[aprssig] OT: Yaesu to release digital amateur radio gear

[Jason KG4WSV]

On Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 8:28 AM, Amateur Radio WB8NUT <duffy at wb8nut.com> wrote:
> The complaints about the proprietary chips - in being proprietary - are not
> taking into consideration that almost every radio sold in the last 20 years
> uses many proprietary discreet devices.


What you aren't taking into consideration is the unfortunate trend for
IP to be held not by manufacturers but by litigious profiteering
patent trolls.

A Kenwood radio with a Kenwood custom IC?  no big deal; it actually
indicates to me that Kenwood is investing in the product line's
future.

A radio with a codec IC owned by a west Texas patent troll?  That's a
different animal.  I'm not saying that the ABME codec is owned by a
patent troll, but tomorrow it could be if it isn't already.

-Jason
kg4wsv