Microsoft responds to Google’s patent accusations

By Tom Warren, on 4th Aug 11 10:00 am with 32 Comments

Microsoft responded briefly to Google’s Android patent accusations on Wednesday.

Google claimed on Wednesday that Apple and Microsoft had “jumped into bed together” to wager a patent war against Android. The search giant’s chief legal officer, David Drummond highlighted Microsoft’s recent purchase of Novell’s old patents in part of a group known as CPTN. CPTN’s members include Microsoft, Apple, Oracle and EMC. Google believes that Android’s success has created an organized campaign against Android by Microsoft, Oracle, Apple and others through patents. “This anti-competitive strategy is also escalating the cost of patents way beyond what they’re really worth,” claimed Drummond on Wednesday.

Microsoft’s general counsel, Brad Smith, responded to Google’s claims in a Twitter message on Wednesday. “Google says we bought Novell patents to keep them from Google. Really? We asked them to bid jointly with us. They said no,” said Smith. TechCrunch reports that Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s communications chief, also followed up with a Twitter message with some advice for Google employee David Drummond. “Free advice for David Drummond – next time check with Kent Walker before you blog. :) ” Shaw also attached an email from Google’s General Counsel, sent to Brad Smith on October 28, 2010:

Brad –

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you — I came down with a 24-hour bug on the way back from San Antonio. After talking with people here, it sounds as though for various reasons a joint bid wouldn’t be advisable for us on this one. But I appreciate your flagging it, and we’re open to discussing other similar opportunities in the future.

I hope the rest of your travels go well, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

– Kent

Google and Microsoft’s war of words has been escalating over the last several months. Google is currently under investigation in Europe after Microsoft filed an antitrust complaint against the company. The complaint is part of an ongoing investigation in the EU into whether Google has violated European competition law. Microsoft’s complaints include the restriction of advertisers, YouTube technical measures to hinder competing search engines and discrimination against would-be competitors by making it more costly for them to attain prominent placement for their advertisements.

  • http://twitter.com/Salem309 Ahmed Salem

    In your face Google!!

  • Anonymous

    I bet Kent is wishing he could send a recall for that e-mail.

  • Frylockns86

    Pwnd

  • Mina

    Tell me now Google! You are evil!

    • Tom

      Google’s lawyers are pretty shrill for a company worth $190 billion.  The company grew up too fast.  They haven’t yet reconciled themselves to the fact that the world is a complicated place.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1724462076 Tim Mariner

      Excellent point!  Microsoft and Apple have existed for over 30 years.  These are veteran companies with a stable of personnel who understand the business environment.

      Google is like a teenager who makes it to the big leagues.  Sure, he has some talent and ability and the sky’s the limit, but he just doesn’t know what it means to be a big-leaguer yet.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1724462076 Tim Mariner

      Excellent point!  Microsoft and Apple have existed for over 30 years.  These are veteran companies with a stable of personnel who understand the business environment.

      Google is like a teenager who makes it to the big leagues.  Sure, he has some talent and ability and the sky’s the limit, but he just doesn’t know what it means to be a big-leaguer yet.

  • Anonymous

    Wow…

  • GP007

    Check and Fsking MATE right there.   Toss this in with Googles last lame attack at MS over Bing “copying” them, yet another failed attack that’s done nothing but show how silly the people at Google really are. 

    • Anonymous

      The Bing stunt made me lose most of my respect for Google. Then Google having a “screw our partners” attitude with both Android and Google TV made me lose the last of it.  Now with this stunt I strongly dislike Google now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Pedro-Roque/100000194503830 Pedro Roque

    It’s official! MS IS BACK! First, g-mail man, now this!

  • http://twitter.com/starksimon Stark

    Touché! Bravo, Microsoft, bravo! :D

  • http://twitter.com/karlcramer Karl Cramer

    So Google got screwed because they tried getting it all for themselves. That’s ironic justice.

  • Renzo

    Microsoft is finally growing a pair of balls, now lets see the same vigor applied to your consumer products.

  • Critical_note

    Buggers, who can prove that the email is real? I would not spread this kind of information on the internet if I was Microsoft. Very easy way of winning ‘heads’. I am not saying I like google, but I don’t believe it, until it’s a proven email!

    • Anonymous

      i don’t think they are just going to post an email for the heck of it…

    • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

      We’re talking about Microsoft here. Maybe they can’t spin bad PR in their favor the way Apple does, but they have a lot of experience being the center of attention. Don’t expect something as stupid as forging a competing execs email.

    • Wakeup

      Gee, let’s see. Scenario 1: it’s real. Scenario 2: MS’s Corporate Counsel and their VP of PR both risked their very well paid careers and personal reputations creating a fictional email, which they and the company could then be sued over.

    • Anonymous

      So you think their legal team publicly lied about an email and opened themselves to a liable lawsuit. I am sure the email is not fake.

  • Tooglet

    I hope I don’t sound too crazy here but does it seem like Google wants to impose communist like principles on the technology industry from a stand point where everthing is free and everyone gives to the collective good with no need to be paid for hard work and innovation? Sounds like to me Google is anti-free market economy, of course to the point where it does not impose on their right to make billions and keep control of their intellectual property.

    Kind of a double standard is it not?

    • Aaron

      You are not crazy, I agree with you 100%

    • Anonymous

      What they are doing isn’t communist. They are giving away one product to make money on another (advertising). This has been done plenty of time. Best example is Gillette giving away razors so that people will by the overpriced refills or HP giving away free printers so that you will by the ink refills..

    • Aaron

      I think what he means is that they speak the language of communists, which endears them to the FOSS crowed.  Yet at the same time, everything they do is geared towards making them their billions of dollars which makes them hypocrites.  Microsoft and Apple don’t pretend, they make stuff and sell it. Google pretends to make everything free for the sake of human kind.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000678662470 Vincent Haakmat

    They’ve awaken the KRAKEN (Microsoft) by going after its lunch (OS cash cow), and now they complain? Google should’ve thought about it, before it gave away the OS (both Mobile and Net/local) away for free, including tons of other apps/services. There is nothing wrong with giving away apps for free (MS has numerous free apps also), but then you also need to accept the consequences (competition-wise) that comes along with that.

  • Anonymous

    I have a feeling that David Drummond may be about to be thrown under a bus for the sake of PR.

  • http://twitter.com/mcakins McAkins Online

    Google’s Mantra: “Do No Evil”, really? Gimme a break! Google has become the Darth Vader of our time.

  • http://twitter.com/jimmyfal Jimmy Fallon

    Nice GAF Google…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Apple-Mac/100001436521952 Apple Mac

    Get Skype Credits Worth €1.17 Upto 60 Minutes Free….[NOW WORKING]

    http://ihackuall.blogspot.com/2011/07/get-skype-credits-worth-117-upto-60.html

  • rojo

    Oh SNAP!!

  • http://www.appatic.com Avatar X

    Microsoft quick, swift and deadly response to this was just nothing short of AMAZING.

    Brad Smith and Frank Shaw pwnd Google with just two simple tweets hours after Google hypocrital whining post. They didn’t even had to do a blog post!!!.

  • http://www.appatic.com Avatar X

    Microsoft quick, swift and deadly response to this was just nothing short of AMAZING.

    Brad Smith and Frank Shaw pwnd Google with just two simple tweets hours after Google hypocrital whining post. They didn’t even had to do a blog post!!!.

  • http://www.appatic.com Avatar X

    Microsoft quick, swift and deadly response to this was just nothing short of AMAZING.

    Brad Smith and Frank Shaw pwnd Google with just two simple tweets hours after Google hypocrital whining post. They didn’t even had to do a blog post!!!.