Microsoft and Amazon Sign Deal Granting Access to Each Other's Patent Porfolios

Microsoft and Amazon have inked a cross-license agreement in which both companies have access to the other's patent portfolio. The terms of the deal are frustratingly vague, although we do know that despite the symbiotic way the deal is presented, Amazon will in fact be paying Microsoft for this access.

Apparently the deal covers "a broad range" of products, with Amazon's Kindle and internal servers named specifically. Both of those products run a version of Linux, which could be where the...