Not one to be left behind when there’s a fight to be had, Microsoft has decided to take on what it thinks are two of its biggest rivals: Apple and Samsung. Or, at least, it wants you to remember that it also makes phones too and the fued between Apple and Samsiung is a silly distraction from the awesomeness of its products.

One way Microsoft is trying to accomplish this is with a new ad. In this one iPhone users make fun of Galaxy owners and their “enormous” phones, Galaxy owners make fun of iPhone owners and call them children and the list of insults goes on and on.

If it wasn’t so heavy-handed and obvious, it would be kinda funny. Still, we do like stylized martial arts action in a church and overblown sound effects as much as the next guys/gals. The guy with the Apple tattoo is also a nice touch.

So kudos to Microsoft for at least trying to have a sense of humor and trying to do something. We may never buy a Windows Smartphone (check that, we never will), but at least it won’t be due to a lack of effort on Microsoft’s part.

Hey, we still love the XBox 360. Check out the add after the break.

This comes directly from the “obvious to anyone with eyes” department. In a unanimous decision the jury in the landmark case of Apple vs. Samsung has found that Samsung did infringe on Apple’s patents with a number of its devices.

Samsung has also been found guilty of willful infringement for most patents for most of the company’s devices. In addition, all of Apple’s patents were found to be valid, leaving Samsung with no damages being awarded and in a pretty bad positon.

The jury has awarded Apple over $1 Billion in damages. I guess a billion dollars is pretty cool.

What does this mean for the tech industry? It’s too soon to tell, but it probably means we can look forward to an Apple vs. Google/Motorola lawsuit soon enough.

It also probably means that companies are going to have to work a lot harder to differentiate their devices from Apple’s. Well, at least the very successful ones like Samsung will. HTC is probably pretty safe. And Nokia. Sorry guys.

More on this as it develops. . .