Google: Apple is trying to strangle us

Vice-president and head of legal David Drummond of Google (David Drummond) yesterday in the company's official blog wrote an open letter to Apple and other companies (including Microsoft), which is devoted to recent lawsuits against Google, related to a presumed violation of patent rights . The strategy of these corporations is to buy up patents for technologies used in smart phones for the purpose of initiating litigation against Google. According to, Drummond, corporations conspired , directed by then to shake the position of a rapidly developing platform Android. To give you an opportunity to make your own opinion about the situation, give a translation of the letter in full.

I worked in the technology sector for over two decades. Microsoft and Apple have always been with each other with knives. And so when I find out that they enter into a alliance, the question immediately arises: what is going on here? What happened is this.

Android is making great strides. Every day, more than 550 000 is activated devices based on Android, and in our ecosystem already employs 39 producers and 231 telecom operator. Android actively competes with other platforms, resulting in the consumer gets more and more devices are good and all the more fantastic applications.

But at the same time, the success of Android and other fruits are offered: first, a hostile campaign against the mobile platform, Google, organized by Microsoft, Oracle, Apple and other companies in order to convict us of violating patent rights. They joined together in consortiums and companies have purchased the old patents Novell (CPTN consortium involving Microsoft and Apple) and old patents of the company Nortel (Rockstar consortium involving Microsoft and Apple), by ensuring that these rights have not got Google. By implementing this initiative, they want us to pay a license fee from each sold Android devices in the amount of $ 15. Ultimately this will lead to the fact that Android licensing to manufacturers will be more expensive than a license for Windows Phone. Among other companies, which are directed against lawsuits include Barnes & Noble, HTC, Motorola and Samsung. Patents were designed to inspire innovation, but today there is a situation where they are used as to hamper progress.

Every smartphone is the subject of patent rights 250 000 (incidentally, very controversial), and our competitors want to impose on us a "tribute" to these patents, which will make Android devices more expensive for our customers. They want to make sure that producers were more difficult to sell as much as possible device Android. Rather than compete by creating new products, they have chosen a different method of fighting - chicanery.

This strategy is aimed at the destruction of competition also increases the cost of patents that are already sold much more than their real price. Microsoft and Apple have acquired patent portfolio for Nortel 4.5 billion dollars, almost five times higher than the stated prior to the auction price of $ 1 billion. Fortunately, the law does not apply very well to what someone is hoarding of dubious patents in monopolistic purposes. This means that most likely these companies will be subject to thorough investigation, and their patent bubble burst.

We are not naive. The technology is tough and ever-changing industry, and we work hard to focus on our business and create even better products. But in this situation, we deemed it necessary to make a public appeal and give the public understand that we intend to keep Android as a competitive choice for consumers who are trying to stifle our rivals.

We are actively looking for ways how to stop them. We were pleasantly impressed with the fact that the U.S. Justice Department has called the above company to license patents to the former Novell on fair terms, and now plans to find out whether purchased Microsoft and Apple patents from Nortel monopoly considerations. We are also looking at ways to address the threats against Android by strengthening its own patent portfolio. If we do not do this, our customers will face higher prices for Android devices and impoverishment of the choice of smartphones on the market.

Source: Googleblog.Blogspot.com

iPad will Retina Display no earlier than the fourth generation

The closer the fall, the greater appears the rumors that soon may be represented by a new generation iPad. We already had the opportunity to become acquainted with a lot of unverified data that already in October this year, Apple plans to showcase a new version of the tablet - whether iPad HD, then the iPad 3. Regardless of how it will be called, but combines these rumors one: they argued that the new tablet will Retina Display . However, if you look in the face of harsh reality, we can conclude that it is unlikely within the next year it will be possible.

In accordance with the analytical data blog Digitimes, the amount currently produced large screens Retina Display is not enough to display technology in serial production, and if the current rate of production continues, we'll see them no earlier than the fourth generation tablet.

Analysts say that even if the producers of plates with a diagonal of 10.1 inches in the near future will want to upgrade to HD-resolution, it would be physically impossible at least until the second half of 2012 . This is due to the fact that at the moment is too small for such displays output on large production volumes. Of course, iPad has a slightly different screen sizes, but these dimensions are quite comparable to incorporate it into this group.

Of course, the resolution is not a key factor and there are many ways in which Apple could improve the iPad screen without doubling its resolution. For example, display manufacturers are now working to further decrease their thickness and reduced power consumption. In addition, they improve the multitouch interface, allowing it to support simultaneous operation with the number of fingers, reaching 10.

In any case, if Apple is not in store for us some piano in the bushes, it hardly makes sense to wait for this year's appearance iPad with twice the resolution. And even if the company wants to maintain its timetable and will present the third generation of the device early next year, our skepticism about the appearance of a third-generation tablet Retina Display it will not change.