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Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

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Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#281

Post by rbanffy »

recoiledsnake wrote: post #275
rbanffy wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> and has MORE customer satisfaction than Android phones. Something which is yet to translate into phones sold. > Did you even read the article I linked? Sure. There is only a handful of WP7 devices out there and they are all very high-end. Android phones cover a much broader spectrum - there are low-end Android phones - and the number of disappointed users is going to be much higher. From TFA: "The data might be ske…

I meant the Businessweek article, not the ZDNet one. >Something which is yet to translate into phones sold. That doesn't still warrant the 'phone OS that no one wants'. >And we can see the difference now that Nokia is selling devices running WP7. They announced the deal in Feb and they're going to release devices in Sep/Oct, is that not fast enough for a huge company like Nokia and with phone hardware that takes year…

> Meego/Maemo risked ended up being like WebOS

And that's why I wouldn't suggest going with it. The fact remains, however, that the transition from MeeGo to Android would be much easier and that Nokia would have a competitive Android phone (and a very good one) now instead of a WP7 phone in September or October.

> You think you know more than them and that they're all fools?

No. I don't think Elop is an idiot. Obviously, he is doing what his board perceives as the most profitable thing to do. What I don't think is that it will lead to Nokia making great phones as this is not a precondition to making a profit and Nokia has demonstrated, over and over again, this wouldn't be the safest bet.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#282

Post by baconner »

ericd wrote: post #212
podperson wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope you're right. But Google has certainly sold it to its Android partners as "we're going to use their patents to defend your crapware-ridden half-assed locked down handsets and then smother the hardware people with this wet pillow": http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/

Wow, those quotes all sound the same... it's almost eerie. We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem. We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem. I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners. We welcome…

I've long suspected there's some kind of madlibs for PR that all these companies use.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#283

Post by Calamitous »

ericd wrote: post #212
podperson wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope you're right. But Google has certainly sold it to its Android partners as "we're going to use their patents to defend your crapware-ridden half-assed locked down handsets and then smother the hardware people with this wet pillow": http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/

Wow, those quotes all sound the same... it's almost eerie. We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem. We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem. I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners. We welcome…

I, for one, welcome our new handset overlords...

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#284

Post by jahmed »

At first this made absolutely no sense to me. Totally random borderline crazy, reasonable for defense but a huge risk. Why would Google buy a low margin phone builder thats struggling to make money, its just not reasonable unless they dont want to make money on phones.

Google isnt about the sky its about the floor. Yeah Google does all sort of crazy crap with self driving cars and wind energy but the real focus has always been raising the base. Look at Chrome and Android raising our expectations for speed, usability, security and cost. Google doesnt want Moto to build the Android iPhone, Google wants an Android Razr. The Android Razr would be a rugged dirt cheap smartphone. A new base level 'free' phone that out classes any feature phone. Its in Google's best interest to get a smartphone into the hands of every single person on the planet. How many Google searches can you do on a free AT&T Samsung Rugby® II, probably not that many. Its not a bad move and if executed well this could mark a huge push for the internet and personal communication devices.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#285

Post by sukuriant »

div wrote: post #136
ErrantX wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect it is a little from column A and a little from column B; he did also talk about it being good for the user experience etc. They get patents and a manufacturing arm (which then gives them control of the entire product cycle for Android). The latter is a logical move; a lot of Apple's success comes from controlling all aspects of the iPhone. I know Android is open software, but internally for Google it makes…

I'm very curious to see the smartphones that will be coming out of Googorolla. Google's been promoting the "top end phone with fast updates" with their Nexus line which makes me wonder if Motorola-manufactured Androids are all going to be top of the line models.

I was under the understanding that their old phones were top of the line, e.g. the first Motorola Droid.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#286

Post by zyb09 »

gahahaha wrote: post #143

I always wonder: Wouldn't it be much cheaper to just spend a few billions to buy some new patent legislation from congress?

While you can certainly throw some money behind a favorable legislation, I don't think it's as easy as making out a check to Washington DC and have your words be law. Politics are still a complicated, slow and cumbersome process.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#287

Post by r00fus »

mbreese wrote: post #220
lallysingh wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not when the founders are major stockholders. They won't sue themselves.

They still have a feduciary responsibility to the minority stock holders.

Actually, IIRC, there ARE no minority shareholders with voting interest. ALL of it is locked up within the triumvirate (Page, Brin, Schmidt).

Whether this gives them any more leeway isn't clear to me, but Google is quite non-standard as far as corporate structure.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#288

Post by ralfd »

tspiteri wrote: post #238
runjake wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure Google is not perfect, but all other companies have the motto: "Money first, morals second." You're kidding, right? By law, this is the modus operandi of any publicly-traded company. If you think any different, you've simply fallen for their rhetoric.

I think that Google's interpretation of "Don't be evil" is consistent with money making. They do it because they believe that in the long run, they will be more valuable if they are not "evil". Doing what is morally objectionable may lead to short term gains, but has a high maintenance cost. Not being evil is like having a clean sustainable system design; there is no need for kludges to hide the bad parts.

I am puzzled by this "Don't be evil" bullshit.

How would be "killing HTC Sense" not evil? How is Google not evil in requiring real names for G+ and banning people with pseudonyms? How is shutting down APIs (like translation) which developers have grown to depend on not evil? How is monetizing their search monopoly to undercut the business of other companies not evil? Or shaping with their mystical page rank the fates of a whole economy?

And on the other side: What is Microsoft particularly doing today that they are seen as "evil"?

I have a ton of respect for Google, but companies are neither persons which act moral nor are they nations for which you pledge allegiance. You get no real life karma points for defending them delusionally in Internet flamewars.

Re: Google Buys Motorola For $12.5 Billion

#290

Post by [deleted] »

robterrell wrote: post #141
pietrofmaggi wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Motorola was split in two companies the past 4th of January. Motorola Mobility (MMI) and Motorola Solutions (MSI). The cellular infrastructure, part of MSI, was sold to Nokia/Siemes Networks. Motorola Solutions in mainly the Enterprise Mobility Business (Mobile Rugged Devices), WiFi systems, Tetra networks and a lot of other Government stuffs.

Which Moto acquired the YC company 280 North?

[deleted]
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