RIM to buy Palm?
Ok, this is just a rumor and should be treated as totally unconfirmed speculation, but BargainPDA is reporting that RIM mulling over a buyout of Palm. Why? Well, apparently RIM wants a backup biz in case they have to stop selling their line of BlackBerry handhelds here in the US (they're embroiled in a long-running patent lawsuit with NTP, which claims that the BlackBerry's email tech infringes on several of their patents). And if things should happen to go RIM's way in the suit, then they could always add BlackBerry support to upcoming Treos, something that's been just-around-the-corner for months now anyway. Whether RIM could make an offer that Palm and its shareholders would accept is another matter, but let's not kid ourselves that it's starting look more and more like Palm's glory days are behind it — it might just be the right time for them to sell.
