Building Androids
It looks like Google may be finally getting some respect for Android. Some, that is.
If you have been following the Google Phone, then you know that the very first one is supposed to debut on the T-Mobile network. The press conference showing off the new device was last week. This device is designed by HTC, one of the bigger risk takers among the cell phone manufacturers. But it may have been enough to convince other manufacturers to jump into the Google pool.
If you believe the gossip, Motorola is supposedly hiring engineers to put together some of their own Android phones. Sony Ericsson is still on the fence testing the OS but is very interested.
Apple seems to have taken notice. It has introduced another game changer in this wild smartphone world. Geeks around the world can finally rejoice. Apple is selling unlocked iPhones in Hong Kong. You can use one of these iPhones on any network that you have an acount (and that matches the technology of the network of course). Sure it costs at least $700 for the 8G version, but it takes that network operators completely out of the profit equation for Apple.
The music industry rues the day that Apple launched iTunes and iPods. Will AT&T look back at the iPhone and feel the same way? My bet is yes, but this day has been coming for a long time.
Speaking of music, everyone uses MP3 files, but you may not be aware that companies actually have to pay royalties to use the format because it is patented. Alcatel-Lucent thought that they were going to get a $1.5 billion from Microsoft for their use of MP3 in their products. But a judge has just squashed that old ruling. And this has nothing to do with the $16 million that Microsoft has already paid to another organization that claims to hold the patents on MP3.
Tags: Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, Microsoft, Motorola, MP3, patent, Sony Ericsson