>The only way these patents are going to matter to you is
...if you want financing.
The investment community keeps a close eye on patents, because it's a major potential liability.
>Obviously, I don't know if Apple is being defensive or offensive here, but it's pretty difficult to imagine them going from retail hardware company to professional patent troll
It's easy to imagine. Microsoft went through exactly the same metamorphosis. Originally their patents were "defensive" (which is a spurious to start with -- simply documenting making an idea public is just as much of a defense), but as the growth curve started to peak they started looking at that portfolio as a way to assure their continued success, if by less productive means.