Patent troll Microsoft has signed yet another patent deal with Samsung covering unknown patents. Microsoft has failed disclosed which patents are in question, and threw Android as the keyword to spread fear, uncertainty and doubt in the market. Unfortunately, everyone knows about Redmond's dirty game and it will have zero effect on Android. Microsoft may be cringing with pain as Amazon will launch its Android tablet tomorrow and Intel is also joining the Android club.

Microsoft has been using this tactic since the time when it accused Linux of infringing upon its patents yet never disclosed which patents are being infringed. Linus Torvalds called it FUD and nothing more.

How Important is this deal?
Even if Microsoft is trying to tell everyone that the sky is falling, this deal is as explosive as a soap bubble. The new deal could simply be an extension of the previous Linux deal Microsoft signed with Samsung.

Since the details of the deal have not been announced it is very much possible that the deal involved only a minute fraction of Linux/Android and rest of the deal was over something completely different. But Microsoft is throwing the keyword Android around to spread the FUD.

It is also not known what kind of patent deal is this. What are the possibilities that its a cross-license deal and Microsoft acquired some protection from Samsung and become a licensee of Samsung's patents?

How much amount is Samsung paying to Microsoft? It could be as low as $0.5 cent per device, making it an irrelevant deal.

Why its not a big deal?
If the ransom Microsoft was asking for was more than it would take to fight in the court, Samsung would have gone for it. It seems Microsoft is getting peanuts from this patent deal and is trying to create hill out of the mole. The amount is so small that Samsung is not even bothered about it.

Microsoft has always been a company which makes below grade products. Office 365 was a major flop, Vista was a disaster, Bing is suffocating, and Windows Mobile almost extinct yet Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, brags on Twitter, "Today’s agreement demonstrates we now have a clear path forward for resolving the industry’s mobile patent issues."

So, the path Microsoft has found is by collecting troll taxes. Nice strategy, keep it up Microsoft.

However, the only point Microsoft has won here is publicity in the media. Rest is normal business. This deal seems to involve nothing more than peanuts.