Microsoft Invested $300 Million in a Doomed Business

Last spring, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced that it would pour $300 million into Barnes & Noble's (NYSE: BKS) Nook business. This was an unusual move for Microsoft, but it seemed like a sound investment for the firm to make. The Windows maker needed content and a potential partner in building a tablet and other devices. By signing with Barnes & Noble, Microsoft gained both. Despite a plethora of rumors, Microsoft did not use this partnership to build the company's first tablet. Microsoft performed that task all on its own. Thus far, Nook content has not become a huge part of the Windows 8 App Store. The e-reader app currently holds a 3.5 star rating from just 731 reviews. Comparatively, the iOS version has received nearly 30,000 reviews and holds a rating of 4.5 stars. It is wholly possible that Microsoft invested in Barnes & Noble to reap the company's...