[Rickroller]

rumors are just roomy until they're debunked.

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

Regarding the Vodaphone potential take-over (which I don't see happening), isn't Vodaphone a carrier? Or are they more than that? It doesn't seem like it'd be a good fit. Unless they don't want to take over but just invest in RIM, but what would the ramifications be, and why would they want to?

[JPMorgan_]

I agree, It seems that RIM's executives aren't buying stocks, despite the 60% discount, that has to bring some concern. Anyway the Vodafone takeover rumor is not really possible, they have the cash for sure but they would be going against their core business.
I don't think RIM is looking for a buyer, but the most viable options I could think right now are Amazon and Dell.
Hopefully the company will get on the right track, and this takeover talk will go away, but they've got to have a Plan B.
I would love to know how well or not, the BlackBerry7 devices are doing in sells, that's key to all this.

[JPMorgan_]

RIM shares continue climbing, they are up 3.03% in today's trading.

[world traveler and former ceo]

IBM would be a good candidate also to buy RIM ....

[world traveler and former ceo]

Yup. Not multi-billion but multi-10's of million for sure.

I can tell you founders are no different that anyone else, in fact they typically see themselves as more entitled to put their own interests first. I had one experience were in order to maximize the founder and senior management's stock, the employee's option grants had to be zeroed out. This very august statesman-like CEO got up in front of all the employees and with a straight face told them he fought hard for them but in the end, this was forced upon us all. Yet, it was his idea to move the value of the employees stock to his and few others valuation to keep the purchase price in line with the agreed number.

Pretty eye-opening, I can tell you.

I am sure there are very greedy and selfish types like that ... Personally, i did the exact opposite when my company was acquired 10 years ago .... i turned down much of the options i was offered and requested they be given out to my employees instead ... they were a major reason the firm was as successful so i wanted to reward them ...

[the_sleuth]

LOL, Brothers RIM are promising Android App Player at DevCon. Playbook owners are getting Android whether liking it or not. For QNX phones? Who knows....

But RIM has no ecosystem, to speak of, for tablet and phones. And the clock is ticking. Rumour, now, is RIM hired an investment banker to look at strategic alternatives. Code words for CEOs don't truly know how RIM will fair the next 12 months.

I believe, RIM will muddle along much like Yahoo. Stock price could be where it's at next DevCon 2012.

Who knows. I just hope if anyone does they continue with QNX I don't want android, yet anyway.

[samab]

But RIM has no ecosystem, to speak of, for tablet and phones. And the clock is ticking. Rumour, now, is RIM hired an investment banker to look at strategic alternatives. Code words for CEOs don't truly know how RIM will fair the next 12 months.

I believe, RIM will muddle along much like Yahoo. Stock price could be where it's at next DevCon 2012.

There are millions of idiotic rumors

The shareholders are going to be stuck with the dynamic duo. They have enough stock to stop any sale talk. They have a Canadian government that will block any hostile takeover.

RIMM should not be selling at 50x p/e ratio a few years ago. They should not be selling at 5x p/e ratio right now. It's not really RIM's fault if wall street is crazy with valuation multiples.

[rollingrock1988]

Even if that rumor is true, don't you think they are just trying to keep from being taken over?

If anything they could merge with another company. Like Amazon.

One could wish . But seriously. Merge with another company.

[anon(4018671)]

Merging with Amazon would be the best thing RIM could do. Doesn't really look like it will happen, the KF will probably be a success by itself. Like Kevin was saying on Mobile Nations they need to make a cohesive media experience ala one sign in.

RIM doesn't need to be bought-out they just need time and slightly more resources that I suspect will be freed up upon Android player and PIM stuff being sorted out for QNX.

[chrism_scotland]

I know I read the rumors a few days ago about a possible Vodafone takeover, I don't see Vodafone mounting a full scale takeover but Blackberry/RIM is very important to them, certainly in Europe and the rest of the world as Vodafone is one of if not the biggest business network globally.
I wonder if they might be interested in taking a stake in RIM to give them some more support and time to continue on their recovery plans, I'm sure VF would lose a lot of business if Blackberry became just another Google phone.

[EchoTango]

With the current valuation for RIM at a historic low, I'm sure there is a steady stream of deal makers traveling to Waterloo, with proposals in hand. They will find a polite but unreceptive audience as I think RIM is too linked to the past and obsessed with recapturing the number 1 spot. The fact is, Apple has redefined the smartphone market and its clearly not what RIM's is currently or planning to offer. That ship has sailed.

I do believe RIM will carve out a niche for itself and do quite nicely. However, it will watch as Apple, Android and possibly Microsoft march past them in terms of market share.

[EchoTango]

I am sure there are very greedy and selfish types like that ... Personally, i did the exact opposite when my company was acquired 10 years ago .... i turned down much of the options i was offered and requested they be given out to my employees instead ... they were a major reason the firm was as successful so i wanted to reward them ...

Then you are truly a "prince among men" and I sincerely mean that. You probably get up every day and feel good about that decision...and you should.

Sadly, you are most likely in a the minority. In my view, the moral character of our most senior industry leaders is highly questionable based on their historical actions. Heck, they didn't get to where they are by acting like schoolgirls and I've always wondered if our corporate "shark tank" business mentality doesn't actually produce these creatures.

In any case, I've learned to be skeptical of any senior management statements that start with "we're all part of the same team".

[lurchybabey]

These are all very far fetched...a buy-out or take over always tends to come at a multiple of the companies worth...so there has to be a point in whichever company buying them...they need to make a return on that investment.

Why would Vodafone...who make there money by being manufacturer agnostic and being on as many phones as possible want to invest in a manufacturer. Where is the return for them? They have not got much to bring whatsoever to RIMs party...so they won't be able to enhance RIMs offering to the world and what would owning them do for themselves instead...well I doubt they could sell a huge amount more carrier packages by owning a manufacturer...and no doubt that blatant cutting of the market would just put a lot more people off buying the hardware in the first place? I don't see the win-win...

As for an Amazon takeover...why again would they bother? They have an ecosystem...they have a huge supply chain...and they now have hardware that now going to tie in to that ecosystem which is where they are going to generate their revenue...owning RIM will only expand there hardware base but not neccesarily their 'ecosystem' base which is where they would generate the extra revenue from so where would the extra revenue exist to make the RIM takeover worthwhile?

Surely they would just be better off investing in some killer apps for the playbook so that you get hooked into their ecosystem that way? I.e. a Kindle App and an Amazon Store app and an Amazon videos app...a damnsite cheaper I would have thought to exploit other peoples investments than to take over a whole company!

[bengalt9]

Just read this article. Looked interesting to me. So sharing it

RIM Sags Amidst Outages; Jefferies Dashes Buyout Speculation - Tech Trader Daily - Barrons.com

[CanuckBB]

I agree, It seems that RIM's executives aren't buying stocks, despite the 60% discount, that has to bring some concern.

You realize that their are limits on how much stock certain executives can buy on the open market, simply to stop boards from tanking stock prices to buy and then bring them back up.

[world traveler and former ceo]

Nice article today from The Street stating that the Bold 9900 was the best professional smartphone out there period right now ... for the business focused person ...

I agree!

[rollingrock1988]

Regardless- I think we can all agree that RIM needs to do something, fast.

[RCCollins]

Nice article today from The Street stating that the Bold 9900 was the best professional smartphone out there period right now ... for the business focused person ...

I agree!

I could not disagree more, I am sure there was incentive for publishing that article, RIMs astroturfing is well documented.