Amazon, Microsoft in cross-licensing patent deal with Kindle

Fiji Water Company“Amazon and Microsoft tonight agreed to a cross-licensing deal for each other’s patents,” Electronista reports. “The deal gives Microsoft special access to technology behind the Kindle reader…”

MacDailyNews Take: Heh, heh, they said “technology.” In, of all things, the Kindle. What does Microsoft get, access to Dykstra’s super glue? As for what Amazon receives from Microsoft, two words: “Brown Kindle.”

Electronista continues, “The deal gives Microsoft special access to technology behind the Kindle reader as well as Amazon’s implementation of Linux on servers. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, including what technology Amazon would get, but the online retailer will pay Microsoft an unmentioned sum as part of the transaction.”

MacDailyNews Take: Maybe Amazon gets access to Microsoft’s very best technology, the only one that actually usually works: Vapor. Microsoft gets what they couldn’t master with the Zune: Making a poor-seller sound like something relevant and successful.

Electronista continues, “Microsoft hasn’t said what its plans are for the deal but acknowledged that the move would help it be ‘more creative and collaborative’ and speed up the launch of ‘new and compelling products.'”

MacDailyNews Take: “Innovative.” You forget to drop in “innovative,” you paeans to mediocrity.

Electronista continues, “The agreement fuels speculation that Microsoft is intent on entering the e-reader market and comes amid continued talk of of the Courier tablet still being in development.”

MacDailyNews Take: It’s an fargin’ computer graphic! In a video. It’s vapor, pumped into the world just before Apple unveiled an actual working product that’s soon to ship, in order to freeze the very idiots who’re still trying to sell their Zunes on eBay. Sheesh.

Electronista reports, “Microsoft has never officially confirmed the widely leaked Courier, but the existence of the iPad may pressure Microsoft into turning the device into a real product to prevent Apple from cornering the category.”

MacDailyNews Take: Yeah. Like they did with the Zune.

Full article here.


  1. Yawn……. In other news, Toyota and Microsoft have have to come an agreement to give Microsoft complete control of Toyota’s cars. In return, Microsoft promises to limit any sudden unexpected speedup to 90 mph.

  2. Obama sez: “Microsoft be too big to fail.”

    Obama sez: “We’ll look after Microsoft now. They have unions, too, right? If not, they soon will.”

    Obama sez: “We will ax our federal officials to probe deeply into reports of Apple’s flaming iPods and iPhones. And iPads. And Macs.”

    Obama sez: “We recommend people do not buy Apple products. Buy Microsoft instead. Here’s $100 cash back.”

    Obama sez: “You don’t like it? You stupid asses voted me in. Payback’s a bitch. I’ll do whatever the hell I want to do.”

    Obama sez: “Honda’s next.”

  3. Microsoft come up with the courier concept to make people think they have a plan.

    Then wait for Apple to bring out the item. Microsoft then gets the product, thanks for the money Ballmer, and copies it with a product that is near it.

    Then they say they are “innovators”

    Flushing idea!

Reader Feedback
