“At this week’s BlackBerry World trade show, everyone expected the top headliner to be the company’s just-released PlayBook tablet and its new software offerings,” Peter Pachal writes for PC Magazine. “As it turned out, the gadget ended up taking second spot to a surprise guest: Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer.”
“Ballmer came out [on stage] during RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis’ keynote to announce a partnership that would bring Microsoft’s Bing search engine to BlackBerries,” Pachal writes. “Does RIM know what it’s in for, though? There’s considerable doubt over whether the company’s strategy and platforms can be successful over the next couple of years. If they’re not, Microsoft could end up owning RIM.”
“‘Will Microsoft buy RIM? That is a possibility and a fast track for Microsoft to gain a foothold in the mobile hardware business,’ says Harry Wang, director of mobile research at Parks Associates,” Pachal reports. “‘RIM’s market capitalization is only $25 billion and Microsoft 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,’ [Wang added.]”
Pachal writes, “Can you imagine Windows Phone 7 in two years, powered by the twin engines of Nokia’s global reach and RIM’s enterprise base? It would be a powerhouse platform, the stuff of dreams for Ballmer—and nightmares for Apple and Google.”
MacDailyNews Take: Ha, ha – good one, Pachal!
Read more in the full article here.
Fabrice Taylor writes for The Globe and Mail, “One of these days, if it hasn’t happened already, Steve Ballmer, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie will gather for a quiet lunch or a pleasant stroll and discuss what seems inevitable: Microsoft buying Research In Motion.”
“Both companies share an irksome problem called Apple. Both companies recently disappointed investors, in part because of this problem. Both companies are struggling because they can’t innovate with the vitality of Steve Jobs and Co. And both companies are desperate for a solution,” Taylor writes. “You could even argue that it’s a matter of life or death.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Two wrongs don’t make an iPhone or an iPad killer.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz,” “Carl H.” and “Harry B.” for the heads up.]
Maybe MS buys RIM and FaceBook…
That would be sweet. Just a slow downward spiral of all three as they flounder to figure out what they should do.
So the company run by Curly Joe is going to buy the company run by Larry and Moe? The 3 Stooges ride again!
Microshaft buying RIM?? They just bought Nokia to create Nokiasoft!!! WHY would they buy RIM??? Waste of money, time and would set RIM back 10 years.
And immediately after the sale, they’ll return all the money to the stockholders. Oh, wait…
The banal illogic of it all. Like I stated last week about Nokia:
When your ship is sinking, you don’t tie it to another sinking ship.
Microsoft, RIM and Nokia: On their way to Davy Jones’ Locker
The only thing I can say after reading all this apple fan boy stuff is, when three companies(RIM, Microsoft, & Nokia) with about a market value of about $300+ BILLION $, and have tens of thousands of bright people working for them….competition had pretty pay attention…Blackberry has a loyal fan base of 65 MILLION, and BBM is one of the most used communication networks in the world…and Microsoft is EVERYWHERE….they aren’t going anywhere without one hell of a fight.
All you guys think that when Steve Jobs Farts it is a Symphony…lOh and ets not forget the Apple screw ups to name just a few….NEWTON, or the Iphones that only recieve a call when you turn them a certain way…and most recently Iphones that keep track of where you go…talk about Big Brother…..
you guys are just a bunch of apple suck-ups trolling sites to impress your beloved steve jobs.