Comments on: Google buys Motorola and its giant patent portfolio http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/ Same old blog, brand new place Sun, 16 Jun 2013 01:16:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282962 Doc Searls Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:31:35 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282962 Motorola has a way of naming their divisions terribly, and that's one problem with Motorola Solutions. Can there be anything more downbeat than making your last name "solutions" and using your brand as an adjective? And the company has an amazing ability to confuzz their offerings. I worked with them in the late '80s, when they had two different competing divisions, with almost identical names, in Cupertino and Tempe, selling identical computer systems with two different names. Both would be advertised in the same magazines, with little or no coordination. It' was wacky. You're right about the size and heft of the division, though. And as an old radio guy I appreciate much of what they're doing. Also, much of the company's soul has always been tied in with Big Customers, Defense and other government bodies. If they keep the name Motorola Solutions, it will be confusing, but in keeping with the corporate legacy. Motorola has a way of naming their divisions terribly, and that’s one problem with Motorola Solutions. Can there be anything more downbeat than making your last name “solutions” and using your brand as an adjective?

And the company has an amazing ability to confuzz their offerings. I worked with them in the late ’80s, when they had two different competing divisions, with almost identical names, in Cupertino and Tempe, selling identical computer systems with two different names. Both would be advertised in the same magazines, with little or no coordination. It’ was wacky.

You’re right about the size and heft of the division, though. And as an old radio guy I appreciate much of what they’re doing. Also, much of the company’s soul has always been tied in with Big Customers, Defense and other government bodies.

If they keep the name Motorola Solutions, it will be confusing, but in keeping with the corporate legacy.

]]> By: B Masterson http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282955 B Masterson Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:36:54 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282955 "...Motorola, Inc.’s other division, Motorola Solutions, is big and blah, selling gear and services to business and government..." Yeah, I get so tired of everyone saying that. Moto Solns. actually contains more of the core of the old Motorola than Mobility. They have equal rights to the patent portfolio - it didn't all magically go to Mobility. Those patents (esp. the radio-related ones) are showing up in some really cool stuff from the Solutions folks - e.g., LTE for Public Safety. And I guess it's unimportant that Solutions' income completely DWARFS that of Mobility - 4Q 2010, Solutions vs. Mobility, $290M vs. a NET LOSS of $56M. Even with Google buying Mobility, don't write off Solutions just yet. And it's only boring if you don't know anything about radio. “…Motorola, Inc.’s other division, Motorola Solutions, is big and blah, selling gear and services to business and government…”

Yeah, I get so tired of everyone saying that. Moto Solns. actually contains more of the core of the old Motorola than Mobility. They have equal rights to the patent portfolio – it didn’t all magically go to Mobility. Those patents (esp. the radio-related ones) are showing up in some really cool stuff from the Solutions folks – e.g., LTE for Public Safety.

And I guess it’s unimportant that Solutions’ income completely DWARFS that of Mobility – 4Q 2010, Solutions vs. Mobility, $290M vs. a NET LOSS of $56M.

Even with Google buying Mobility, don’t write off Solutions just yet. And it’s only boring if you don’t know anything about radio.

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282936 Doc Searls Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:02:43 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282936 One other take, from a developer friend, is that this actually provides patent cover for all the Android developers, while also opening up a few new opportunities, for example with mobile video. Also heard that the GPL license issue will be handled like others have in the past. Not sure what that was, though. (Heads-down on other issues here right now. No time to dig.) One other take, from a developer friend, is that this actually provides patent cover for all the Android developers, while also opening up a few new opportunities, for example with mobile video.

Also heard that the GPL license issue will be handled like others have in the past. Not sure what that was, though. (Heads-down on other issues here right now. No time to dig.)

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282932 Doc Searls Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:22:20 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282932 The woeful complexity of <a href="http://fosspatents.blogspot.com/2011/08/most-android-vendors-lost-their-linux.html" rel="nofollow">that post</a>, and the many many variables it brings in, shows just how wacky the whole intellectual property mess has become. This isn't just Google's problem. It's everybody's now. I've already spent lots of time on the phone today talking about the chilling effects of this whole thing on all kinds of new development. The unintended consequences are innumerable. The woeful complexity of that post, and the many many variables it brings in, shows just how wacky the whole intellectual property mess has become.

This isn’t just Google’s problem. It’s everybody’s now.

I’ve already spent lots of time on the phone today talking about the chilling effects of this whole thing on all kinds of new development. The unintended consequences are innumerable.

]]> By: PXLated http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282928 PXLated Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:14:41 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282928 So Doc...What do you think of this... The Google/Android licensing/IP problems just keep piling up - Now they've lost their GPL Linux license - http://t.co/urlOKPA Sounds like gaining the Moto patents doesn't begin to solve their underlying problem - They're getting hit from every direction because they were so sloppy to start. So Doc…What do you think of this…

The Google/Android licensing/IP problems just keep piling up – Now they’ve lost their GPL Linux license – http://t.co/urlOKPA

Sounds like gaining the Moto patents doesn’t begin to solve their underlying problem – They’re getting hit from every direction because they were so sloppy to start.

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282925 Doc Searls Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:08:46 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282925 I think for sure that "Motorola Android" will be the gold-standard flavor. As for the rest, who knows. In any case, "going vertical" is a sex change for Google, and it's not clear what that means next. I think it raises the possibility they'll buy Sprint too (as I <a href="http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/what-happens-when-google-buys-sprint-too/" rel="nofollow">talk about in my next post</a>), but that's sure to set spinning the heads of lawyers, lobbyists and legislators. And it will probably be tied up for years. Clearly patent warfare is a vertical game. The cynical way to look at it is: Google had no choice. And the marketplace is worse off for it, imho. And Microsoft may end up winning, if HTC, Samsung and the other screw-ees in this deal bolt from the Android camp. But then, it may also be a question of who innovates fastest and best: Microsoft, Apple or Google? Hate to say that Apple is the way to bet, as long as Steve Jobs lives. I think for sure that “Motorola Android” will be the gold-standard flavor. As for the rest, who knows. In any case, “going vertical” is a sex change for Google, and it’s not clear what that means next. I think it raises the possibility they’ll buy Sprint too (as I talk about in my next post), but that’s sure to set spinning the heads of lawyers, lobbyists and legislators. And it will probably be tied up for years.

Clearly patent warfare is a vertical game. The cynical way to look at it is: Google had no choice. And the marketplace is worse off for it, imho.

And Microsoft may end up winning, if HTC, Samsung and the other screw-ees in this deal bolt from the Android camp. But then, it may also be a question of who innovates fastest and best: Microsoft, Apple or Google? Hate to say that Apple is the way to bet, as long as Steve Jobs lives.

]]> By: Google koopt Motorola Mobility voor 12,5 miljard dollar | internetnieuws24 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282924 Google koopt Motorola Mobility voor 12,5 miljard dollar | internetnieuws24 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:55:23 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282924 [...] er namelijk 80 jaar innovatie op vlak van telecom en dergelijke opzitten! Volgens het artikel op http://blogs.law.harvard….s-giant-patent-portfolio/ (van harvard law, een betrouwbare bron dus) heeft Google in 1 x meer patenten op mobiel vlak dan [...] [...] er namelijk 80 jaar innovatie op vlak van telecom en dergelijke opzitten! Volgens het artikel op http://blogs.law.harvard&#8230;.s-giant-patent-portfolio/ (van harvard law, een betrouwbare bron dus) heeft Google in 1 x meer patenten op mobiel vlak dan [...]

]]> By: Andrew Leyden http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2011/08/15/google-buys-motorola-and-its-giant-patent-portfolio/comment-page-1/#comment-282923 Andrew Leyden Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:03:57 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/?p=4232#comment-282923 Wow, where to begin on this one. At the very least it's a patent play as you noted, but you have to start wondering if the open source model of Android across multiple hardware platforms just wasn't cutting it. Android Hardware Fragmentation has been an issue, perhaps something that Google has decided now has to end. It will be interesting to see what becomes of Android and whether there will now be a flavor of 'Motorola Android' that becomes the new de facto Android standard (remember 'IBM Compatible' as a buzz word?). The reactions from HTC and other hardware manufacturers was basically like a bunch of guys reading off the same script (it's almost eerie what they all said). One has to wonder if the lines of communication between HTC, Samsung and Microsoft is now elevated a notch or two. Anyway, it's only hour two or three of what is going to be a major shakeup in the device markup that's going to echo on for years. Can't say I have all the answers just yet. Will be fun to watch. Wow, where to begin on this one. At the very least it’s a patent play as you noted, but you have to start wondering if the open source model of Android across multiple hardware platforms just wasn’t cutting it. Android Hardware Fragmentation has been an issue, perhaps something that Google has decided now has to end. It will be interesting to see what becomes of Android and whether there will now be a flavor of ‘Motorola Android’ that becomes the new de facto Android standard (remember ‘IBM Compatible’ as a buzz word?).

The reactions from HTC and other hardware manufacturers was basically like a bunch of guys reading off the same script (it’s almost eerie what they all said). One has to wonder if the lines of communication between HTC, Samsung and Microsoft is now elevated a notch or two.

Anyway, it’s only hour two or three of what is going to be a major shakeup in the device markup that’s going to echo on for years. Can’t say I have all the answers just yet. Will be fun to watch.

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