| The big buzz in the smartphone world of late is the | | | | events will occur in other industries. And RIM, with its |
| speculation, sparked by a "suggestion" from a Reuters | | | | steadily sliding stock price, seems an ideal candidate |
| analyst, that Microsoft might be buying Research in | | | | for such a buyout. |
| Motion (RIM) maker of the BlackBerry. What would | | | | One problem that Microsoft would have to face, if it |
| such a move mean for both companies, and what | | | | does buy out RIM and take over the BlackBerry is the |
| would it mean for their competitors in the smartphone | | | | device's user-loyalty. It isn't called the Crackberry for |
| world, like Apple and, now, Google? | | | | nothing. BlackBerry users are generally devoted |
| No one knows whether or not Bill Gates' mammoth | | | | customers, who've grown accustomed to the BB |
| giant, creator of the Windows operating system, really | | | | operating system in all its glorious functionality |
| will take over ownership of the BlackBerry, but | | | | (particularly for emailing, messaging, and general |
| everyone agrees that if it does, mammoth changes | | | | internet use) may not take too kindly to a BlackBerry |
| are in store for the smartphone industry. | | | | running on Windows Mobile. |
| Google, for one, the newest entry into the smartphone | | | | One of the reasons why Microsoft would want to |
| game, with its inaugural implementation of its Google | | | | own the BlackBerry, in fact, is its reliability and |
| Android mobile operating system, the HTC G-1 (aka | | | | resourcefulness for improved productivity in the |
| the Google Phone), could be in for a bigger battle than | | | | household and corporate enterprise alike. The |
| it had planned. | | | | BlackBerry Enterprise Server solution is the best of its |
| The union of RIM, who claims 2 of the top 5 | | | | kind. Microsoft would be foolish to jeopardize that in |
| best-selling smartphones in the U.S. (the BlackBerry | | | | favor of sticking its WinMo OS in every smartphone it |
| Curve and the BlackBerry Pearl) as well as the latest | | | | can. |
| contender for the Apple iPhone 3G's touchscreen | | | | There is also at least one way in which such an |
| throne, and Microsoft, whose Windows Mobile | | | | acquisition would serve as a step sideways, and that is |
| operating system (aka WinMo) runs smartphones | | | | in Microsoft's rebranding efforts. Microsoft has been |
| from most of the major manufacturers in the industry, | | | | seen for most its existence as the businessperson's |
| including: HTC, Motorola, Samsung, Asus, LG, and more. | | | | platform. It is therefore devoting a great deal of energy |
| It's not unreasonable to suspect that this merger will | | | | to targeting the general consumer, especially the youth |
| actually take place, either. Looking at the current U.S. | | | | and "hip" markets (currently Apple's domains). Acquiring |
| and global economic crisis, and how its caused the | | | | a company best known for its enterprise solutions will |
| demise of several major financial institutions and the | | | | do nothing to bolster those efforts. |
| takeover of several others, it's only logical that similar | | | | |