Sudden friendships

According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is investing $300 Million in Barnes & Noble’s Nook platform.

The alliance comes after the companies openly feuded over the Nook. Microsoft last year sued Barnes & Noble and the manufacturers of the Nook, charging the device infringed on its patents. Barnes & Noble said Microsoft was trying to “bully” smaller companies that used versions of Google Inc.’s Android operating system, as Barnes & Noble does for the Nook.

This is just wild speculation but I’m guessing that B&N’s response was valid enough that Microsoft now finds itself chucking money at them to smooth things over. It might be hard to say for sure as the lawsuit conveniently disappears with this agreement.