Google Buys Motorola For A Staggering $12.5 Billion

[Lazybones]

Google Buys Motorola For A Staggering $12.5 Billion, Here?s Why
http://www.redmondpie.com/google-buys-motorola-for-a-staggering-12.5-billion-heres-why/

Google buys Motorola Mobility, begins transformation into Apple (nice pie chart of essential patents)
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/92786-google-buys-motorola-begins-transformation-into-apple?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ziffdavis%2Fextremetech+%28Extremetech%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Has Google wasted $12bn on a dud patent poker-chip?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/08/15/google_motorola_the_poker_chip_that_cant_be_redeemed/

[Mr. Analog]

I saw this today and its still sinking in, I knew Google was headed toward it and yet still, surprising.

I find it interesting that Google has chosen to compete on several fronts:
-Search Index
-Advertising
-Web-based mail
-Browser
-Office products
-Social Media
-Mobile OS

...I sure hope they can keep all those plates spinning

[Lazybones]

What I find more interesting is how they are performing in each as of now, from what I have been reading:

Search Index (Bing might actually be better now, but Google has its name)
Advertising (still going strong)
Web-based mail (still the best in many areas)
Browser (very strong, but still needs more market share)
Office products (minor)
Social Media (minor with a history of failure)
Mobile OS (waging a patent war, more of a me to than an innovator)

[Mr. Analog]

It sort of reminds me of Microsoft back in the 90s haha

[Darren Dirt]

patents are only part of the story, experts say... Google's bet is that having greater control over smartphone software and hardware will help it move beyond the desktop and beyond search. Google is staking billions on its ability to successfully control both the software and hardware components of its company's devices -- all while not alienating its partners, who have been instrumental in Android's rise and with whom Google will directly compete once the Motorola acquisition is complete.

- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/15/google-motorola-mobility_n_927693.html