Facebook Purchases 650 AOL Patents From Microsoft 93
eldavojohn writes "Not two weeks after Microsoft purchased 925 patents and patent applications plus licenses to AOL's portfolio for $1 billion, Facebook has now acquired 650 of said patents and patent applications for $550 million to which Microsoft retains a license. So, was Microsoft's $450 million worth it? According to their press release: 'Upon closing of this transaction with Facebook, Microsoft will retain ownership of approximately 275 AOL patents and applications; a license to the approximately 650 AOL patents and applications that will now be owned by Facebook; and a license to approximately 300 patents that AOL did not sell in its auction.' Will the patent-go-round continue, or has Facebook loaded up for a good old-fashion Mexican standoff?"
W00t (Score:4, Insightful)
Tech Version Of The Cold War (Score:4, Insightful)
This is not terribly different from different countries on the map lining up with either the US or the Soviets... or going non-aligned.
It's a good old fashioned "military alliance"... just with patents and lawyers instead of nuclear warheads.
Re:Further Alignment (Score:2, Insightful)
Making a product a priority and betting the companies future on a product are not the same thing. I very much doubt they will get significant revenue from G+ anytime soon.
Brilliant (or not so much) (Score:4, Insightful)
Facebook, it's the new AOL!
Re:I bet $100... (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm sure AOL (for all its failings) never did a single thing in its entire existence that was patent-able while it ran (held captive?), for a time, nearly the entire online world.