This headline is a bit aggressive and misleading. Google isn't doing this, as they just got clearance. (Though one could argue Google could at least make a statement)
What Google is doing is no different than what Microsoft (http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/21/this-title-is-patented-pay-...) or Apple (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/technology/apple-wins-part...) are doing. I don't know when the patent war started in earnest, but let's not pretend Google is the only tech company leveraging their patents. I'm also not suggesting any of these companies are paragons, but Google is just responding in kind. I'm sure this is why they acquired Motorola Mobility in the first place.
Makes you wonder how much longer a $150 Android phone will have $5 paid to Microsoft.
Seems like a pretty clear message to stop doing something similar to android device manufacturers. The (my perception) growing use of patents in this manner is really distasteful but what's a company to do? Not fire back on principal?
I wonder if this has more to do with Google's push for WebM/VP8 as the defacto standard for HTML5's new video tag? Surely they don't think that Microsoft will pay these fees and will be forced to remove support for H.264
I don't see the problem, Google is just fighting back, Microsoft earns more money from Android vendors trough patents than it's Windows Phone product.