Search Results for: NTP

Will the BlackBerry 8800 be the big thing for RIM in 2007?

January 2, 2007 by Robb Dunewood 6 Comments

As far as devices go, I don’t think too many would argue that the BlackBerry Pearl was the biggest thing to happen to BlackBerry maker Research in Motion last year. There was no question that it was a big factor, along with the NTP settlement, in RIM’s stock price run up of over 100% last year.

When I think back on the BlackBerry Pearl, no one heard of it before the end of June. Remember when Boy Genius popped onto the scene with his leak of the BlackBerry Stealth? The BlackBerry Pearl was only the big thing for RIM in the second half of the year.

This makes me wonder if the BlackBerry 8800 will be the big thing for RIM in 2007 or if some other BlackBerry that hasn’t been leaked yet will be sales juggernaut for RIM.

What do you think?

Where is all the BlackBerry Pearl Marketing?

September 20, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 4 Comments

It has been just over a week since the launch of the BlackBerry Pearl and I have just one question… Where is all of the BlackBerry Pearl marketing?

I was just thinking about the marketing blitz Verizon did when they released the Motorola Q. You could not go twenty minutes on any of the cable news networks that cover financial news without seeing a commercial about the Motorola Q. Demand for the Q is so great that Motorola thinks they may sell 10 million Qs in its first year of existence. To put that in perspective, RIM has yet to sign up 10 million BlackBerry subscribers and it has been around since ’98.

That being said, I will ask my question again… Where is all of the BlackBerry Pearl marketing?

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Visto files patent infringement claims against RIM

May 1, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 3 Comments

No sooner that NTP finishes counting the $612.5 million settlement that they got from Research in Motion over patent infringement, Visto files action against RIM, claiming that the BlackBerry infringes on some of the same patents that Visto just won a patent infringement verdict against Seven Networks.

According to a Visto press release, a jury has overwhelmingly found in favor of Visto in a patent infringement case with Seven Networks where Visto claimed that Seven’s mobile email service willfully infringed on Visto’s system. Immediately following their victory, Visto filled a similar suite against BlackBerry maker, Research in Motion.

Visto, Seven Networks, Patent Infringment

Jim Balsillie to testify at Patent Quality Enhancement Hearing

April 4, 2006 by Robb Dunewood Leave a Comment

Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie will testify this Wednesday in front of Congress in an Oversight Hearing entitled Patent Quality Enhancement in the Information Based Economy. The hearing is being held by the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

The NTP vs. RIM patent case really exposed just how messed up the entire patent system is. I am generally for the little guy, however, patents are given way too generously and often times in error. This appears to be the case in with the NTP patents that all, eventually, will be overturned.

This Oversight Hearing will look at several issues within the USPTO including how Congress can improve administrative proceedings at the back end and whether or not Congress should create a special “patent courts” system to adjudicate disputes.

Jim Balsillie, NTP, Patent, Congress, Patent Quality Enhancement in the Information Based Economy

The BlackBerry patent case resurrected interest in Palm

March 24, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 2 Comments

The NTP vs. RIM BlackBerry patent played a big part in all the buzz about the new Palm Treo 700w according to a Wall Street Journal Online article.

Over the last year, Palm has tripled the size of its sales force and significantly increased it’s marketing efforts around the Palm Treo. I wondered how big that Treo 700w advertising budget was a month or so ago.

The result: at least 1,500 new inquiries about the Treo in the past few months from corporate customers, resulting in 600 free trials, Palm says. In total, Palm says it has more than doubled its number of sales leads since October.

Via WSJ…

Palm, Treo 700w

Will BlackBerry Connect hurt BlackBerry device sales?

March 20, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 6 Comments

Recently I heard someone say that they sure wished they could get email on their Treo 700w like they were able to with their BlackBerry and it got me to thinking about BlackBerry Connect and when it might be released here in the U.S.

Now the the NTP patent dispute is over, Research in Motion’s partners don’t have to worry about being sued if they allow their devices to be connected to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server so my guess is that we will see BlackBerry Connect clients, at least for the Treo, sooner rather than later.

The question that I have is when finally released, Will BlackBerry Connect hurt BlackBerry device sales?

Many organizations tightly control which BlackBerry devices their employees use, however, there are a lot of companies out their don’t care what device you use so long as they can hook it up to the corporate BES. In fact, a lot of companies require that their employees buy their own BlackBerry devices with their own data plans. Studies have shown that most BlackBerry users are loyal to the mobile email service, not necessarily the device and, in fact, actually find competing handset designs extremely appealing so long as they can get BlackBerry service on them.

If BlackBerry Connect ever becomes widely available on 3rd party handsets, BlackBerry device sales, which is still where Research in Motion makes most of it’s money, could possibly take at hit.
I think this is another good reason RIM should consider a Windows Mobile powered BlackBerry, however, that is for another post.

Research in Motion takes one for the team

March 6, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 1 Comment

Surely by now you’ve heard that Research in Motion settled with NTP for $612.5 million. The question is why? It seemed like RIM had things going in it’s favor. Judge Spencer decided not to impose an injunction against RIM. The USPTO has started rejecting NTP patents on final review. No invalidated patent has ever been appealed successfully. Why would RIM pay NTP $612.5 million for rejected patents?

As RIM co-CEO Jim Balsille simply put it, Research in Motion definitely “took one for the team”. In a NewsWeek interview shortly after the settlement, Balsillie said that the RIM was “definitely seeing an effect of the case on business.” “The chances the those patents will survive are zero,” however, the court has said that it will not wait for the USPTO to complete it’s review.

NTP, patent, RIM,

Here’s the official settlement announcement from RIM

March 3, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 1 Comment

Research In Motion and NTP Sign Definitive Settlement Agreement to End Litigation

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM; TSX: RIM) and NTP, Inc. (NTP) today announced that they have signed a definitive licensing and settlement agreement. All terms of the agreement have been finalized and the litigation against RIM has been dismissed by a court order this afternoon. The agreement eliminates the need for any further court proceedings or decisions relating to damages or injunctive relief.

RIM has paid NTP $612.5 million in full and final settlement of all claims against RIM, as well as for a perpetual, fully-paid up license going forward. This amount includes money already escrowed by RIM to date.

The licensing and settlement agreement relates to all patents owned and controlled by NTP and covers all of RIM’s products, services and technologies. NTP grants RIM an unfettered right to continue its business, including its BlackBerry related business. The resolution permits RIM and its partners to sell RIM products and services completely free and clear of any claim by NTP, including any claims that NTP may have against wireless carriers, channel partners, suppliers or customers in relation to RIM products or services, (including BlackBerry Connect and Built-In technology), or in relation to third party products and services, to the extent they are used in connection with RIM products and services.

With respect to the accounting treatment of today’s announced settlement of $612.5 million, RIM had previously accrued $450 million and the additional amount of $162.5 million will be recorded in Q4. RIM will report the full accounting details in its Q4 earnings report on April 6th.

As of November 26, 2005, RIM’s total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term, long-term investments and escrow funds was approximately $1.8 billion.As of November 26, 2005, RIM’s outstanding common shares totalled approximately 185.1 million.

All amounts reported in US dollars.

NTP, BlackBerry Settlement

RIM co-CEO says RIM is ready…

March 2, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 3 Comments

Research in Motion co-CEO and founder Mike Lazaridis says that RIM is ready as he believes the company has “prepared for any contingency” to keep the company pumping out BlackBerry devices and BlackBerry service in the United States despite the NTP vs. RIM patent dispute.

Mike Lazaridis, NTP, BlackBerry Workaround

What do rejected patents really mean?

February 28, 2006 by Robb Dunewood 2 Comments

Last Friday, not only did Federal District Court Judge James R. Spencer decide not to impose an injunction on Research in Motion, but the United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected the final 3 of 5 patents NTP successfully litigated. Much of the talk since the hearing has been about settlement talks or lack there of less a press release on the RIM website and and comments made by RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie in an interview right outside the courthouse after the hearing.

My question is what do these rejected patents really mean? I am hoping that someone versed in patent law can chime in because I would think if the patents that RIM was guilty of infringing upon don’t actually exist any longer in the eyes of the USPTO, NTP wouldn’t have a leg to stand. This, however, must not be the case because all we have heard about for the passed two days are some type of settlement between NTP and RIM.