The news that Google is acquiring Motorola Mobility is bigger than a simple M&A story.  It represents a big bet by Google on the handset market and is a way for the company to protect its Android franchise.  Ultimately it represents another big move in the ongoing mobile patent war.  To boot, the story includes nearly all of the biggest names in the technology business.

Motorola Mobility Price Stock Chart by YCharts

Google ($GOOG) buys Motorola Mobility ($MMI).  (SplatF, WSJ, FT, Bloomberg)

Google admits they are paying up to “protect” Android.  (AllThingsD, Deal Journal)

Will this move “supercharge” the Android platform?  (GigaOM)

Analysts react to the deal.  (FT Alphaville, Tech Trader Daily)

Why the deal makes sense.  (Between the Lines)

Henry Blodget, “This deal could end up being a disaster.”  (SAI)

Don’t forget about Motorola’s set-top box business.  (TechCrunch, GigaOM)

Winners and losers from the deal.  (SplatF)

Carl Icahn is a big winner from the deal.  (Clusterstock, Term Sheet)

Research in Motion ($RIMM) and Nokia ($NOK) are rallying on the news.  (MarketBeat)

How is Microsoft ($MSFT) affected?  (SAI)

Larry Page just punked Apple and Microsoft.  (Dan Lyons)

Android licensees are now very nervous.  (Asymco, Mike Cane’s xBlog)

Ten questions about the deal.  (SplatF)

In addition to a portfolio of patents, Google now owns a worldwide portfolio of factories.  (SAI)

Other implications:

Shorting is a bloodsport.  (The Reformed Broker)

The death of the M&A scoop.  (Felix Salmon)

Don’t worry about Motorola Mobility executives, they will be just fine.  (footnoted)

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