BlackBerry Maker, NTP Ink $612 Million Settlement

[Kris Kumar]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/03/technology/rimm_ntp/index.htm?cnn=yes

"BlackBerry maker Research in Motion said Friday it agreed to pay $612.5 million to patent holding company NTP to settle a long-running dispute that had threatened to shut down the popular wireless e-mail service for its 3 million users. Canadian-based Research in Motion (Research) announced the settlement late Friday ahead of a U.S. judge's expected ruling on damages in the case. Under the settlement, NTP granted RIM the right to keep running its BlackBerry business, the company said in a statement. "The agreement has been finalized and NTP's lawsuit against RIM has been dismissed by a court order," the Canadian company said. "The settlement means no further court proceedings or decisions about damages are necessary." RIM also issued a warning Friday, lowering its 4th-quarter revenue projections. ... Richards said Microsoft and Motorola could have capitalized on RIM's situation by introducing major wireless products, but that they had not done so."



Now that this case is settled, I wonder if we will see the BlackBerry Connect software for our Smartphones sooner than the MSFP? ;-)

[Kris Kumar]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/03/technology/rimm_ntp/index.htm?cnn=yes

"BlackBerry maker Research in Motion said Friday it agreed to pay $612.5 million to patent holding company NTP to settle a long-running dispute that had threatened to shut down the popular wireless e-mail service for its 3 million users. Canadian-based Research in Motion (Research) announced the settlement late Friday ahead of a U.S. judge's expected ruling on damages in the case. Under the settlement, NTP granted RIM the right to keep running its BlackBerry business, the company said in a statement. "The agreement has been finalized and NTP's lawsuit against RIM has been dismissed by a court order," the Canadian company said. "The settlement means no further court proceedings or decisions about damages are necessary." RIM also issued a warning Friday, lowering its 4th-quarter revenue projections. ... Richards said Microsoft and Motorola could have capitalized on RIM's situation by introducing major wireless products, but that they had not done so."



Now that this case is settled, I wonder if we will see the BlackBerry Connect software for our Smartphones sooner than the MSFP? ;-)

[Jerry Raia]

and I thought we would be finally rid of Blackberry once and for all! :cry:

[wshwe]

This case amounts to nothing more than legalized extortion. The US Patent System is fatally flawed.

[Bushrod]

Considering that we're still on Exchange 5.5 where I work, I hope Blackberry is around for a while. I'd prefer Blackberry Connect and to use my own device. I'm sick of carrying two devices.

[Mike Temporale]

Settled? Wow... I didn't expect these two to agree on anything.

[WalterS]

Holy crap, me neither - what the fuzz!?!