All Google needs to do is offer a commercial licence, for a small fee, to all Android OEM's that indemnifies them. This way if Microsoft has an issue with Android or Linux they can take on Google directly. But, we all know that would never happen because Microsoft clearly knows that Google would single handily invalidate all of their obvious, worthless and prior art ridden patents one by one.

Perhaps you've heard of Motorola? Yeah, Google does make phones now.

These are the list of frivolous, prior art ridden patents Microsoft used to try and extort money from Barnes and Noble. When the trial was about to go to court a magical partnership was established between Microsoft and Barnes & Noble and the lawsuit was dropped. It's a pity more companies don't stand up to these patent trolls.

Microsoft vs.Barnes and Noble

5778372
6339780
5889522
6891551
6957233

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5778372.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6339780.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5889522.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6891551.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6957233.html

U.S. Patent No. 5778372 Remote retrieval and display management of electronic document with incorporated images. A browser remotely retrieves electronic documents from a remote computer network for viewing by a user. For enhancing responsiveness, the browser initially displays an electronic document without a background image so that the electronic document is initially displayed more quickly. The browser also prioritizes downloading of embedded images of the document by their incorporation in the currently visible portion of the electronic document. Further, the browser dynamically creates additional connections for retrieving resources incorporated into the electronic document from the remote computer network.

U.S. Patent No. 6339780 Loading status in a hypermedia browser having a limited available display area. Described herein is a portable computer having a limited display area. An Internet or other hypermedia browser executes on the portable computer to load and display content in a content viewing area. During times when the browser is loading content, the browser displays a temporary, animated graphic element over the content viewing area. The graphic element is removed after the content is loaded, allowing unobstructed viewing of the loaded content.

U.S. Patent No. 5889522 System Provided Child Window Controls. New varieties of child window controls are provided as system resources that application programs may exploit. The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a dynamic link library (DLL) for implementing the new child window controls as part of an operating system. The new child window controls include a header bar control for providing header bars in application programs. The new controls also include a hot key control that allows a user to view and edit hot key combinations. The new controls further include a tab control for establishing tabs that differentiate amongst pages in user interfaces provided by application programs. An image list data type is defined and functions are provided for manipulating the image list data type. Image lists include multiple like-sized images that are stored efficiently in a single bitmap.

U.S. Patent No. 6891551 Selection Handles in Editing Electronic Documents. A computer system and method for highlighting and selecting elements of electronic documents is disclosed. In one embodiment, a selection area identifies an initial selection of data, and one or more selection handles appear on the selection area to allow dynamic resizing of the selection area to select a larger or smaller portion of data or number of items.

U.S. Patent No. 6957233 Method and Apparatus for Capturing and Rendering Annotations for Non-Modifiable Electronic Content. A system and method for capturing annotations for a non-modifiable document is disclosed. Once it is determined that an annotation is to be created, the system determines the file position of the selected object. The file position of the selected object is stored along with the created annotation in another file or a non-read only portion of a file storing the document. Using the file position, the annotation may be properly identified with the selected object without modifying the non-modifiable document.

http://www.java.com/en/download/help/disable_browser.xml

The Java Control Panel (in the Windows control panel) contains a checkbox under the Security Panel called "Enable Java content in the Browser". Uncheck this if you do not want applets to run. This selection stays persisted each time you update the JRE.

Once again,

Windows Control Panel->Java Control Panel->Security Panel. Make sure the "Enable Java content in the Browser" checkbox is unchecked.

Do you know why Samsung can't just fork Android and do their own thing? It's because they could never compete with Google's services (they also don't have the competency to create a worthwhile OS or write quality software, but that's for another day). They know that the instant they make their move their market share, that they've spent Billions cultivating, will be ravaged by the other Android OEM's offering phones with the complete Google experience. Samsung knows that a phone void of Google's services and Play store access isn't compelling to a buyer. The impact of Google apps and services cannot be overstated. You could even call it a king maker. The removal of Google maps from iOS was a clear indication of how many average consumers value Google's services. It's also why Windows Phone will never succeed because Google will never show Windows Phone OS the same level of support it shows iOS.

So, no, anyone who wants to develop a phone platform should not give up. But, why would they even bother when the barrier to entry is so difficult? If your OS, services and ecosystem can't compete with Android or iOS then why would you want to set yourself up for failure? Unless, of course, you're content with the 1-2% of marketshare you may be able to capture.

I can't wait to load the Ubuntu Phone OS onto my phone so that I can experience the wealth of services Ubuntu will bring to the table. Ah, who are we kidding. If you want to be a successful mobile OS you need great services or a cult following with a degrading distortion reality field. Unless you are a hard core Ubuntu/Linux user you would be a fool to leave all of the free Google services and the wealth of apps for an Ubuntu powered phone. The Ubuntu Phone OS doesn't have a chance because no OEM would be irresponsible enough to take a chance with it.

I'll believe this when I see them do something on Android that's not in their financial interest. As I've already said, this application is nothing but a tool to pump their services and products and little to do with embracing Android.

Looks like they can't even adhere to Android UI guidelines because they essentially used their Windows Phone UI on an Android app instead of using Holo. Not very professional from a standards point of view.

Also, the article seems to be surprised that Microsoft made this application available for Android - which is very bizarre. Like SkyDrive, Microsoft needs to get this on as many platforms as possible so that they can make their services and products attractive to everyone. This has little to do with embracing Android.

Verizon must operate in a non civilised world then. Verizon proactively collects and sells your information unless you log into their portal and turn off the service - providing you can find it. And Verizon isn't the only one - they all do it. Why would any company turn down such as easy way to make money that requires virtually no effort on their part.

I don't think this company knows what a standard is because they seem to fight them every chance they get. They think they're getting brownie points for being "Pro Consumer", but as always they just end up looking like fools in the end. This is nothing but a PR campaign to prop their lousy browser back into relevance after being embarrassed repeatedly by Chrome.

And let's face it, nobody gives a shit about DuckDuckGo except paranoid idiots. These are the same idiots that have no problem freeloading on services provided by Google, etc because they think they're entitled. They foolishly think they're being clever by going out of their way by using services like DuckDuckGo or browser plugins to cover their tracks, but what they fail to realize, in their infinite wisdom, is that they think they've already been proactively tagged and tracked by their ISP and cell phone carrier who sell their information to the highest bidder.

So, the next time you think you're being clever by using some 'alternate' search engine because it gives you a false sense of security of not being tracked, be sure to also cancel your ISP and Smartphone contracts and stay off the grid otherwise you're just living in a fantasy world.

Not to mention Linus Torvalds came up with the long file name solution way before Microsoft patented it.

And Microsoft has already been found to be infringing on Motorola patents in Germany.

You can bet all of those complaints are from Microsoft's family of shill companies. They can't compete from a technology point of view so they complain to the EU about their incompetence. It's about time Google goes ballistic on Microsoft and exposes them for the dirt bag company they really are.