Google's purchase (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/15/google-motorola-mobility_n_926923.html%20) of smartphone maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion on Monday marks the latest salvo in the software industry's raging patent war -- a pitched battle that threatens to have far-reaching consequences for American innovation.In buying the hardware company, Google made clear its desire to acquire the estimated 25,000 patents held by Motorola (http://allthingsd.com/20110815/gulp-google-buying-motorola-mobility-for-12-5-billion/%20). Google CEO Larry Page (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/supercharging-android-google-to-acquire.html%20) characterized the defensive move as one that would "strengthe[n] Google's patent portfolio, which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies."More... (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/15/google-motorola-mobility_n_927670.html)
Huffington Post