It could also be completely closed source and proprietary. Because it's all Google's own code they can license it however they like (actually, I don't know if Google owns all the copyrights; I'm not sure how they handle contributions),

I thought the class libraries that are taken from standard Java are actually Apache Harmony. There may be modifications by Google, and there are plenty more libraries that are unique to Android, but they have not written everything from scratch.

You're confusing interfaces of physical devices that isn't copied by copyright (but perhaps patents) with an expressible form of information that is copyright protected. (like a written work, computer software, song, and others)

I don't see the distinction. The physical interface is defined by a drawing, and drawings are as much subject to copyright as the file of structured text that defines an API.

I'm not sure if you're trying to be funny here, or just lacking in knowledge about the history of Sybase.

The idea was to open up access to other card providers. With the secure element being in hardware, operators were controlling the provisioning, so only very few phones came provisioned for Google Wallet, and none with major credit card companies, because those companies won't bend over and accept the operators' demands for a cut.

Radio receivers also oscillate at frequencies that might interfere with aircraft electronics. So no, it is not "stupid", just an unnecessary precaution. (Unnecessary based on the fact that some ailines/countries are now allowing cellphones to be switched on during flight).

It also requires specific OS support.

So do USB Mass Storage, and FAT32, or if you want more than 64GB to work with Windows 7 and later, ExtFS.

And unlike ExtFS, MTP support is standard on any modern platform in common use.

Think for a moment what his link was given in response to.

Sure, this is why the sale of old fashioned alarm clocks should be banned too. [For those who can't be bothered following the link: short version is OMG, terrists!, longer version is that someone thinks that RFID passports could be used to trigger a bomb.

As a bonus, the app that the hotel has forced you to install to get access to your room can also be used to advertise the chain's other properties.

All he does is pushing corporate interests with the money he "earned" exploiting a monopoly.

Before he got into health issues, I'd agree - mostly he invested in pushing developing countries towards using Windows PCs for education. But more recently he's investing a lot into healthcare issues that are important to the developing world, and without his money, unprofitable for the drug cartels to research.

Richard Branson once pledged $3 billion of the profit from his airlines over ten years towards efforts to combat climate change. If his airlines didn't make that much profit, he said he would take it from other parts of his business empire. When someone checked up 8 years in, he'd managed to give $200-300k over those 8 years, and the forecast for the next 2 years was not looking good. Two things to take away from this - 1) that Steve Jobs' 10s of millions is not bad compared to his peers, and 2) that so far Bill Gates has said he will give $500M for this particular cause, but what really matters if you're going to compare this with Steve Jobs' donations is what he actually gives out in the end. (not that I think Gates has as bad a record as Branson).

Fortunately I got mine issued in those last couple of months before they went RFID, but my wife's renewal is RFID-equipped so we had to get a faraday cage sleeve for it. Mine will expire soon enough that I'll probably also have to get a faraday cage sleeve soon.

You do realise that the information on the RFID chip in your passport is the same information that is in the passport, encrypted, and to decrypt it, you need the passport number and name, so you're going to need to have seen the inside of the passport already?

I blame human nature.

Is it though? Or are some humans allowing their nature to be influenced a little too much by Fox News?

The last option would result in the current version remaining on user's machines. If a dependency for an update is not available, apt will hold the package back.

Even more so when you consider the question of how many of those 1 million units, were "sold" to their marketing division to give away to NFL and others for promotional purposes.