RIM and NTP settle BlackBerry patent lawsuit
It was starting to look really doubtful that Research In Motion was going to win the patent infringement lawsuit NTP brought against them (the last couple of court rulings didn't exactly go their way), and so rather than face the prospect of being barred from selling the BlackBerry in the US (NTP actually got an injunction to this effect, which RIM was able to get stayed pending appeal), they've announced this morning that they're settling the suit. The damage? $450 million dollars (US dollars, at that), and in exchange RIM gets a license from NTP to keep producing and selling the BlackBerry. Probably saved the company from paying out even more if they'd lost the case outright, but $450 million is some serious damage for a company that "only" made $365.9 million in its last reported quarter.
