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To me NTP seems like an evil little monster. But that is just my idea. I don’t think it would help to be shouting and screaming about it. I think they are doing just fine in dealing with NTP.

I also agree that NTP seems to be coming off as a very greedy corporation. This issue really polarizes people, because the greater theme in this case is the issue with US Patent System. You have one small company in Virginia, that was only started to horde patents and would never build a product. Whereas RIM has built a very successful company with a functioning product that people love and rely on. Also it probably doesn’t help that RIM is a Canadian company. It’s all BS to me, seems like the only winners of the broken down patent system are the patent lawyers, which is ironic because NTP’s CEO is also a patent lawyer by trade.

Now to get to the question of RIM and the media. I think RIM is going the right way by not slinging mud through the media but they seriously need to get the message out that everything will come out fine and to relax. With RIM being so quiet, im not surprise that people feel they are gambling with their customers and investor’s money.

As a new BlackBerry customer, I have only just started to follow the RIM vs. NTP matter. I think RIM is doing the right thing in keeping quiet about the lawsuit. Once upon a time, disagreements were settled quietly and out of the press spotlight. But now, in this media-saturated age, if you don’t respond to a charge publicly, you are accused of hiding something. NTP understands this, and hopes to win sympathy for its cause. I think RIM is showing some class in refusing to get in the ring with NTP. But I do believe this causes some concern with customers who believe RIM is not taking the lawsuit seriously. RIM should eventually come out with some statement saying that things will be settled in due time. But they should stick to giving the silent treatment to NTP for now.

Being in business for myself, I understand the reasons from RIM to be tight lipped about what they are doing and will do. This is only good strategy. My take on the whole NTP and RIM issue, is that NTP has the right to stand up for what is rightfully theirs. If they in fact do have full patent protection to RIM software, they should fight for it. I know that I would do the same.

I am Canadian and am proud of what my fellow Canadians have done! I think RIM is handling this situation very well considering. Only time will tell who is the true winner in this battle. In my mind no matter what happens, RIM has the corporate governance to overcome any issue they may face. For example, the United States is such a small portion of their future growth. Look how many countries they have just initiated service in, within the last two months.

I am impressed with the vigor and gull NTP has had with this entire ordeal. Although in my humble opinion they could have done a better job, and now they stand the risk of gaining nothing.

What I am sure of is that in the future RIM will be extremely profitable and service will continue. NTP might garnish something from the ordeal but in the end will be unheard from then on. They have positioned themselves as outcasts to the rest of the business world, they have come off poorly to the media and if they had any future in the world of business after this, it no longer exists. I don’t foresee any reputable companies wanting to venture into any business endeavours with them, because of how they handled themselves

Those are my two Canadian cents.

As a public company, RIM has to be careful about what they say to the media – partly as a legal strategy, partly to protect their stock. NTP, as a private company can afford to try their whole case in the media and have everything to gain by scaring RIM’s customers. In fact, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if NTP starts to threaten RIM’s largest customers, the way that SCO Group threatened IBM’s customers, Chrysler & Autozone during the Linux fiasco. – http://news.com.com/2100-1014-5168921.html

Invariably, when someone from the media interviews a representative from RIM, one of the questions asked is about the purported workaround that RIM is going to offer if the injunction is executed. RIM’s refusal to say anything has already made analysts like Gartner alter their recommendations, but it makes sense. NTP can file against RIM saying that the new workaround violates the court injunction. RIM buys nothing but time by not saying what the workaround is, and time is RIM’s friend. As the patent office continues to reject NTP’s claims, things look worse for NTP. If RIM tells the world what the workaround is, they lose that edge. Right now, NTP can only try to goad RIM into saying what the workaround is through bad press – RIM would be fools to take the bait.

What RIM should do is meet with it’s customers privately and give assurances that there won’t be an outage, leaving the muck-raking business to NTP.

Like Cheryl, I am a new Blackberry customer. And therefore new to the ‘rift’. I will be looking into it further this weekend. Until then, my 2 cents worth: Keep in mind that the general public are easily led and that they are led by what they see or read in the media. No matter what the truth is, most will form their opinions based on what spin is applied by the media outlet that is providing the story. Taking the moral high ground, while being ‘The right thing to do’, will only influence the small part of the public masses who are informed enough to know the whole story. The other 95% of the world only knows the part of the story that’s on MTV (as an example). And that’s who drives the ‘cool new thing to have this summer’. Example: Paris Hilton and her Sidekick (which I just threw away due to its poor performance.)