BUSINESS
November 21, 2008 | Alana Semuels, Semuels is a Times staff writer.
The BlackBerry, a phone and e-mail device that just a few years ago could be found mostly clipped to the belts of high-powered professionals, isn't just for workaholics anymore. Research in Motion Ltd. today is launching its first major counterattack at the iPhone: the BlackBerry Storm, a touch-screen device that enables users to take pictures, play movies and music, and visit their Facebook and MySpace pages with ease. It even tells them where to turn when they're lost in their cars.
BUSINESS
February 19, 2008 | From Bloomberg News
Motorola Inc. has sued Research in Motion Ltd., claiming that the Canadian company's BlackBerry wireless e-mail device violates seven U.S. patents covering mobile-communications technology. Motorola, the biggest U.S. maker of mobile phones, said Research in Motion was using the inventions without permission and asked a federal judge in Marshall, Texas, to order a stop. Motorola also is seeking cash compensation for past infringement of the inventions, according to the complaint filed Saturday.
BUSINESS
February 13, 2008 | From the Associated Press
The company behind the BlackBerry smart phones said a three-hour e-mail outage Monday was caused by an upgrade designed to increase capacity. Research in Motion Ltd. said Tuesday that the upgrade was part of "routine and ongoing efforts," and that similar upgrades in the past had caused no problems. The outage, which started about 12:30 p.m. PST, annoyed subscribers who are used to checking and writing e-mail whenever they're in cellular coverage and able to make voice calls.
BUSINESS
December 21, 2007 | From Times Wire Services
Research in Motion Ltd. reported a doubling of profit and issued a forecast that topped analysts' estimates on demand for its popular BlackBerry. Sales of the device with phone, e-mail, map and music player functions helped propel net income to $370.5 million, or 65 cents a share, in the company's fiscal third quarter, compared with $175.2 million, or 31 cents, a year earlier. Analysts in a Bloomberg survey had expected a profit of 62 cents.
BUSINESS
December 18, 2007 | From Times Wire Services
Research in Motion Ltd., the maker of the BlackBerry e-mail device, will open a U.S. headquarters in Irving, Texas, as it steps up efforts to attract American customers. The Waterloo, Canada-based company said it expected to employ more than 1,000 people in the Dallas suburb.
BUSINESS
October 24, 2007 | From Times Wire Service
Research in Motion Ltd. has shipped the first of its BlackBerry smart phones to China and plans to start selling them this year, a major breakthrough for the Canadian company in penetrating the Asian market. The company said it struck a Chinese distribution deal with Alcatel-Lucent. The first handset to be sold under the partnership is the 8700 model, versions of which the firm has sold globally for several years.