Isn't that the whole point? Protecting the hardware? So far, Microsoft and Apple are suing HARDWARE manufacturers, instead of suing Google directly. So, by BEING a hardware manufacturer now--one which Microsoft has already started sabre-rattling and threatening already, Google can finally have its opportunity to protect the platform properly. Also, I do believe that that is the INTENTION--for manufacturers to go off and spin off their own Android variations. Honeycomb was the weird exception to that philosophy (until Ice Cream combines it all together again).