Microsoft and Dell still BFF -- sign patent licensing agreement for Android, Chrome and Xbox

Peanut butter and jelly. Fish and chips. Salt and pepper. Dell and Microsoft. These are all things that go great together. Sure, Dell has strayed a bit, offering things like laptops with Ubuntu and tablets with Android. However, Windows has been and will likely continue to be the manufacturer's bread and butter.

In the technology world, Dell and Microsoft are "BFF" -- best friends forever. If the companies were teen girls, they'd be braiding each other's hair and gossiping about boys. Today, Dell and Microsoft have signed a monumental patent agreement -- tantamount to BFF's exchanging friendship bracelets.

"Through this arrangement, Microsoft and Dell have agreed to license each company's applicable intellectual property related to Android and Chrome OS devices and Xbox gaming consoles. Under the terms of the agreement, they agreed on royalties for Dell's products running the Android or Chrome platforms and on consideration to Dell for a license for Xbox gaming consoles", says Microsoft.

Horacio Gutierrez, VP at Microsoft explains, "our agreement with Dell shows what can be accomplished when companies share intellectual property. We have been partnering with technology manufacturers and vendors for many years to craft licensing deals, instead of litigation strategies".

While a patent licensing agreement signing isn't normally exciting, having Dell and Microsoft involved with things like Android, Chrome OS and Xbox, surely gets the mind going. It will be interesting to see what happens as a result. If nothing else, it is great to see the two companies working so closely together like in the old days. Hell, maybe it is time to get the "dude you're getting a Dell" guy out of retirement.

Are you excited by this agreement? Tell me in the comments.

Image Credit: JJ Studio/Shutterstock