[BaconMunch]

I don't understand how there are full blown articles written about a Microsoft buy-out just because of Ballmer's presence during the BBW General Keynote.

As a Waterloo Grad, I can appreciate the research happening at the Institute for Quantum Computing and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, both which come from RIM's pursuit of higher learning.
I am absolutely disgusted of the thought that they may go wayward because the company can be evaluated on only $15 Billion and that Apple at $320 Billion is the future? Right, because R&D in "magical" experience trumps quantum computing.

Microsoft could buy BlackBerry: Analysts - The Times of India

TORONTO: With its newly launched PlayBook tablet failing to make a splash and this week's bold announcements about updating its aging smartphones not enthusing investors, speculation has begun that Microsoft may soon buy BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM).

The speculation has been triggered by the presence of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at RIM's BlackBerry World annual conference of customers, developers and partners in Florida this week.

Though RIM unveiled new thinner BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones, multi-platform BlackBerry enterprise solution, a new BlackBerry operating system and announced to update its aging handset line-up at the annual gathering, the gloom has not lifted from the Canadian wireless giant.

RIM stock, which started plunging after the company last week slashed its quarterly outlook on lower sales, has found few takers, prompting analysts to say that the company that virtually invented the smartphone is in terminal decline and ripe for takeover.

They cite the presence of the Microsoft CEO at BlackBerry World conference as a hint of the obvious happening in the next few months.

These analysts say that if market value of RIM -- about $24 billion -- keeps sliding at the current rate, the BlackBerry maker will soon be reduced to just $15 billion.

"Microsoft (currently) has $48 billion in cash. If RIM's value drops to $15 billion, it will become an attractive target for Microsoft. Maybe Steve Ballmer was planting that seed during his keynote appearance at Blackberry World," Harry Wang, director of mobile research at Parks Associates, told the premier PC Magazine.

Moreover, with its main rival Apple now worth over $320 billion, analysts say the economies of scale will make the BlackBerry maker just uncompetitive against the world's largest technology company in terms of R&D spending.

Furthermore, as computing has moved from desktop to laptop and now to smartphones and tablets, Microsoft has realised that it has to enter the mobile space quickly if it has survive. Towards this goal, it has launched Windows 7 Phone and just entered into a strategic tie-up with global handset market leader Nokia which will now adopt Windows 7 Phone as its main smart phone strategy.

But if Microsoft ever have to take on Apple and Google in the mobile space, the software giant would need to target a hardware vendor giant like RIM which fits the bill because the BlackBerry maker will also bring its huge base of enterprise users to Microsoft.

RIM's just announced partnership with Microsoft to adopt its Bing as the default search engine on its smartphones is an obvious hint of things to come in the next few months, say analysts.

[papped]

They brought this crap up a long time ago too. Never panned out...

[grahamf]

The day that happens is the day that the Canadian government, for the second time, blocks the sale of a Canadian company to a US company.

[Deathcommand]

So could facebook.
Way to go analysts!

Wait do they realize that 15bil will be about 30% of their money? --;

[pattste]

The day that happens is the day that the Canadian government, for the second time, blocks the sale of a Canadian company to a US company.

Absolutely. It's'not going to happen.

Plus it makes zero sense from the point of view of technology. The two companies are not good fits at all.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Seijuro]

analysts..................................

[BergerKing]

analysts..................................

I agree, and we know what analyst starts with....

And using some programming from a company is quite different from selling your entire company to them.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MisterMe11]

Look, Microsoft has already 'bought' Nokia in effect, so buying RIM now makes a lot less sense than it may have in the past.

However with the stock at $47, RIM is getting more vulnerable to any buyers out there. To Gramf, Harper will not block a sale. He doesn't care about technology, only resources.

[StaticFX]

With its newly launched PlayBook tablet failing..

hmm.. funny - I just saw an article stating they were selling fairly well...

[tumer]

What makes me laugh is that just because there share are down and the market cap value it doesn't that's what its worth if microsoft wants rim they will have to pay a premium for it plain and simple probably close to 30-45 billion some where in there

[grahamf]

Look, Microsoft has already 'bought' Nokia in effect, so buying RIM now makes a lot less sense than it may have in the past.

However with the stock at $47, RIM is getting more vulnerable to any buyers out there. To Gramf, Harper will not block a sale. He doesn't care about technology, only resources.

Harper personally wouldn't care, but there's plenty of people that do care to the extent that they would lobby the government (most likely successfully).

And I'm taking a wild guess that lobby will also include a lot of international support, from businesses and governments that do not trust US privacy laws.

RIM is essentially our ONLY consumer electronics company that is still Canadian and if we were to lose that, then...

[MisterMe11]

I'd like for you to be correct, but he has a majority now, and an ideology to maintain. It wouldn't be blocked.

Harper personally wouldn't care, but there's plenty of people that do care to the extent that they would lobby the government (most likely successfully).

[mssca]

Harper personally wouldn't care, but there's plenty of people that do care to the extent that they would lobby the government (most likely successfully).

And I'm taking a wild guess that lobby will also include a lot of international support, from businesses and governments that do not trust US privacy laws.

RIM is essentially our ONLY consumer electronics company that is still Canadian and if we were to lose that, then...

Harper is a bully. He will kick lobby groups out of the parliament by making them illegal. Harper's far right ideology is actually anti democratic. We will lose RIM for sure.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[grahamf]

Maybe, but would there be resistance internationally?

From what i can tell, Canadian privacy laws try to preserve secrecy completely while the US ones are a lot more free with information.

RIM is currently pushing into countries like China and India that do not want their data inn the US, which has been involved in some wiretapping fiascos.

Aside from the fact that India wants full access, which would potentially compromise BES for everybody.

[Skeevecr]

While a bit more expensive right now, you would think that if ms went after anyone then it would be nokia that would be a better fit since they are stronger on the manufacturing side of things and would complement the strengths of ms better.

[JWWDUKE]

If it makes RIM put phones out faster and makes them more competitive then, as a consumer and a BB lover, I say sell sell sell.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[lnichols]

I'll switch to Apple or HP if it happens. the bing deal is bad enough, if M$ bought RIM they'd mess it up just like everything else they acquire or touch.

[anon(51467)]

Harper is a bully. He will kick lobby groups out of the parliament by making them illegal. Harper's far right ideology is actually anti democratic. We will lose RIM for sure.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Kicking lobbying groups out seems good. So how does his "far right" ideology become anti democratic?

It is the left who always maon and whine about the lobbyists, your logic misses for me.

But on topic, why mould MS buy RIM, they would be one company competing with itself in the smartphone realm. Although the ability to make BES and Exchange one in the same would be very interesting.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wlochaty]

MS can buy RIM. And it'll be great for all. Why? Because RIM had products only for MS OS. And this is real s**t.

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Tbh, I don't think there's any company whom would be a good fit for RIM. If RIM fails completely, I don't think it'll be bought out, just left to die...

[grahamf]

If it makes RIM put phones out faster and makes them more competitive then, as a consumer and a BB lover, I say sell sell sell.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Oh, yeah, and Danger is now REALLY competitive.
/sarcasm

[leftypepper716]

Canadian laws reguarding such acquisitions would be so much different than those of the US (we're talking a USA owened comapny buying out a Canadian company) this would'nt be at&t taking over T-Mobile (USA)...just beacuse the new device's will have Bing as the default browser does not mean a takeover...Playbook is getting a Facebook app...does than mean Mark Zuckerberg is gonna make a play for RIM too? lol

[jeffmvr]

Would be nice, a company with direction and ideas could help guide RIM in the right directions.

[JWWDUKE]

Oh, yeah, and Danger is now REALLY competitive.
/sarcasm

Slow down there cowboy. I didn't say it WOULD make them more competitive, I said if it DID make them more competitive. I don't think the buyout would ever happen anyway.

And what is Danger? I've never heard of it. I'm assuming it's a Worldwide cellphone maker that single handedly created the "smartphone" and then ruled the smartphone market?

/there's your sarcasm

haha,

[grahamf]

Slow down there cowboy. I didn't say it WOULD make them more competitive, I said if it DID make them more competitive. I don't think the buyout would ever happen anyway.

And what is Danger? I've never heard of it. I'm assuming it's a Worldwide cellphone maker that single handedly created the "smartphone" and then ruled the smartphone market?

/there's your sarcasm

haha,

Danger made the sidekick. Which was the precursor to the smartphone. It was more popular than the Blackberry pagers at launch.

Microsoft bought danger, lost customer data when transferring Danger's servers to Windows, killed the HipTop line (Sidekicks, but Tmob owns the sidekick brand), and used what was left to create the ill fated Kin.

Saying that "If Microsoft DOES make BB successful by buying RIM" is like saying "If this pig DOES fly when I drop it from the CN tower"