Microsoft has had its qualms with the Android operating system for a while, but is sticking to indirect attacks by taking Barnes & Nobles to court over several alleged copyright infringements. The popular Barnes & Noble e-reader running Android OS is a new popular alternative to the Amazon Kindle. Instead of targeting bigger Android phone makers, Microsoft is focusing its legal efforts on tackling the much-smaller Barnes & Nobles Nook ereader. What's the logic behind such a move?
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Maybe Microsoft feels it can gain more ground against Android by picking a smaller fight that they know they have a good chance of winning. Based on the accusations made by Microsoft, the technology in the Nook infirnges on a five different patents related to the way in which online content is displayed on the device. As Alex showed us in his recent post, users have been able to root the Nook reader and use it as an Android tablet. Obviously, the lawsuit concerns only the official Nook ereader, but the implications may be much broader. Given the fact that HTC agreed to pay royalties to Microsoft for its Android-based devices, it is more than likely that a similar settlement will be reached this time around.
Do you think Microsoft have any chance of doing anything substantial against the victory march (from my very biased perspective) of open-source software? Share your thoughts.
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i think ms has realised that if he want to survive in the market, he has to go for open source. so thats why he also goin for android. otherwise ms and opensource. no wayyyyyyy
yeah, but Microsoft didn't take Linux seriously for a long time. now that Android has gotten big, Microsoft is taking small stabs at Droid.
it doesnt look so. if microsoft really wanted to that, it has done it long time ago to compete linux. as microsoft seems happy whatever its doing, i think it will not