WHEN Microsoft took over Nokia (way back in 2011 or even 2010 when the mole had been put in place) it had a clever but abusive plan to use patents against the competition, e.g. by feeding large trolls/proxies. A top European official has already warned Nokia (i.e. Microsoft) against this behaviour. That was months ago. The debate over patents is dead or dying because corporations, and even the EFF on the face of it, lost focus. The EFF's latest take is a statement endorsing weak/pointless 'reform', saying: "We welcome the White House's and the Patent Office's commitment to combat patent trolls and fix the system. Now let's get a strong bill through Congress to set important reforms in stone."
"This is all about disrupting and harassing Android, making it look bad whilst also attacking it using patents."As iophk put it: "Trolls are only a small symptom of the real problem." Yes, indeed, and by "trolls" they usually mean only the small patent aggressors. The patent cartel carries on attacking Free software like Android and Nokia plays a major role by pretending to have embraced Android ("Normandy" is the turning of Android into a Microsoft surveillance and espionage platform). Fans of the old Nokia should move on to Jolla, which we last covered some days ago. It is all over the news these days [1-7], provided one looks hard enough.
For some, Nokia's role is benign. Muktware, for example, continues with its overly optimistic angle. It now says: "This will be the first time the Finnish smartphone maker will be trying their hands at producing an Android device. The buyout of Nokia by Microsoft has not completed yet and before the deal goes through fully, Nokia might be able to get three Android smartphone in the market. We have been already hearing a lot about Nokia X, but if we are to believe the rumours, Nokia is planning to have a portfolio of devices spread across different price bands."
It is very unlikely that Nokia can escape Microsoft's grip now. Pointing at this article, Ryan from our IRC channels writes: "The Microsoft Media shells out big bucks slandering Android by claiming it is unforkable, then Microsoft collaborator Nokia forks Android to serve Microsoft."
This is all about disrupting and harassing Android, making it look bad whilst also attacking it using patents. ⬆
Related/contextual items from the news:
In addition to making the entire OS available for Android users, the company is also working on bringing the unique Jolla UI launcher to Android as an application.
Jolla's Sailfish software reaches commercial readiness -- and you'll be able to try it out as a launcher on your Android phone.
Jolla unveiled Sailfish OS 1.0, plus a Sailfish UI launcher app for Android devices, and tipped partnerships, including one for a custom Angry Birds phone.
Jolla announced the completion of version 1.0 of its MeeGo Linux based Sailfish OS, which runs on its Jolla smartphone, now shipping throughout Europe. The Finnish company also announced a Sailfish user interface launcher for Android, “which can be used to simulate the Sailfish OS experience on Android devices.”
Jolla has teamed up with F-Secure, and will be using F-Secure’s Younited cloud service storage, in order to enable the users to easily backup and share their on-device content. For more information, see the official announcement. Also, more details about this will be presented at MWC 2014, where Jolla is invited.
A while ago, the Jolla developers have announced that Sailfish OS will get out of Beta with the release of Sailfish OS 1.0, which will be ported for Android devices soon.