http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2013/09/02/the-next-chapter-an-open-letter-from-steve-ballmer-and-stephen-elop.aspx
The only surprise is that it took this long, though I suppose there's a fine line to be walked for this kind of takeover. As for the company itself I don't believe that much will change, Nokia hasn't been the company many of us want to remember for a long time.
Probably about the patents. I'm sure nokia holds a bunch, or at least licenses to use a bunch. That microsoft could benefit from, in producing their own phones in house, at a reduced licensing cost.
