Nikon and Microsoft sign patent deal over Android-based camera

This is worrying. Now it is Microsoft. And I am sure there will be more companies who would try to make profit just by buying licenses and twisting legislation of the spirit of what is intended by such legislation. I don't think this is in the consumers interest, if people can abuse patent laws to an unreasonable degree, and damage free competition, innovation, progress and proper access to technology, not to mention the silly costs of products due to the huge waste. in legal wranglings that enrich only devious operators and parasites like lawyers. Just like Apple's legal action against Samsung and Rambus' against other RAM makers, these are leading us to some dangerous territory.

This actually sounds more like 'Protection Money' roart that the Mafia use, only a more 'legal' threat that if they find something they can sue for they will, regardless of how minor it is - and I'm sure they would go digging if Nikon refused.

Microsoft and other companies are using patents because they have nothing to do in actual market, so they need the money of others to survive. It's an unfair play.

Sheesh. A couple of days ago I thought the D7100 looked the most boring of incremental updates ever (apart from the sensor, it's lacking updates I want and the new AF-system doesn't affect me). Now this.

I've had two Nikon dSLRs in my time; it seems they're doing their best to ensure there won't be a third.

Until someone makes a stand against Microsoft, this will keep going on and Microsoft will keep hanging around like a Klingon in Uranus. The technology world needs some serious cleansing... an enema, perhaps, followed by a bleach wipe.

I dont like Microsoft.

Microsoft's days are numbered

Common Samsung..... make a move. You need to release the first FF mirrorless like you did with the aps-c

Shame to Nikon, to support similar rules ... OK, Samsung :-)

Microsoft, Oracle, Apple ...

At least Barnes & Nobel got some kahunas http://androidcommunity.com/barnes-noble-reveals-microsofts-android-patents-in-detail-20111114/

Hey that's a nice Android based camera you have there. It be a shame if someone would sue you for patent infringement but we can make it go away if you sign this deal and pay us. Now we cant 'tell you what you're infringing on but trust us, you are. Oh and by the way you can't tell anyone what the patents are...

You don't get it. Get sued by Microsoft, and *win*, and you still lose. The financial position of Microsoft is beyond layman comprehension. It's sad we allow he who has the gold, to make the rules.

We, yes we, are responsible for this, and not just the corrupted system. Every time you go buy a computer, you put-up with Microsoft, as the only option, to get the price you want. As if the OS was really not a tax!

You Apple users are in the same boat, with Apple, who is likely owned, by Bill Gates. Does anyone really think, that Microsoft does not know how bad their products are? This is all about planned obsolescence.

Nikon, grow some. The IP extortion is a house of cards. You are going to lose it all.

We need to stand together; against Microsoft. If enough people wake up, large, threatened companies, and our representatives will (supposedly) act.Yet we will have to put down the corruption. However, their track record is post-dumb stupid. Tell them about it.

It's Harder to recover.

The real criminals are ...

The politicians.... lawyers.... and judges that allow this to happen.

Oh, delightful. The cartel of huge software vendors that have ruthlessly exploited all the failure modes of the US legislative process by intense lobbying and campaign donations to basically turn the mobile market into a cozy little oligopoly are now leveraging their "software patent" dysfunction into other fields, as mobile features transcend phones.

Great. Just great.

I've read the article several times now and I'm still shaking my head as to what this is really about. It's Android. Linux based. An OS owned by Google. Why is Microsoft intellectual property licencing involved? Do they own the idea of an OS or something. The Redmond blurb seems to indicate that this mutually beneficial partnership is about making more services available, but the DPR copy makes it sound like Microsoft is suing all these companies pants off for stealing intellectual property. (Ok, maybe a little hyperbole there).

One of these days I am convinced that someone will claim to hold the patent for "All Digital Cameras". It is all just a game of Poker. Everyone is just upping the stakes hoping everyone else folds.

The patent deal is not Android-based (although the camera is), it is Android-related.
This is not nitpicking. Your title makes it sound that somehow it is Android/Google's fault that companies are forced into such deals.
Please fix it.