Judgment Day arrives for RIM

Is today the day that Judge James Spencer will order RIM to shut down its US network, leaving millions of BlackBerry users either in the lurch or dependent upon a somewhat sketchy workaround? Or will Spencer decide to delay his ruling in light of recent patent rulings against RIM's archrival, NTP? Will RIM CEO James Balsille decide he can't stand the pressure anymore, and just write a big check to NTP to end the long-running conflict? Or will Spencer just throw out the case once and for all and wash his hands of the whole mess? One thing is certain: all eyes will be on a courtroom in Virginia, where Spencer's hearing is already in progress. To help you sort things out (or, more likely, to just feed into your insatiable obsession with this case), here's a handy compendium of the latest reports on the RIM-NTP showdown:

• ZDNet - Will there be a BlackBerry shutdown? Eight experts tell me.
• ZDNet - Yes, there will be a BlackBerry injunction
• Forbes - RIM's Last Shot?
• BBC - Ruling due on BlackBerry shutdown
• BBHub - OK, here's my prediction on patent ruling
• BBHub - Lesson for all in RIM-NTP dispute: should software be patentable at all?
• RIMarkable - BlackBerry Friday is finally here… Will anything change?
• Chicago Tribune - BlackBerry brigade not worried: they see options
• Kevin Maney - Hug your BlackBerry today

And just in case you need to lighten up a little after checking in with all of the ponderous pundits, be sure to take another look at The Onion's BlackBerry Service Shutdown infographic. Remember, if RIM's network goes dead, you can always communicate via flare gun!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 9:58AM]

Your link is broken...

And I don't have a blackberry.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 10:04AM]

I find this pretty exiting. It's finally going to end (hopefully).

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 10:47AM]

If you're curious, nothing will happen, and the stock will go wild by the end of this.

Even if there is an injunction, it will be stayed. And in that time, either the USPO will cancel all the patents before the injunction starts (nullifying it), OR they will take longer and the BlackBerry workaround will be put in place until the patents are killed.

Either way, those of us in finance who fear-monger the stupid public for the sake of tanking stocks, will come out of this rich. And consumers will come out no different.

Thanks for the money!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 11:43AM]

I just pity anyone ending up redundant as a result of any actions by the court.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 11:55AM]

I never like Blackberry, it's ugly and crap. Who care? :)

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 12:39PM]

Intelligent comment #5: "Who cares?"

Blackberry devices are used by three million people in the US. They care. You lose.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 12:44PM]

DIE! BLAQBERRY DIE!
If blaqberry weren't being given out on my job for free i don't think anybody would be using them. My treo and host of other smart phones rule the playground in my company.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 1:06PM]

Actually, they lose. Of course, since a large percentage of users are US Gov't employees, many of use will lose too. But that's okay, I'm not terribly impressed w/this admin's record anyhoo.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 1:10PM]

BlackBerry Was Spared But:
http://sybarites.org/2006/02/24/blackberry-saved-but/

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 24th 2006 1:30PM]

http://www.bbhub.com/2006/02/24/that-rocket-you-just-heard-was-rim-stock-taking-off/

Called.

Thanks for the money!