Microsofthas signed yet another patent licensing deal, this time adding Casio as a patent partner to enter a broad “multiyear patent cross-licensing agreement will among other things, will provide Casio’s customers with patent coverage for their use of Linux in certain Casio devices”. The agreement is said to be an extension of a long-standing relationship between the two companies, with Casio already utilising a number of Microsoft products, including industrial terminals and business information systems....

Microsoft has been successfully licensing its Linux patents as of late, signing agreements with some mid-to-large Android handset makers, but today the Redmond-based company has signed its “most important Android patent license to date”, agreeing terms with Samsung. Microsoft’s general counsel and executive vice president, Legal and Corporate AffairsBrad Smith tweetedthe news over a series of tweets, noting the deal with Samsung would not only see the company collect royalties on every Samsung smartphone and tablet running Android, it would also see “closer collaboration on Windows Phone”:...

TNW Quick Hit: Everyone knows that Microsoft is never going to cede one inch of its market position in the enterprise sector to Google without going to war first, and the company again made that plain today in afiery blog postthat called out Google Apps for small and medium-sized businesses as far more expensive than advertised. Microsoft, using its cash as a weapon, interviewed 90 companies (small to medium in size) in five countries that use Google Apps and found that 90% use Microsoft Office alongside of Apps....

Microsoft’s patent arsenal is often its weapon of choice when it wants to turn the screws on its competition. And there has been perhaps no more famous example in recent months of this than its legal actions against Android vendors to force them to cough up per unit royalties to avoid the company’s legal wrath. At the rate that HTC is rumored to pay the company (between five and ten dollars per shipped unit), Microsoft is almostcertainly profiting moreoff of the success of Android than it is from its own mobile line, Windows Phone 7....

Bought a Microsoft software CD recently? Buy it from a shady looking guy in the corner? Chances are that bloke who sold you the dodgy CD got it from some very bad people. Not just happy with selling drugs theLa Familia Michoacana(scary/evil/notorious Mexican drugs cartel) have diversified their portfolio, adding software counterfeiting to their list of investments. David Finn, Microsoft’s Associate General Counsel dealing with Worldwide Anti-piracy and Anti-counterfeiting, wrote about the problem in ablog post....