Google’s $12 Billion Toy – The Wall Street Journal.

I thought you would be interested in the following story on WSJ.com.

Google’s $12 Billion Toy

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304587704577335990254389120.html

Here’s a business riddle: Divine Google Inc.’s GOOG +1.27%intentions for its largest-ever acquisition, the $12.5 billion purchase of the once-great, now-faltering Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. MMI -16.67%

Motorola represents one of the thorniest strategic and operational challenges in Google’s 14-year history. Oddly, few seem to be paying attention.

When investors parsed Google’s deal announcement in August, they focused on how Motorola’s 17,000 patents will protect Google’s market-leading Android mobile operating system from legal assault.

But what of the 20,500 Motorola employees working in 92 major facilities across 97 countries, from Horsham, Pa., to Jaguariuna, Brazil? What of the factories churning out low-margin cellphones and cable-TV boxes? What of the five years of losses, some $5.3 billion in all?