4 ms·

Microsoft buying RIM: Bad idea, or worst idea ever?

• rbanffy 15y ago
  Patents. Now that Microsoft has no longer the antitrust ghost to haunt them, they are free to do a lot of nasty things.
  • rkwz 15y ago
    >Now that Microsoft has no longer the antitrust ghost to haunt them Can you explain how this came to be? Did this "anti-trust case" ended a few years ago?
    • rbanffy 15y ago
      http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704099704576289070587549758.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870409970457628...
  • jsnell 15y ago
    RIM's market cap is $15 billion, so buying them just for the patents would be like burning $100 bills. As a comparison, Nortel's 6000 patents are apparently getting sold for less than one billion. Does RIM have a portfolio anywhere near that size or quality?
    • rbanffy 15y ago
      To be fair, buying Nokia will be much cheaper. Phase one of the plan is complete and now phase 2 is under way. In a few years, Nokia will be so dependent on Microsoft an acquisition will be unavoidable. OTOH, RIM's market cap won't last long. Eventually, they will be a bargain.