#Microsoft Wins Patent for Slider Design

The Redmond, Wash.-based company's new patent is different from regular slider #phone designs. The #patent is for a phone that allows the keyboard to sit flush with the screen when opened, allowing users to potentially type more easily and comfortably.

Microsoft's awarded a single patent may seem small as several companies look to sue each other over patent violations and others enter bidding wars for portfolios that contain thousands of patents. But the company's new partnership with smartphone maker Nokia could make the slider patent invaluable.