real pain for Apple, Microsoft, and RIM to all team up against Google. RIM chipped in $770 million and Ericsson added another $340 million to the winning patent bid. The remaining splits are unknown, but Robert X Cringely reported that Apple put up $2 billion for Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G patents, with Microsoft and Sony adding $1 billion. Microsoft is staying mum about its role.
The odd thing here is that Google initially said it was bidding on Nortel’s patents to defend against lawsuits. Apparently, Google thinks it can get better returns on $4.5 billion by paying lawyers to defend Android.
So what’s next? Lawsuits. Lots of them.
As previously noted, Citigroup analyst Walter Pritchard reckons that Google has little intellectual property to defend Android. He said:
Google appears to have very little IP to defend itself with. The general protocol when a defendant is faced with an IP infringement accusation is to “retaliate” with infringement counterclaims and ultimately force some sort of cross licensing or other detente instead of entering a prolonged and costly legal proceeding that may result in a costly or disruptive settlement. Without significant IP of its own, Google is not likely to be able to deploy this defense…
Cringely said that it’s likely that Google will file lawsuits over the $4.5 billion winning bid with an antitrust and restraint of trade complaint. The search giant will juggle any upcoming suit with its ongoing battle with Oracle over Android.
But the real battle royale will come as the consortium moves to sue Google over Android. If Oracle vs. Google is notable, just wait until Apple sues over Android. For its part, Microsoft is already busy collecting royalties over Android. Florian Mueller recaps Microsoft’s licensing deals with Android device makers.
Google wasn’t going to cure all of its Android IP problems with Nortel’s patents, but it would have acquired one nice line of defense. Losing Nortel’s patents–even at the ridiculous $4.5 billion price tag–may come back to haunt Google and Android.
Microsoft is officially a pest that is sucking on every Android devices makers as it seems they sign new patent agreement everyday. Microsoft just signed an agreement with ODM Wistron Corporation to cover its line of Android and Chrome OS products. Of course like the other similar agreements, the details were not announced.
Wistron is an original design manufacturer that designs and manufacturers products for other companies. This deal might be one of the more lucrative agreements for Microsoft as Wistron, much like the well-known Foxconn, makes an unannounced amount of products. Brands and OEMs then buy the unlabeled products and slap their logo on the bottom. Wistron and other ODMs keep the electronic world turning.
Microsoft’s presser notes that this deal covers Wistron’s Android and Chrome products. “Wistron’s tablets, mobile phones, e-readers and other consumer devices running the Android or Chrome platform” it says. Microsoft has already successfully managed to strong-arm Android makers. Chromebook makers might be next.
Microsoft patent lawsuits
With all the patent-infringements lawsuits coming from Microsoft and everyone else at almost every Android hardware makers, you will think Google will do everything possible to secure Nortel’s portfolio of over 6,000 mobile patents, but apparently Google made it seemed unimportant as it let it slipped by bidding too low.
Google’s failure to win a bid on 6,000 Nortel patents raises doubts about Google’s commitment to Android and its large community of developers and device manufacturers, one prominent analyst said Friday.
Florian Mueller, an intellectual property analyst and blogger, said by email that it was surprising Google, which is rich with cash, didn’t outbid a consortium of six companies that yesterday offered $4.5 billion for the Nortel patent portfolio. The portfolio spans wireless technology and related area.
It will be painful if this comes back and hurt Android phones maker and Google later. Read more
Phone Battery
The most important hardware inside your phone is the battery. After all, who wants a dead phone? Everyone is always looking for new ways to make their phone last longer. Here are some more tips I found while hunting. They might not work for all, but will definitely work some of you.
1. Brightness – lower it if possible, I keep mine at about 20-30%, auto brightness sometimes makes it too bright.
2. Do not install run a lot of apps that do background and keep data connection open unless necessary e.g. Skype.
3. Use IM clients that support Android C2DM (Cloud to device messaging) e.g. EBuddy. The way this works is, instead of the app keeping a separate data connection open, it uses the Google cloud connection that your phone already uses for gmail/market etc and notifies the app (e.g. Ebuddy) that there is a message it needs to retrieve.
4. Use Wifi whenever available. Uses way less battery than 3G.
5. Get JuiceDefender and schedule auto synchronisation as needed. It can also auto disable/enable Wifi/3G on a schedule and a lot of smart things that actually help save battery life.