Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division • Hacker News Board

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#71

Post by ossreality » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:53 PM UTC

loki540 wrote: post #61

myko wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Chromecast is pretty amazing. I bought one and everyone in my family who has been over to see it has purchased one as well.

Just curious - what do you usually use Chromecast for? I got it specifically to stream Youtube on my TV, and found that there was usually a > 1 second lag between the image on the TV and the sound on the TV. This has given me a pretty negative view of Chromecast - basically that it's just good for streaming visual-only things like slideshows etc. Have you found this not to be the case?

Uh, are you streaming the tab or casting the video?

All the Chromecast is is Chrome and Linux. When you cast a Youtube video, the "youtube app" on the Chromecast is playing a direct mp4 stream, out to HDMI.

I'm guessing you're casting the tab instead.

edit: Go fuck yourselves Hacker News. I'm fucking sick and tired of being hellbanned for no reason.

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#72

Post by georgemcbay » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:54 PM UTC

_delirium wrote: post #28

mediaman wrote: post #7

Huge announcement if true, and if this accounts for the entirety of the Motorola purchase that Google made. That means that in less than two years, Google shredded 85% of the $13bn paid for Motorola. At the time, the high price paid was excused for the patents, because the business itself did not generate nearly enough earnings to justify the price. Now, if it is true that the patents are part of the deal (the articl…

WRT the patents, it depends on the details of the sale, and how/why Google valued them. Speculation was that one reason Google bought Motorola was to keep someone else from getting the patents and being able to use the patents against Google. If that was responsible for a large portion of the valuation, that might still be retained in a sale to Lenovo, depending on how precisely the sale is structured. It's fairly co…

I'd be shocked if Google doesn't get full access to use all the patents covered in the deal( assuming the reports are right and the patents are going to Lenovo), but even with that in mind a big part of the value of holding lots of patents in some technology area is (unfortunately) that you can use them as a nuclear option against someone who is suing you for some other patent to allow for MAD-style defense. IANAL but I'm not sure how they could structure a deal that gives away the patents but keeps that defensive option available.

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#73

Post by dba7dba » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:54 PM UTC

objclxt wrote: post #40

fharper1961 wrote: post #18

Smart move from Google, they remove the possibility of being suspected of favoritism. And I suppose they keep the patents, which is what they were really interested in all along.

I don't know how anyone can see selling off a company for $9.5 billion less than you paid for it two years ago as a "smart move". It is prudent to get rid of Motorola now before it eats up even more cash, but the smart thing would have been to never buy the company in the first place.

I agree. Don't care how much money you have or are making annual, but losing 9.5 billion in TWO years doesn't look good. What's google thinking?

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#74

Post by ChikkaChiChi » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:57 PM UTC

ChikkaChiChi wrote: post #39

lotso wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's also a big statement on Google's ability to succeed in the hardware market, where they've never seemed to be able to gain real success despite their attempts with notebooks and phones. And Google TV. Let's not forget that huge failure. "By the summer of 2012, the majority of the televisions you see in stores will have Google TV embedded in it." -Eric Schmidt

A year off and the name is different, but Chromecast has redefined the way I think about 'Smart TVs' and HTPCs. Google's long game still looks good in this area, IMO.

I'll explain my Chromecast experience simply: We are either using Chromecast in my house, or DirecTV.

When we want to watch Netflix, HBOGO, or something on Plex, we fire up a phone or tablet, open the app, and Cast it to the TV. The Chromecast automatically switches the input and begins playing what we asked it to.

@Loki540 - You might be referring to the still in development Chrome extension. We don't use that much but I hear it has to be on a very solid wireless connection. Chromecast-ready apps do not have that problem.

@yetfeo - It only costs 30 dollars, and any app can choose to be a 'Chromecast' app by adding in their API. Our iPads and Android devices all can use the Chromecast and the variety of things we can do with it is superior.

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#75

Post by mediaman » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:57 PM UTC

IBM wrote: post #57

This makes this tweet[1] from Chris Dixon hilarious: "Which strategy wins the future: stock buybacks or investing in AI + robots + smart devices?" I mean it really shouldn't surprise anyone that a VC would be cheerleading expensive acquisitions with no regard for shareholder value or whether it has any hope of making a significant return. But the real answer to his question is: organic growth. And if you are confiden…

I know Google is trying to break out of their traditional business, but it seems like they've been trying to do that for years and nearly all their revenue is still ads.

Just because very smart entrepreneurs are able to capitalize on an opportunity (search) and turn it into one of the world's largest companies, doesn't mean they can arbitrarily do it again.

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#76

Post by ChikkaChiChi » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:57 PM UTC

yetfeo wrote: post #59

myko wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Chromecast is pretty amazing. I bought one and everyone in my family who has been over to see it has purchased one as well.

What are the advantages of Chromecast over something like Apple TV?

I responded above, sorry :)

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#77

Post by ChikkaChiChi » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:57 PM UTC

loki540 wrote: post #61

myko wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Chromecast is pretty amazing. I bought one and everyone in my family who has been over to see it has purchased one as well.

Just curious - what do you usually use Chromecast for? I got it specifically to stream Youtube on my TV, and found that there was usually a > 1 second lag between the image on the TV and the sound on the TV. This has given me a pretty negative view of Chromecast - basically that it's just good for streaming visual-only things like slideshows etc. Have you found this not to be the case?

I responded above, sorry :)

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#78

Post by adventured » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:57 PM UTC

yetfeo wrote: post #59

myko wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Chromecast is pretty amazing. I bought one and everyone in my family who has been over to see it has purchased one as well.

What are the advantages of Chromecast over something like Apple TV?

Two things. Price, and no lock-in to Apple's ecosystem.

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#79

Post by mrjatx » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:58 PM UTC

yetfeo wrote: post #59

myko wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Chromecast is pretty amazing. I bought one and everyone in my family who has been over to see it has purchased one as well.

What are the advantages of Chromecast over something like Apple TV?

It's cheap. I bought one for my bedroom tv which I only use when falling asleep. I already have a Roku for the living room. Until the SDK comes out their features cannot be compared.

Re: Lenovo to buy Google's Motorola handset division

#80

Post by mindcrime » Wed, Jan 29, 2014, 9:59 PM UTC

tking8924 wrote: post #30

From the Lenovo perspective, this would be two very large acquisitions in a short span of time. Very interested to see what they do with this...

I have to admit, I'm thinking "buy Lenovo stock" right now. I like what they're doing lately.