Microsoft Explains the Rationale Behind the Nokia Deal  —  Microsoft is spending $7.17 billion to acquire Nokia's devices and services business and license the company's mapping services, a move that CEO Steve Ballmer characterizes as “a bold step into the future.”

Steve Ballmer on Microsoft's future, and whether Stephen Elop is the next CEO  —  A Q&A with the Microsoft CEO on the eve of his $7.2b purchase of Nokia  —  In a surprising move early Tuesday, Microsoft announced that it would be acquiring Nokia's devices and services division …

The Deal That Makes No Sense  —  Early this morning Microsoft acquired Nokia for €3.79 billion (plus €1.65 billion for patents).  It is a deal that makes no sense.  While industry observers love to pontificate about mergers and acquisitions, the reality is that most ideas are value-destoying.

Microsoft buys Nokia's devices unit in a $7.2 billion bid for its mobile future  —  That's one way to become “a devices and services company”  —  One of the most enticing “what-ifs” of recent years has come true: Microsoft has purchased Nokia's Devices and Services unit, bringing the Lumia lineup under the Redmond roof.

Microsoft Wants to Keep Licensing Windows Phone to Others, Post-Nokia Deal  —  While Microsoft will clearly be the largest maker of Windows Phones once its deal to buy Nokia's device business is complete, the company says it still hopes to license the software to others.  —  Asa Mathat / AllThingsD.com

Fear Of Dying Alone: Microsoft's Last-Ditch Plan For Nokia And Windows Phone  —  What exactly does Microsoft want with the second saddest company in mobile?  —  Alastair Grant, File / AP  —  Microsoft is buying Nokia's cellphone business and licensing its patent portfolio, according to both companies.

Microsoft + Nokia: Now We're All Like Apple  —  Ten years ago, everybody in the tech industry — and I mean everybody — was convinced that the best way to dominate a technology market was to create an operating system and license it to a bunch of other companies.  “The key to success is creating a standard,” said the experts.

Who's buying whom?  —  When a prosperous company buys a struggling company you have to wonder what they're really buying.  —  Here's how to think about it.  A company is defined as the sum of three values: resources, processes and priorities (RPP).  Everything of value can be classified into these three categories.